Music festival planning: 14 tips for first-timers and repeat fans
It’s possible to attend a music festival with little planning, but you’ll have a better time if you prepare — here are our tips!
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By Jamie Davis Smith
In 2024, the All Things Go music festival marked its 10th anniversary. The festival started as a humble one-day concert in Washington, D.C., but now it’s a two-day event. This year, the festival expanded to New York City. I attended All Things Go in D.C. with my teenage daughter. It was a great festival. We are looking forward to going back next year, even if not everything went as planned.
For those who have never been to a music festival, it’s possible to show up with very little planning, but you will have a better time if you prepare, and expect the unexpected. Here our 14 tips for making your music festival trip the best it can be!
Tip #1: Don’t have your heart set on one artist
Music festivals are fantastic, joyous events with multiple artists. Some people get tickets because they like the vibe and are ready to see as many artists as possible. Others have their heart set on seeing one or two performers.
While it’s rare, this year’s All Things Go festival made headlines when Chappell Roan canceled at the last minute. For some festival-goers, this was devastating. Other fans took the news in the stride, knowing they would still see plenty of other great artists.
It’s better to go into a music festival ready to embrace the full festival experience instead of treating it like a single-artist concert. Because music festivals feature multiple artists, you aren’t likely to get a refund if your favorite act cancels. It’s important to be okay with that before buying tickets.
Tip #2: Plan your music festival outfits stylishly and smartly
Part of the fun of festivals is dressing to impress. I loved walking around All Things Go looking at all of the great outfits. It’s fine to show up in jeans, but it’s more fun to dress the part. Make sure your outfits are versatile and appropriate for the setting.
Outdoor festivals are unpredictable. You may find yourself in sweltering heat, a downpour, standing in mud, or lingering in cooler weather once the sun goes down. It’s possible that all of this could happen in a single day. Ultimately, you want to be comfortable and have shoes that will take you all over the festival grounds with ease.
Tip #3: Wear ear protection at the music festival
Even though many music festivals are outdoors, they are still very loud, especially if you are close to the stage. I chose Loop Experience 2 earplugs because they are designed specifically to filter noise at concerts.
Tip #4: Study the music festival schedule
Like most music festivals, All Things Go had multiple stages. To make sure you don’t miss anything, check the schedule. If two artists you want to see are playing back-to-back, you may need to leave one set early to make it to the next set on time. It’s important to stay on top of the schedule to make sure you don’t miss a thing. This will likely involve a lot of walking back and forth, so plan accordingly.
Tip #5: Have priorities, but be open
Music festivals are more of a marathon than a sprint. All Things Go D.C. was two very full days. While I would have loved to have seen every artist on the schedule, that wasn’t realistic. I decided to choose a few must-see artists each day and to go with the flow for the rest of the time. I realized that if I was going to make it to the headliners at the end of the day, I probably shouldn’t worry about seeing the first act of the day.
That said, festivals are a great place to discover new-to-me music. I found a couple of new favorites at All Things Go and I’m glad I was open to listening to artists I hadn’t paid much attention to before.
Tip #6: It’s okay to take a break
Running from stage to stage is a sure-fire way to burn out early. Tickets to All Things Go and other music festivals aren’t cheap. It’s natural to want to get as much as possible out of the experience. However, there’s nothing wrong with taking a breather away from the stages or listening to a band while lounging on the ground instead of rushing towards the barricade to sing and dance energetically throughout the entire set.
Tip #7: Learn the lay of the land
All Things Go 2024 was held outside of Washington, D.C. at Merriweather Post Pavilion. The grounds are big. It was useful to learn the lay of the land when I arrived. To pack in as much music as possible, it was helpful to know how to get between stages early on. It was also useful to know where bathrooms were located, how to find stations to refill my water bottle, and where to get food. My teenager was also excited to find the free swag available throughout the festival and check out the merch.
I’m glad we took a little time after we arrived to figure this out. Knowing how to get around helped us make more efficient use of our time for the rest of the festival.
Tip #8: Be prepared for all kinds of weather
The first day of All Things Go in D.C. was hot. The second day was much cooler and the ground was muddy because it had rained the night before. Both days were nice, but very different. I live locally, so I could adjust easily, but I might not have been prepared if I had come in from out of town and hadn’t checked the weather carefully. I also needed shoes that could navigate the river of mud I had to wade through the second day.
Tip #9: Stay put before a big act starts
Before bigger-name acts start, crowds will start to fill in the space in front of the stage. Once you have a spot, stay put. At All Things Go, several people were not allowed back to their seats if they got up to go the bathroom or grab a snack in the 15 minutes or so before one of the bigger name acts were about to start, even if they had seats.
Once an area reaches capacity, you may not be allowed to go back in. If it’s close to show-time, ask if you will be allowed back to your spot before straying too far away.
Tip #10: Bring a blanket to the music festival
Like many music festivals, many festival-goers at All Things Go in D.C. sat on the ground to listen to their favorite artists or picnic between acts. I hadn’t wanted to carry a blanket around the festival, but in the end, I regretted not bringing one. I looked longingly at everyone who was comfortably lounging on the muddy lawn.
Tip #11: A portable charger is a must
Festival days are long. Like many festivals, All Things Go started in the morning and goes well into the night. On top of normal cell phone use, I took a lot of photos and videos. I’ve tried many portable chargers over the years and like BioLite portable chargers best. They are lightweight and can charge my phone a couple of times.
Tip #12: Bring snacks and a water bottle
Every festival is different, but All Things Go in D.C. allowed guests to bring in a limited amount of snacks and an empty water bottle. Having both of these things is helpful. Festival food tends to be expensive and isn’t always good. If you are spending a long day at the festival, it’s a good idea to bring some snacks if it isn’t against the rules. It’s also important to stay hydrated. Having an easy, and inexpensive way, to get water will make a big difference.
Tip #13: Pack some items for health and wellness
At All Things Go, the lines for bathrooms were long, but there was less of a wait for porta-potties. It’s impossible to keep these clean. I was glad I brought a lot of hand sanitizer and a few wet wipes. I was also glad I brought sunscreen to reapply throughout the day.
Tip #13: Figure out transportation prior to the day of the music festival
Most music festivals host tens of thousands of fans each day. They may not have enough parking to accommodate everyone. Figure out how you are getting to the festival ahead of time. This may mean paying for a parking spot in advance, looking at public transportation schedules, or deciding to take an Uber.
When making transportation plans, consider the times you want to arrive at the festival and leave. At the All Things Go Festival in D.C., some people started lining up at 3:30 a.m. Although the venue was close to a metro stop, the metro wasn’t running that early. Those early festival-goers could have had a rude surprise if they hadn’t researched transportation in advance.
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