Leave your valuables at home. Like your expensive digital camera, other valuables, such as jewelry, Ipods (you are going to a music festival after all) PDAs, laptops, etc. shouldn’t be with you at the festival. Use your common sense, and ask yourself whether you will actually need the item in question (hint: the answer is “no.”) and whether you would be able to easily replace it in the likely event that it becomes lost or stolen.
Be sure to try new things. Aside from the music, the most fun that you can have ant an outdoor music festival is by participate in an off stage activity, like a square dance, drum circle, yoga, arts and crafts, etc. Try participating in a jam session with other festival goers, you never know when your favorite musician may join the group for an impromptu session. There are also usually numerous workshops and seminars covering various topics.
Obey camping rules. If your festival allows camping, whether in a tent or an RV or both, be sure that you follow the camping rules and regulations. Remember your basic etiquette skills and be a good neighbor by keeping noise level down, and above all cleaning up after yourself. Littering only makes things worse for the next camper, hurts the environment, and makes you look lazy.
Don’t overdo it. This applies to alcoholic beverages, festival food, sun exposure, and everyone’s number one outdoor music festival mistake: trying to do too much at the same time. Yes, you are at a music festival, and yes, there is a lot to do, but drinking so much that you miss your favorite bands, making yourself sick by overeating or over exposure to the sun, and rushing around trying to grab as many experiences at once without stopping for a break will only lead to bad (and in some cases, very hazy) festival memories.
Consider volunteering. This may be a way to get in free, but regardless, it will be a way to experience the festival from the inside Volunteering will help you to appreciate all of the hard work that goes into planning an outdoor music festival, and will also give you the opportunity to meet people and gain valuable skills, all while listening to your favorite bands perform live.
Remember that outdoor music festivals are meant to be fun, relaxing, and fulfilling, and to help you to achieve this, a little planning and a lot of schedule flexibility can go a long way. Also be sure to check out our work exhange and to go here to stay informed