Festival Season is Coming: Tips for Survival

1. Take an empty water bottle. Or check if you can take a sealed water bottle in. Most festivals have a refill station or at least a water fountain. Stay hydrated, kids.

2. Invest in a draw string backpack. They're inexpensive and it doesn't matter if they get dirty. You don't know how many times these things have saved a life. There's nothing worse than having to carry all of your stuff around on a sweltering summer day.

3. SUNSCREEN! You don't want to be walking around looking like a lobster after day one of a three-day festival. Seriously, protect your skin. i'm the palest person alive. I have to use like SPF 6,000.

4. Hide your cash. Hide yo kids. hide yo wife. But really, make sure you keep your cash some place safe. It's easy to fall out of a pocket (I found $80 in a bathroom at Warped Tour before). I usually keep a 20 and my card in the back of my phone case cause I never put that thing down.

5. Comfy shoes. I don't know why people try to look cute at festivals. We're all sweaty gross sewer trash by the end of the night. Wear your Sketchers if they don't hurt your feet. Wear your Vans if they don't give you callouses. Don't wear those cute flats when you know they try to amputate your pinky toe.

6. IF you're going to drink, do so responsibly. You don't want to get kicked out before your favorite band even hits the stage. Also IF you are the type to sneak a flask in, there are some very handy fake sunscreen bottle flasks on Amazon for like $10. Save yourself some money. Don't pay $10 per drink.

7. Take Wet Wipes! or baby wipes, whatever is cheaper. They're great for cleaning spilled drinks off your hands, wiping sweat off your brow, or cleaning up when the porta potties run out of toilet paper. Because They will run out.

8. Wear layers. When you're at your hottest in the middle of a set in the sun, take off the extra shirt and you'll actually feel some relief other than suffering all day. Plus, you can change into that semi-dry shirt later if needed.

9. Bring a portable phone charger. Some festivals have charging stations, but you usually have to pay by the half hour. A small $5 charger can save the day and prevent you from being stranded because your phone is dead and you can't find your friends.

10. Eat light, but eat something healthy. I know those funnel cakes are tempting, but when you're hot and dehydrated the last thing your body needs is sugar. Try that new smoothie food truck or take some bananas and granola bars in that drawstring backpack.

11. Ponchos. Ponchos are good for several things: Protecting you and your things from the rain, protecting your butt from the muddy ground. Take a poncho or 3. They're like $2 and so handy when that summer storm hits.

12. Hit up the vendor tents for free stuff! Who doesn't love free?! And they market to people stuck in the sun. Chapped lips? Someone (Dunkin Donuts) probably has chapstick. Sun too bright? Someone (Redd's Apple Ale) has to be giving away sunglasses. Need a place to hold your things? Someone (Roadie) always has drawstring bags. Seriously, make the rounds. Give them your crappy spam email from 8th grade (GCLuvah88@aol.com) for all the free things!

Now, go catch all the bands!