I've been to my fair share of music festivals (five different ones) and I've learned many many tips along the way. Music festivals happen all throughout the year in different cities but these helpful hints will help no matter when or where you go to see your favorite music!
1. Stay Hydrated!
The number one rule of music festivals is staying hydrated! Drink lots and lots of water. Most festivals will allow you to bring in one (if not two) empty water bottles. Some people will bring in a Camelbak or another refillable water bottle, but you can also just bring in a plastic water bottle as long as it's empty. Being outside in the hot sun or any kind of weather wears a body down. You've got to make sure you're drinking lots of liquids (alcohol doesn't count). Also, try to eat something. Bring snacks in if you can and if not, make sure you at least have one decent meal that day. You'll feel a lot better at the end of the night if you do both.
2. Keep track of your valuables...
Make sure you have a bag of some type or somewhere to store your valuables. A phone case with credit card holders is always a good decision but I advise having somewhere to store your phone other than your pocket. Speaking from personal experience, phones can fall out of pockets. Also, this includes your friends and concert buddies. Establish a meet-up location that you all remember in case you split up or go to different stages throughout the day. Cell phone reception is TERRIBLE at music festivals so the likelihood that you'll be able to call or text them is not very high. Having a meeting spot is the smartest decision.
3. Plan ahead.
This is a sort of annoying but necessary step to a successful and fun experience. The line-ups are posted weeks if not months ahead of time so it's easy to write down the people you and your friends want to see. Most likely, acts are going to be at different venues or stages so this will make it easier to see at what times and what places the people you want to see are. It's best to have some sort of schedule so you know how much time you have in between sets so that you can use that time to rest, drink, eat, or shop around. Plans may change throughout the day but starting off with an idea of where you're going is the smartest decision you could make.
4. Come Prepared.
We all know that music festivals are pretty strict as to what you can and can not bring inside the venue. If you're planning on bringing any kind of medication make sure it is labeled and don't bring too much. They've thrown away anxiety medicines before because they think 'people use them to get high' (this an entirely different subject I'd like to rant about one day). Make sure all of your liquid containers are empty. I would also advise bringing a bandana if you're going somewhere that has a lot of dirt. Trust me, the dirt will get everywhere including your ears and throat; a bandana will help. Towels are always a great option because you're going to want to sit down eventually. Most venues don't have many benches or seats and the ground is either grass or dirt, neither of which are great to sit on. Also, don't forget some chapstick, tampons, and even a poncho (especially if you're going to Lollapalooza).
5. Rest!
Resting is extremely difficult to do at a music festival. You're trying to run from stage to stage and see all of your favorite bands play so that you don't miss any of the action and fun. It's important to sit down and rest for a little, especially as the day goes on. If there's a band that you maybe aren't as obsessed with, you could sit back on the lawn and relax for their set. This way, you still get to see them but you can sit down a relax a little bit too. Try to avoid sitting down in the middle of huge crowds in the front; they tend to get annoyed and rude when you do. Either way, just try to find some time in the day to sit down and eat or just relax. It'll pay off in the long run.
And most importantly, have fun!!!
