It can be a daunting task to feel prepared if it’s your first time at a festival! From reading all the rules and following all the comments on social media, there’s a lot of information out there. But worry not! We here at The In-Crowd know a thing or two about what you will definitely need and some tips you should be aware of.

Water, water, and more water!

Even if you are not at the barricade or it’s not a sunny day, you need to make sure you are staying hydrated! Most festivals will let you bring in a refillable bottle and have refill stations so make sure you find a bottle you like and pack it along. If water’s boring, grab some hydration powder packs to mix into it.

Deodorant & Anti-Chafe Sticks

Before you leave to go rock out for the day, be sure to put on your deodorant and some anti-chafe cream or gel. The pit doesn’t need to smell like an arm pit and all that walking can catch up with your thighs quickly. Make sure you grab travel sizes to throw in that clear bag of yours too- even if you keep it in your locker.

Setting spray – even if you have no make up on.

Whether you have an awesome face card or are rocking your natural beauty, a setting spray with SPF is a game changer! The best advice is to put all your sunscreen on before you leave, then cover completely with SPF setting spray. Not only is it an extra layer of protection, but if make up can stay through the sweaty mess of a festival, so will your sunscreen.

Speaking of sunscreen…

It doesn’t matter how much you want a nice deep tan, wear sunscreen! Don’t ruin all the work you’ve put into getting to the festival by getting sun burnt on day one or even worse- sun poisoning or skin cancer. Check the FAQs on your festival’s site before buying any though. A lot of festivals will not allow aerosol cans in.

Personal sanitary wipes.

This may or may not be coming from a bit of trauma on our end but toilet paper can be a hot commodity at festivals. Being able to actually clean up when the TP is gone can make you feel ready to get back to rocking! These are also really helpful when it’s a hot day and you feel gross and you want to freshen up just a little bit.

General Shoe Tips

Please break those awesome new shoes you got in before you head out! Blisters and foot pain will ruin your time. If you already experience foot pain or are concerned, a good pair of insoles can go a long way. A few Band-Aids can really come in clutch when the back of your shoes are tearing your ankle up too.

Dollar Store Poncho

Trust me. That $2 poncho won’t seem so silly when you end up paying $15 for a poncho at your festival. No one wants to be soggy at a show. Some people even buy plastic shoe booties, which would be a huge help if you hate wet socks.

A portable battery that has multiple charges on it.

You will take pictures. You will take videos. You will try to send the same message 5 times even though you know you have no signal. All of that is going to kill your phone battery. To avoid the cost of renting a battery pack, find a nice one you can recharge at nights that holds more than just one charge on it. You’ll be thankful when the headliner goes on to play your favorite song at almost 11 pm after you’ve been on your phone since 10 am.

Sharpies

If you are going to want to get autographs (and you know you will), bring extra sharpies! Not everyone has one available and you might miss out if you’re not ready! Be extra prepared by having silver metallic sharpies in case the item being signed is a dark color.

Cash or card?

Always check the FAQs of your festival beforehand- but most festivals today are cashless! Make sure you have everything in order with your money so you can eat, drink, and buy merch without any issue. HOWEVER- Sometimes extra things like parking or toll roads on the way to the show might be cash only! Do your research and plan accordingly.

There’s so many more and we could go on for hours. Do you have any tips you’d like to add? Sound off in the comments to help everyone be as prepared as possible!