All the tips and tricks you’ll need to enhance your experience
Summer is rapidly approaching, and the weather is getting warmer. And with warm weather comes the opportunity to enjoy various music festivals coming to the Southeast, like Warped Tour and Carolina Rebellion, but, most importantly, Bonnaroo. They are extravagant and exciting opportunities for summer fun, as long as you avoid some of the typical pitfalls. Here are a few reasonable ways to prepare for music festivals and have a stress-free experience.
1.Get over yourself.
You’re there to have your own idea of a great time and gain a more-than-memorable experience, but you will have to accept that each event comes with its own annoyances. Just face the fact that you’ll have to embrace the following nuances: your personal space being violated, your standards for personal hygiene slipping a little, paying more for every bottle of water or souvenir and seeing at least one sweaty, old hippie with his shirt off.
2. Watch the sun.
Most of the concerts you’ll attend this summer take place outside when the sun is blazing. This means you’ll probably be really hot during the performances, especially if you decide to dance. To avoid any health difficulties, two things you should do are drink a gallon — no, two gallons — of water in the 24 hours before the concert and wear plenty of sunscreen.
3.Chose your clothing wisely.
If there is one thing to know about summers in the South, it’s that you’ll be hot in the afternoon, but after the sun goes down you may be cold. So, it’s best to bring a couple of layers. Also, make sure you don’t have a bunch of junk in your pocket. The less random debris you have will translate to a faster turnaround time. Trust me on this: It’s best you don’t have any keys, wallets or lighters in your pants when you’re dancing around or thrashing in a mosh pit at a rock concert.
4. Settle in.
The best and biggest festivals, like Bonnaroo, always involve camping, but put aside any ideas you have about waking to fresh greenery and the sound of birds singing. Festival camping bears no resemblance to ordinary camping, besides the fact that you’ll be sleeping in a tent and sleeping bag. To make this camping trip stress free, be sure to arrive early for the best choice of pitches, especially those as far away from the portable toilets as possible.
5.Watch your drinking.
Alcohol will most likely be available for purchase at these festivals, even though it’s overpriced and the lines to obtain it will be long. Because of this, attendees usually try to sneak in their own drinks combined with a variety of clear mixers. Considering that, it’s important to be cautious of those you accept alcohol from, otherwise you’ll wake up in a tent that’s not yours with a nasty hangover. Take it slow, and keep the head-banging on the stage rather than in your head.
6. Safely store valuables.
Of course, you’ll want to take pictures and share them with your friends online. But walking around with that pricey camera is asking for a theft. It will be much smarter to take a pair of cheap disposable cameras. Don’t take anything more than what you actually need, and keep anything too valuable to lose with you at all times.
7. Be considerate.
There’s always going to be that guy who shoves into you unapologetically, gets up in your face when you’re doing something he doesn’t like or crowd surfs with his beer spilling everywhere. Plain and simple: Don’t be that guy.
In addition, here are some tips on what to take and what not to take.
Do take: Cheap sunglasses, hand sanitizer, comfortable but expendable shoes, a blanket, chairs and sunscreen.
Do not take: Too much stuff, high heels (because you’ll be doing a lot of standing) and pets.