FESTIVAL ESSENTIALS

Let's have the Fest talk...

On this Festive Friday (happy Friday y’all!), we thought it would be most appropriate to talk about and help you prepare for one of the things that makes the summer so amazing - festivals!

So many choices, so little time

There are so many festivals of all flavors and sizes that take place around the world in the summer. You can go big and rub elbows with the sexy models of Los Angeles who are pretending to be hippies for a weekend at Coachella, or get into the heart of EDM culture at Tomorrowland in Belgium. If smaller and more intimate is more your style, there are plenty of those too, like Vertex Festival in the beautiful mountain town of Buena Vista, Colorado and BottleRock in the infamous wine region of Napa Valley, California. At Vertex, you can not only enjoy amazing music but also drink on and tube the river that passes right through town.

Planning goes a long way

So with that being said, let’s help you plan accordingly so you can make your fest trip the best one yet (or at least the most prepared). First thing’s first, check the weather! All trips can be ruined if one is not dressed appropriately for what lies ahead. Just because it’s sunny and 75 in your hometown does not mean it will be that way at the festival you attend. Mark Twain is claimed to have said the famous quote "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." Whether he said it or not, it’s so true. I flew from Los Angeles to SF for Outside Lands in August and here I was, a naive LA guy not even thinking about the weather, hit in the face with cold weather, wind, and rain all weekend. Hey, don’t get me wrong, I still had a blast, but I always check the weather forecast wherever I travel now…

My favorite part of festivals is dressing up in fun, bright, and decorative (and outrageous) clothing that I would never wear in public. Festivals are all about embracing the music and your inner spirit, to “let your freak flag fly” as some may say, and to have no judgements on yourself and others. So wear whatever makes you happy, comfortable or not, and just own it. Trust that other people will be wearing festive outfits too and you will certainly be complemented on showing off your true you. Just have fun with it!

Always wear sunscreen. Period.

Make sure you pack a ton of water and a good amount of food and snacks. Some festivals are camping only and others you can stay at a hotel in town, but pretty much all venues will have food and drink vendors. Though you will have access to them, it is always behooving to have plenty of water at hand. With all of that dancing in the heat and doing whatever else you’re doing, stay hydrated!

Last but not least 

Be open to it all. Festivals are an exciting time to step out of your comfort zone, meet new people, listen to your favorite bands and discover new artists, and have a tremendously unique experience. So put a smile on your face, leave your worries at home, and get out there and have some fun!

Thanks for reading. Happy Festive Friday and Happy Summer!