How to Best Prepare for a Musical Festival

How to Best Prepare for a Musical Festival

Prepare for the Biggest Music Festival ~ #SulaFest10thEdition

All my lovely readers who follow me on my social media channels would have read about my collaboration with Sula Vineyards for the coolest festival weekend at the #Sulafest’17! There is going to be some very exciting content leading up to the event on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of February, and here is my first blog post to begin a much-anticipated countdown kick-starting the madness!

Music Festival Hacks That Will Transform Your Experience Making It Way More Fun!

Whether you’ve been a regular or you’ve recently hopped on to the music festival bandwagon, these tips will make your experience at any music festival that much more rocking, relaxing and fun!

Rule #1: The Early Bird Gets To Enjoy Some Of The Sprightliest Bands. While you may be thinking of getting to the grounds when the show begins to warm up, you may end up missing the performances of the most passionate artists who usually perform earlier in the day.

Rule #2: Don’t Get Delusional About The Sets That You Are Missing Out On, Enjoy The Moment. If you have decided on attending a show, then never give in to a last moment change in plan where you leave one show for another. In the end, you may not be able to enjoy either and you will be left yearning for fun that you missed out on because you only ended up comparing the two. It is almost inescapable that even the best of festivals may encounter a few programming conflicts, but giving up one show for another will hardly mean fun unless the show that you are attending is boring. This is my rule of the thumb, and I have never had to compensate for festival fun when following this rule.

Talking about fun, my biggest takeaway from attending these festivals is that it is always wise to plan a few intervals of rest instead of exhausting your energies trying to get a glimpse of every band performing at the fest. It is best to research the area right in the beginning so you can find a quiet spot to take a break. It doesn’t matter whether your idea of a break is reading a book, taking a nap, or simply journaling in a quiet spot; give yourself some rest so that your senses are at their best when you resume the revelries.

Rule #3: Surprise Yourself By Exploring The Sets For Some Unexpected Music. You may have already gone through the artist line-up and made up your mind about the shows you don’t want to miss and the bands you love. But music festivals are so much more than listening to new bands, and having your mind blown by fabulous new music!

The other facet of a music festival experience lies in witnessing the overwhelming intermingling of cultures and meeting new groups of people with a refreshingly different take on life. With these fests incorporating a wider genre of music, I have observed an interestingly diverse cross-section of fans enjoying different shows. This is your opportunity to interact with new people, make new friends over a game of beer pong, or indulge in interesting conversations about the best shows of the previous day.

Rule #4: It Is A Joy To See Super Young Talent Give Mind-Blowing Performances. The best thing about music festivals like the SulaFest is that you get to witness the amazing talent of budding music bands that may be just starting but give you the experience of pros. Usually the time and stage a band is scheduled for and the expected turnout of the audience demonstrates this very well.

Rule #5: Sunsets Are Beautiful And So Is The Stage At This Time; Plan Your Sundown Set. At the Sula Fest, the open-air stages have some of the most exhilarating sets between 6 PM and 9 PM. After a day of baking in the sun, there is nothing more rejuvenating than some soulful music from bands that aim at capturing their audiences ushering in a time of the day when everything else ~ except fun and music ~ takes a backseat.

Rule #6: Don’t Let Drugs And Alcohol Ruin Your Experience. This last tip comes only as a word of caution because of how we easily associate music with drugs and alcohol. I have seen some of the most exuberant festival experiences turn nightmarish with the inadvertent use of drugs and alcohol. Most of the festivals indulge in a thorough search of the attendees, so ensure that you do not carry prohibited materials to the festival grounds, as they will either be confiscated or you may be asked to leave the fest without any ticket refunds.

How to Best Prepare for a Musical Festival: Music fests are a great chance of experiencing some of the most eclectic music and seeing a lot of different bands play. You get to meet other music lovers and you may even witness the early performances of the next big band before they become popular. There is a chance that the music festival you attend encourages a spirit of camaraderie among the attendees by allowing jam sessions that you may not experience elsewhere. Preparing yourself in advance for the fest will give you the chance to handle the heat, fatigue, and any other discomforts so that you can enjoy yourself sans hindrances.

Along with all the fun and revelries of the fest, the inevitable use of cell phones among all the attendees will be a usual sight. But if the venue is away from the main city like the Sula Vineyards, then cell service may not be all that great, so uploading large files or going live on social media may not be as easy as you expect. As for me, I think it is a good idea to enjoy a disconnection from the rest of the world as you experience exceptional music, great sights, meet lovely people and revel in the music festivities. My way of creating memories is by experiencing it and living it, and not just capturing it on my phone.

Pro tips: Remember to carry clothes that keep you comfortable through the day so that moving constantly from one set to another, exploring the venue, and spending an entire day with music fans doesn’t take a toll on you. Invest in a decent pair of comfy boots so that you do not have to deal with blisters. Bring along a fanny pack where you can place your money, phone, and flashlight without having to worry about them. And, do not forget sunscreen to retain the glow of your skin, as well as your favourite sunnies to keep you rocking all day long!

Here’s the day-wise schedule for artists performing at the SulaFest 2017

Have you been to the SulaFest? Or are you planning to attend it one year?