The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has quickly grown to be one of the most popular and prominent music festivals in United States and the world. Spanning over three days in the middle of the desert with 100+ degree heat and thousands of festival-goers, Coachella is much more than just music. As a Coachella first-timer, myself, all of this can sound pretty daunting. Luckily for you, I’ve done my research. Here’s some tips and tricks I’ve found to make sure we’re coachillin’ this year:
Taken by Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photography
1. Liquids are limited.
While hydration is important, Coachella rules and guidelines require Camelpacks and plastic reusable water bottles to be empty. Also, sorry diehard Hydroflask owners: metal as well as glass water containers are banned. Although there are strict limitations, there are water stands to fill up your empty containers and buy more water bottles inside the festival grounds.
Examples of bottles that are banned from bringing into the festival
2. Bring a bandana.
A lot of Coachella veterans recommend wearing a scarf or bandana on your face to help combat the dirt storms that can make it difficult to breathe. Stuck between crowds of people, the last thing you need is dust to steal your remaining oxygen.
3. Your cell phone will die.
But it’s not the end of the world. Bring a solar powered phone charger and set up meeting places and times with your friends ahead of time to ensure that no one will get stranded without a way to communicate. For example, make sure everyone agrees to meet at the iconic Ferris wheel at 5 pm. Being surrounded by so many people, phone service will suck. That’s where I guess the thing called face-to-face interaction happens (like the good old days) and the real essence of Coachella can actually be enjoyed.
4. Don’t be fashionably late.
Literally. Spending that extra five minutes on your makeup and outfit could result in waiting an extra thirty minutes in the security line to get into the festival and missing your favorite band. Plan to get to the festival grounds an hour ahead of the act you really want to see. Any less than that and you may risk missing out on that particular show.
5. Toilet Paper.
Nuff’ said.
6. Your new BFF is a P-Mate.
If you’re a girl, you know the very real struggle of long bathroom lines and the perilous dangers of porta potties. Thankfully, there’s an amazing invention called disposable urine funnels. You can get them on Amazon for around $5 for the luxury of not having to sit on the toilet seat while peeing or squat peeing (if it comes down to it).
While preparation is key, there’s always going to be unexpected surprises along the way. The best thing you can do is relax and enjoy the experience that is Coachella.