We are slowly reaching that time of year again – music festival season. The time when you need to start planning your vacation from your job so you and your friends can hit up the best music festivals around the country. It doesn’t matter what you are into – pop, indie, rock, EDM, hip hop – there is a festival for you. In fact, they seem to get more popular as each year passes. With this guide, you’ll know exactly how to prepare for a music festival.
So, after you have made your selection showcasing your favorite bands, what should you do to make sure you are prepared for the festival? Grab a pen to take notes – you are going to want to keep reading for the best ways to learn how to prepare for a music festival and get yourself set for a worry-free music festival season.
Find a Tent Rental to Create Your Temporary Living Space
First, you will need a tent to sleep in. Remember, you are going to have to use your outdoor festival tent rental for sleeping and for storing your belongings. Therefore, make sure it is big enough. Always go for a size or two bigger than the amount of people it says it can sleep. Let’s face it – you are not necessarily going to want to be snuggled up to your buddies who have been partying hard for hours on end, are you?
Now, because you are not going to want to stay in your tent rental all day, you will want to set up a space next to it to act as a social/living area, so-to-speak. You can rent a canopy that can hold quite a few people. Load it up with rugs, chairs, lights, etc. Not only will it provide a spot for you and your friends to mingle, it will also provide a place for shelter and shade. Make it as comfortable as possible. This is going to be your spot for the next couple days.
If you are lucky enough to plan, you can find a tent rental for the festival – get all decked out with personalization and stand out! Finding a tent rental will make your trip even more luxurious and will help you to prepare.
Be Prepared
Knowing how to prepare for a music festival can be difficult because of the many aspects involved. But it’s easier than you think! Music festivals really aren’t the time and place to cook a classy five course meal. Opting to purchase the food sold at the festival could get a bit pricey rather quickly. The best thing to do would be to pack non-perishable food items that can keep you well-nourished and won’t require too much effort to make. Here are a few suggestions:
- Peanut butter, jelly, and bread for sandwiches
- Bagels or rice cakes with peanut better
- Fruits
- Veggies
- Canned beans, ravioli, soup
- Dried fruits
- Nuts
- Granola bars or cereal bars
- Oatmeal
Make sure you bring lots of water to stay hydrated. You may even bring empty bottles for re-filling, as most festivals will have available water taps. Check with organizers prior to going to see what is and what is not allowed. Some allow small grills or hot plates, others do not. Some allow glass bottles, others do not. It is best to know these things in advance so you can plan accordingly without encountering any surprises.
Don’t forget to pack a cooler for your travels as there is usually a long line of traffic to get to these rather rural festivals. You will get hungry and you will not want to dip into your festival rations.
Bring the Right Clothing and Frills
Think about it – you are going to be outdoors, subjecting yourself to all types of elements. You will want to be prepared, for your own sake. Know the weather before you go. Regardless of the weather forecast, if it’ll be hot, cold, rainy, etc., pack accordingly. If it is going to be cold, pack a couple extra clothing items to act as extra layers to keep you warm. If it is going be hot, pack a couple extra outfits to change into once you have turned your current outfit into a stinky, sweaty mess.
As far as having fun – you will want to pack those extra frills. Things such as onesie pajamas, bathing suits, crazy outfits, wigs, makeup, masks, glow jewelry, etc. Anything to stand out.
Arrive Early
You are going to want to make sure you arrive early enough to find the best camping spot or at the very least, a really good one. There is nothing more miserable than having to spend three days camping with the smell of overflowing portable toilets.
- Make sure your spot is far away from toilet and trash locations. This may not seem like a big deal on day one, but by the end of day two, you will be wishing you had listened better.
- Find grassy, flat land. It may seem like a soft idea to pitch a tent in the sand, but after a little rainfall, you will then have mud and, well, that is not so pleasant.
- It can be brutally hot outside at times. When you are spending your days in the great outdoors without the great perk of air conditioning, you are going to want to find some shade.
It may force you to put in a little work, but ideally you are looking for a place that allows you to avoid horrid stenches, potential mud, and significant sunshine. Arriving early will allow you the most opportunity to find this master location!
Leave Your Bad Attitude at Home
Nobody enjoys the company of a Debbie Downer so leave your bad attitude at home. Music festivals get crowded, loud, and dirty. If that isn’t your thing, maybe you should re-consider. A couple of days roughing it with thousands of hyped fans is going to lead to chaos. Things may not always go as you planned. Regardless of if you’ve thought of absolutely everything and know how to prepare for a music festival, this is the most important thing to consider. Warn yourself of this ahead of time and you should have no worries.
Music festivals are meant to bring you fun times to dance, socialize, and forget the real world for a couple of days. Knowing how to prepare for a music festival can either make or break the event. Not being prepared could add a lot of stress to the event. From finding a tent rental to arriving early, plan ahead with these tips and you are sure to have a great time!