What to Bring to an Outdoor Concert: Make Sure You’re Prepared

The summer festival season is just around the corner – and if you’ve ever been to an outdoor concert, you know that there’s something really special about seeing one of your favorite bands perform outside. Attending a show at an outdoor venue, however, can mean that you’ll be away from your car for quite a while. You wouldn’t want to go back for something and risk missing a great moment, so it’s important to make sure that you have everything you might need on your person and available when you need it. Here’s what to bring to an outdoor concert to make sure that your experience will be everything it can be.

Proper Clothes

You can find no shortage of suggestions online if you’re looking for ideas about what to wear to an outdoor concert. You certainly want to look your best – especially if you’re single and looking. If you ask us, though, comfort has to take precedence when you’re going to be crammed next to thousands of other sweaty people under the summer sun for several hours. Make sure that whatever you decide to wear is sufficiently light and airy – and don’t forget to wear sunscreen.

Glare can seriously detract from the enjoyment of watching a performance, and it’ll become hard to see if the sun suddenly peeks out from behind the stage. It’s a good idea to have a hat and a pair of sunglasses available. Don’t forget that inclement weather can also be a possibility, so you might want to consider stashing an emergency poncho in your pocket.

Water and Snacks

At a long show, you’re likely to get hungry and thirsty – and this is where some venues get you. With water prices now approaching $10 per serving at some shows, it seems plausible that certain concert venues are actually making more money from concessions than they are on ticket sales. You’ll want to confirm beforehand that the venue allows you to bring outside food and drinks, of course – but if you are allowed, you can potentially save a lot of money by doing so. Note that some venues may require you to pack your refreshments in a clear bag for easy inspection.

Are you concerned about running out of water during a longer show? Familiarize yourself with the venue’s layout before you go. In many cases, you can find a free station for refilling empty water bottles. You’ll definitely want to avoid paying for overpriced refreshments if it’s possible.

Vape Pen

You might want to enjoy a bit of herbal refreshment during the concert. If that’s the case, you’ll want to bring a vape pen so you can enjoy a Rokin good time. Don’t forget, however, to check the venue’s rules regarding vaping and smoking beforehand. If the concert is taking place in a state park, for instance, vaping and smoking may both be forbidden. If it’s on private property, on the other hand, there may be a designated smoking area. Don’t forget that regardless of the type of venue, you should only vape where smoking is allowed and should always remain considerate of those around you. Don’t do anything that might carry a risk of getting you kicked out of the venue.

Phone

You probably never leave your house without your phone and don’t need any help remembering it. What you might need to be reminded about, though, is how crucial it is to make sure that you don’t allow the battery to die. You’ll almost certainly want to take pictures and record some video clips during the show, but keeping your phone’s screen and camera on will drain the battery quickly. You never know when you might need to make an emergency call, so you should stop filming well before you get that dreaded “low battery” warning. If you’re allowed to bring a bag to the venue, in fact, you might want to stash a backup battery and charging cable just in case.

Flashlight

If you’re going to a longer concert that’s going to last until after sundown, you’ll definitely want to bring a flashlight. After all, what else are you going to hold up during your favorite power ballad? Seriously, though, a small flashlight is one of the most useful things that you can have in your pocket after dark. What if something important falls out of your pocket, and you need to find it? What if the venue’s lighting system fails? How will you find your way back to your car if the parking area is unlit? A flashlight can even be a self-defense tool, allowing you to momentarily dazzle a would-be assailant long enough to run away.

Concealed Cash

Many concert venues are going completely cashless these days, which means you can often pay for concessions and merchandise with your phone. You’ll probably still want to have a little cash available, though, just in case the venue’s payment system isn’t working – and if you’re not worried about that, you should still bring money to an outdoor concert anyway because emergencies sometimes happen. You might need to call a taxi in a pinch. You could drop your phone. You could be pickpocketed. Hopefully, you’re packing your items securely to avoid those types of situations – but even so, you should stash a little money in a concealed location. Some good places to hide cash include in your sock, in a money belt or in your bra.

Ear Protection

No one really wants to think about ear damage, but it’s possible at any concert – even an outdoor concert. The typical volume of an outdoor concert is around 90-100 decibels. That’s a lower volume level than what you’d experience at many indoor concerts, but it’s still enough to cause ear damage with long-term exposure – and the closer you are to the speakers, the louder it’ll be. Bring a set of earplugs for protection and consider giving your ears a break by stepping away from the action periodically. Even the greatest concert ever wouldn’t be worth suffering permanent damage to your hearing.