The Coachella Music and Arts Festival occurs yearly in Indio, California with thousands flocking to the desert. With a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many were eager to be back in action. Acts ranging from The Weeknd to Harry Styles, Megan Thee Stallion and Billie Eilish rocked the stages on Weekends 1 and 2 at the Empire Polo Club. While some come for the music, others come for the fashion, and some come for the artwork. However, most come to have a good time. Here are my 5 tips to have a Coac(hella) good weekend.
- Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!
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No one likes to be dehydrated after a long day standing in the heat. Let’s face it. At Coachella, you have the added hurdle of large crowds, lines and hours on your feet traveling from set to set or waiting to hear the music. My biggest piece of advice is to hydrate before, during and after the festival ends to ensure that you don’t run into issues at or after the festival. I would recommend either a Cammelpack, essentially a water backpack, or bringing a Hydro Flask and filling up. Or, buy some within the grounds. But, it is essential to having a safe, and fun, experience while there.
- Bring a Phone charger
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Phone’s Dead, but you’re not. I hate the feeling of not knowing when I will have to recharge my phone or risk not being able to use it, especially at such a large event like Coachella. While I encourage everyone to unplug and enjoy the music, bringing an external battery pack will ensure that you won’t miss an Instagrammable moment to capture with you and your friends galloping through the polo fields. Also, in case of emergencies, it helps to have some battery to ensure that you can get in contact with authorities or loved ones.
- Prepare for Lines (Lots of Them).
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It is a simple fact of life that lines exist. Both on a mathematical level and physical level. At Coachella, lines are everywhere, from the moment you drive into the festival to find a parking spot, to the moment you leave to head out for the night. Coming into the festival with low expectations as to how these lines will move (or not) will allow you to not get over-worked in the merchandise line waiting for three hours. Expectation lowering is key to ensuring you keep your sanity in check. After all, we’re all here to have a good time. Getting worked up over a line is a waste of mental energy that could be used to focus on the main event: the beats.
- Plan your LineUp beforehand
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Know your plan of attack before you set foot on the festival grounds. En route to the festival, or before, plan out your days accordingly, so everyone in your party is on the same page when it comes to meeting spots, times, setlists, directions, everything. It will make for a much smoother Coachella experience overall. Plus, planning makes the stress levels lower, which after all, is why we are all here in the first place. If you become stressed, then everyone in your party will become stressed. Plan your day ahead (minute by minute if you have to), and you’ll thank yourselves (and me) later.
- Have Fun (& Don’t Forget your Wristband!)
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Most importantly, have fun, relax and have the best time ever. I know it can seem stressful having to plan out every minute of every day from the minute you get up, to outfit and set planning and travel arrangements. Even if you miss one set, or one line for food or merchandise, it’s OK. Why? Because you are at Coachella, the biggest music festival in the world. Where else are you going to see so many amazing sights, sounds and people from all walks of life converging together in one place to experience the joy that is music? Relax. Take it all in. Everything will work out how it is supposed to.