Your CheatSheet on What to Take to a Music Festival

The season of music festivals is here. Here are the dos and don’ts before you head out.

Yes it’s that time of the year when music festivals give you a chance to listen to bands you enjoy on SoundCloud.

Live music (in a good setup) can be refreshing and kind of an adrenaline rush — so I urge all people of different ages to go for a music festival this year.

While organisers do their best for you to have a great time, you must do a little prep yourself. Having been to a few festivals the past few years, here’s what I think you should do:

1. How to Get There

Now a lot of us go in groups of 4-6 or more friends so you can either drive or take a cab. If you’re all planning to drink up, it’s best not to take chances and pay a little extra for a cab.

This way you have more time to fuss about the drink in your hand or the band on-stage. Once you get there, use the festival app and the schedule flier to figure out which stage to head to.

2. What to Carry

You should carry a backpack (those leather ones, really cute!) or a shoulder bag to the festival filled with a few essentials like a bottle of water, camera (try getting a disposable camera), a small blanket or a roll mat, money (cards if any) and a hand sanitiser. The two most important things to carry are a portable phone charger (what if you lose track of your friends? Or want to update your Instagram?) and a pee-pee kit. Chances are you’d be there for a couple of hours and cannot NOT go pee. If you’re using the portable loo, make sure you carry disposable toilet seat covers or a sanitising spray. Trust me; it’s never pleasant (so much easier for guys!).

3. What to Wear

Music festivals are a great place to be comfortable in your skin and your individuality. Having said that, there’s no point freezing. So dress up in layers because it’s going to be sunny in the afternoon—carry a Fedora or a beanie—and stash a jacket for the evening ‘coz the temp is going to drop (I carry a pair of socks too). Most importantly, you will have to walk a lot, switch between stages, so make sure you wear REALLY REALLY comfortable shoes. If planning an all-nighter, make sure you have an extra pair of clothing with you.

4. How to Get Close to the Stage

Of course, it’s going to be crowded when the band is about to start playing. But they’re the reason you even came to the fest, so excuse yourself and make your way to the front. If it gets too claustrophobic or you have accidentally landed up in a makeshift moshpit, grab your friends’ hand and get the hell out of there.

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