Festival Survival Guide

As the Calgary Folk Festival is coming up, which I am super stoked for, I thought I would write up a little festival survival guide for you all. Festivals can be large amounts of fun if you do them right so here is a breakdown of what you need to go into a festival and make it out alive!

1. Sunscreen

Sunscreen is key! There is nothing worse than getting burnt and having to worry about how much pain you are in and what kind of cancer you are getting when you should be enjoying your favourite band. Layer up and reapply! And wear a hat, you will thank me later.

2. Stalker Supplies

The good thing about music festivals is band members usually wander around the grounds. This gives you the opportunity to bump into some of your favourite people! Always have a Sharpie at the ready! You never know when you will need that all important autograph. A camera is good too, to capture that beautiful Kodak moment. Here is my favourite stalker photo taken at Sasquatch: A Sheepdog grabbing lunch.

3. Water

Lord knows we would all love to be able to survive on alcohol alone but alas, the human body needs H2O. Make sure you take enough or you will end up spending $5 for a bottle. If they only let you take one bottle in take a few empty bottles too so you don't spend all day in the water line.

4. Bring Enough Booze!

This more applies to camping festivals but there is nothing worse than running out of booze on the first night. Sure, you can go line up and pay an extortionate amount of money for another case of beer but by then you have lost your buzz and no one wants that. So stock up and go crazy!

5. Waterproof Clothing

It's a festival. It's going to rain. It's inevitable. A waterproof jacket is a good investment. If you want to wear a garbage bag poncho go ahead but I prefer to look stylin'. Once you're wet, you will have to spend the rest of the day in wet clothes which will ruin your fun. Also, if you leave because it is raining, you are a loser and shouldn't have come in the first place.

6. Toilet paper!!

Maybe the most important. No one wants to get stuck in a portapotty with no TP. At the end of the day they will run out, be prepared!! Also, hand sanitizer will be your best friend.

So that is my advice for all you would be festival goers. Festivals are expensive, get your money's worth! I will be back next week to give you the lowdown on the Folk Festival: the highs, the lows, the good, the bad. Will I have a heart attack when Dan Mangan walks out onto the stage? You will have to wait and find out.