Four Ways To Prepare Yourself For An Outdoor Summer Music Festival

Posted on: 24 June 2016

If you're a true music enthusiast, music festivals are probably the hallmark of your summer. Having a number of your favorite artists come together for a weekend to play at a single venue is a profound experience. Plus, nothing in the world can match the energy you experience while standing outside with thousands of other fans while watching great artists perform on a beautiful summer day.

However, the summer heat can also be harsh, especially when you're packed into the middle of a dancing crowd. Furthermore, navigating the festival grounds for food, drinks, and parking can be a nightmare. That's why it's important to come properly prepared so that you have the best festival experience possible.

Get Yourself a Checkup

Feeding off the energy of thousands of other music enthusiasts is part of the magic of music festivals. However, dancing around in a huge crowd of sweaty people from all around the country means you're going to come in contact with a lot of foreign germs.

If your immune system isn't up to snuff, your festival experience may be cut short by a pesky virus. That's why it's a good idea to visit your primary care physician before you head to the festival. Ask your physician about safe ways to boost your immune system so that your body is ready to resist any germs it comes in contact with. Additionally, you'll be exerting a lot of energy walking around and dancing in the summer heat. Explain your plans to your physician so that they can run any relevant tests to check that your body is ready to handle the physical demands of a weekend festival.

Of course, there may be a number of unique checkup procedures that are beneficial to you depending on your medical history. Just tell your physician that you plan on attending a multi-day music festival outside in the summer heat and they'll perform all of the necessary tests or give you additional reading to ensure you're ready to rock out all weekend.

Make Sure Your Car Is up for the Trip

Your body isn't the only thing that can break down and ruin your experience. You also need to make sure your car is prepared for the task, especially if you're embarking on a long road trip to get to the music festival. Even minor, easily-preventable malfunctions can leave you stranded on the highway and make you miss out on the whole festival. Furthermore, you'll likely be stuck in huge lines of traffic entering and exiting the festival, which can wreak havoc on your car in the summer heat.

Look in your owner's manual to find a detailed list of all maintenance procedures, including the mileage at which they need to be performed. Perform any overdue maintenance procedures such as oil and filter changes so that they don't lead to a breakdown while you're en route.

Additionally, carefully inspect your tires to ensure there are no cracks or holes forming in between the treads. Even a small crack can lead to a tire blowout when you're taking a long trip down the highway. Not only will that leave you stranded, but it can also cause you to lose control of your vehicle and cause an accident. If your tires all look healthy, check each of your tires' pressure level to ensure they're properly inflated. You can find the suggested psi rating on a sticker in your driver's side door jamb. Inflate each tire to the suggested pressure to avoid the risk of a blowout while traveling at high speeds down the highway.

Research the Venue and Stock up on Supplies

If your body and your car are ready for the journey, it's time to thoroughly research the music festival venue. Navigating between different stages can be really confusing if you're not familiar with the venue, and the last thing you want to do is miss out on your favorite artists while trying to find your way from one stage to another. To avoid getting lost, print out a hard copy of the venue layout and keep it with you at all times. Also, print out a schedule of when your favorite artists will be performing so you know when it's time to venture from one stage to another.

A lot of outdoor festivals allow you to bring in outside food and drinks. Avoid paying exorbitant prices for necessities such as water and snacks by stocking up on them before you go. Bring a backpack so you can carry ample amounts of food and water around with you. Keep in mind how exhausting the summer heat can be when you're dancing in a large crowd, and pack your bag full of water and food accordingly.

With proper preparation, your summer music festival experience will be far more positive than it would be if you tried showing up on a whim. 

Share