Surviving Festival Season: A Helpful Guide

It’s the greatest time of year! I’m talking about festival season, of course. The best season of the year has finally begun (no, it’s not summer, winter, fall or spring) and many like myself plan as far ahead of each festival as possible for the best experience possible. So, for anybody who may be attending a festival for the first time or would like some help but aren’t sure where to look, I have compiled a guide to help point you in the right direction. Please remember that this guide by no means covers everything that you would need to know to attend a festival, but instead focuses on a couple key areas to help you plan. Now, let’s get into it:

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     The first “hurdle” on your incredible journey down the rabbit hole is, of course, choosing your festival! There are a ton of things to consider when choosing what festival(s) you want to attend. Distance, price, who else will be attending and lineup are the most common factors for picking a festival. However, I think it’s even more important to consider the vibe of the festival that you are attending. Some festivals like EDC or HSMF are fast, high-energy, adrenaline-filled events that have you jumping around from morning to night. There are also the more laid back and transformational/spiritual festivals such as Sonic Bloom, Symbiosis, and Burning Man. Be sure to choose the style that suits you best (unless of course you’re trying to get out of your comfort zone).

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     Avengers Assemble! But seriously, it’s time to grab your crew and plan out your trip. If there is one thing that will make or break a festival it’s who you go with. Even if the music ends up being terrible, I can guarantee that if you go with the right people, you will still remember the festival as an amazing experience. Coordinate with your friends as soon as possible to finalize your travel and sleeping situation. Most importantly…..PLAN YOUR OUTFITS! The time is now to figure out any group outfits and costumes for the festivals. Some crowd favorites are Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, obviously! Now, as amazing as it is to adventure out with a group of your friends, there are a ton of benefits to venturing out on your own. One of the main benefits of attending a festival alone is the ability to make your own schedule. Having the ability to see any artist or take a break at any time you want without checking with the group first is a wonderful feeling that relieves a lot of potential stresses. The other HUGE benefit is all of the new friends you are going to make! Attending a festival solo forces you to interact with others, and odds are, you will make at least one new friend.

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Image by Doug Van Sant

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     Assuming you have already figured out your group outfit, now you need to figure out what YOU will be wearing on the day to day. Will it be “normal” everyday clothes? Raver? Burner? Costumes? Pack all of your outfits and the rest of your gear well in advance to make sure everything will fit allowing plenty of time for any changes that may need to be made. If you are the creative type and will be making your costume, be sure you have plenty of time to finish it before the festival. Nothing is worse than working on a costume only to be unable to finish before the festival or having an item ship too late. There are plenty of websites and forums dedicated to buying costumes and/or helping/providing advice. It’s also extremely beneficial to look up the weather in the area you will be visiting if you are not familiar with it.

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     Festivals, especially when camping out, can be brutal on your mind and body. It’s important to start preparing yourself physically and mentally before you head to your destination. Eat and drink plenty of healthy foods to keep your digestive and immune system performing as well as possible. Multi-vitamins are highly recommended in addition to your diet to help make sure that your system is getting everything it needs. Take the vitamins before, during and after the festival to keep you healthy. With so many people, festivals, like any large gathering, are a breeding ground for germs. Some venues/festivals have even become infamous for the sickness they send people home with such as the Shambhalung from Shambhala. Exercising and stretching can be very helpful too. Not to mention it will help get you into that sexy festival body that you’ve been craving. If you are anything like me you don’t get anymore exercise than when you are dancing at an event, and after 2 straight days of that you’re going to be dying.

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Image by Sam Colg

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Now I know it sounds like a great idea to bring your entire room with you to the festival, but as comfortable as that might sound it isn’t very realistic. Similar to your clothes and outfits, spend time in advance figuring out how well, or even if, everything will fit in your car. Directions to and from the venue and a list of important phone numbers (because none of us even have one number memorized) are sure to be helpful. Additionally, a face mask will be a life saver at any festival to help keep all of the dust out of your lungs allowing you rage longer and harder. Portable chargers are a must and even better if you have one with a solar charger, plus a portable speaker for those down times in the morning or evening when you’re back at camp. If you plan to bring your own food, think ahead of time about what you will want to eat for your meals. Anything that can be made in advance of going to the festival is preferred and will be appreciated later when you can barely lift your arms. You can also choose to purchase your meals at the festival which save you time and packing space. Not to mention the unique and incredible food you can only find at festivals! Be sure to bring at least a few snacks even if you do plan to buy meals for off hours when vendors are closed. Don’t forget to have some fun with your campsite as well! Tapestries are a fantastic way to provide you with shade and something beautiful to look at, plus it can help to identify your camp. Inflatable furniture is another fantastic way to help give your camp that feeling of home. Most festivals will also provide an allowed list prior to the event to help you figure out what is acceptable and if you are lucky they will provide a not-allowed list as well.