Happy Friday! We’ve had some nice weather in Chicago this week, so I’ve been a happy camper :). Excited that the weekend is upon us, and I’m seeing Belle & Sebastian tonight so I’m stoked about that too.
Crazy that it’s already April – that means festival season is about to kick off! With Coachella just around the corner, here are 5 festival tips & tricks that will come in handy for you festival goers.
1. Download the Firechat app (& make sure your friends do too)
At some point during the festival, you will lose your friends. Normally, you would just call/text and find a meeting place…but cell reception is non-existent. With tens of thousands of people in one location sharing one tower, this is bound to happen . Firechat is an app that allows you to contact people without a network connection. It uses Bluetooth & Wi-Fi on your phone to communicate with other devices. As long as you’re within reasonable distance & the person you’re trying to reach has the app running, you’ll be able to send messages, images & even videos.
2. Pack on the sunscreen
There’s nothing that could ruin your experience more than a bad sunburn. I’d recommend getting sunblock that is SPF 30+. Lather up, bring it with you and re-apply several times a day. It’s annoying (and so “not cool”) but you’ll be happy you did it after the fact.
3. Plan ahead
Check out the lineup and plan your schedule in advance. Most festivals have an app where you can create your own schedule & check for updates throughout the day. You don’t want to miss an awesome show because you got lost or sidetracked. I was at Lollapalooza a couple of years back and due to extreme weather conditions, they had to shut down the park and evacuate everyone for a few hours. All of the shows were rescheduled – if I didn’t have the Lolla app on my phone, I wouldn’t have known the new times for shows that were moved. SUPER helpful.
4. Stay hydrated
Hot weather + crowds + alcohol is NOT a good combination if you’re not hydrated. I’ve seen way too many people pass out at these things, and that’s not fun for anyone involved. Most festivals allow you to bring in either an empty water bottle or full sealed water bottles. It’s always best to bring these items with you because the last thing you want to do while you’re running to catch your next show is wait in line to buy water.
5. Bring a poncho
This doesn’t really apply for Coachella, but it’s essential for festivals in other climates (particularly those in Chicago). Every festival I’ve been to, it has rained. When you’re unprepared, this can ruin your day. Ponchos won’t keep your feet dry, but at least you won’t have smeared makeup & wet clothes for the rest of the day.
Hope these were helpful – any tips I missed? Would love to hear yours!
xo
Tina
