I’ve been hooked on live music since I was 16 and attended my first concert to see my favorite artist of all time, Tyler, the Creator. Since then I’ve been able to see Tyler three more times, and some of my other favorite artists like Tame Impala, Kid Cudi, Mac Demarco, Vince Staples, Clairo, Brockhampton, Khalid, and more.
In 2017, I attended my first music festival, Panorama on Randall’s Island in New York, and it changed my life forever. For $125 I was able to see some of my favorite artists like Cherry Glazerr, MGMT, Isiah Rashad, Solange, and Frank Ocean all in one day. Since Panorama 2017, I’ve been to 4 more festivals, and have plans to attend (as of right now) 2 more in the next year. I even have a bucket list of festivals I want to attend and have managed to cross off a few already.
There’s nothing like spending three days listening and dancing to your favorite artists with your festie besties, discovering new artists, and of course stuffing your face with really great food and snacks. Here are some things I’ve learned from my experiences.
- Planning your day out makes your life ten times easier.
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A few days before the festival begins a daily schedule will be posted with set times and stage locations. Make a list of all the artists you want to see and make your own personal schedule to follow. Make sure to give yourself enough time to get out of crowds and walk to the next stage, as well as time for bathroom and water breaks. It’s completely okay if you don’t stick to your schedule, but it definitely helps to have some kind of idea on what you want to do/ who you want to see.
- Almost anything counts as festival fashion.
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As you’re walking around you’re going to see some really cool outfits and some really weird ones. Almost anything and everything qualifies as festival fashion. I’ve seen it all from your typical shorts, tank, and flower crown combo, to guys walking around in glitter and tutus. Don’t be afraid to try out new looks and push the boundaries of fashion when going to a festival.
- If you plan to camp out at one stage all day, be prepared.
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There have been times when I’ve camped out for hours at one stage because most of the artists that I want to see that day are performing back to back, and I want to get a close view of the stage. If you’re going to do this make sure you’re prepared because you will be in a crowd standing, moshing, and dancing for hours straight. Make sure that before you go into the pit you eat well beforehand, bring water, go to the bathroom, and wear comfortable shoes because your feet will begin to hurt.
- Stay Hydrated.
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You’re going to spend most of your day jumping and dancing around in the sun, and you might not notice at first but your body is going to get tired. So do yourself a favor and make sure you drink lots of fluids! Most festivals allow you to bring a sealed water bottle into the festival, which is super convenient because you can fill it up when you’re done at one of the many free water stations around the festival grounds. If you plan on going to more festivals I would invest in a hydro pack. Not only does it allow you to store your belongings, but you can fill it with up to a liter of water to stay hydrated throughout the day.
- Make sure to get some rest.
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At the end of each day you’re going to be exhausted, so make sure to get as many hours of sleep as you can when you get home. You’ll need all the rest you can get to last the entire weekend, trust me. In the past, my friends and I have even brought blankets with us to lay on and take naps in between sets.
- Chip in with friends and get a locker.
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Purchasing a locker for the weekend can be super convenient because you can store extra clothes and any other personal belongings you may need throughout the day. These lockers also come with chargers inside of them so you can power up while taking a break in between sets. The lockers also make for a great meeting place, when you get lost from your group. If you share a locker with a few friends, it shouldn’t cost any more than $10.
- Festival-goers are the friendliest people you’ll ever meet.
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At a music festival, everybody is your friend. Every time I go into the crowd I make friends with at least 3 different people. Everyone takes care of everyone in the crowd, and there’s an overall atmosphere of love and togetherness. We’re all there for the same reason: to dance to great live music.
- Take some time to listen to new artists.
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The best part about festivals is that there are so many different artists and bands that will be playing, so it’s a great opportunity to discover new music. Some of my top festival moments are of me and my friends picking a random artist to go see and dancing in the crowd to new music.
- Remember to put your phone down sometimes.
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Of course, we all want to be able to look back and relive these moments, but you shouldn’t forget to enjoy the moment while you’re actually living in it. You don’t want all of your memories from the weekend to be of you watching the performance through your phone. I usually record 2 or 3 videos during a performance, and then put my phone away. Sometimes I even forget to record videos because I get so lost in the moment dancing with my friends.
- Pick a meeting place.
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If you’re going with a big group of people, someone is bound to get lost or separated. It’s happened to me before and it definitely will happen again in the future. Have your group decide on a meeting place, because I guarantee you will utilize at least once throughout the weekend.