Music Festival Do's and Don'ts

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Mike and I were hanging out talking about the usual guy stuff—sports, what our plans would be for the weekend, new music that had dropped—when he brought up how excited he was for EDC in Las Vegas. Since they moved the date up from mid-June to mid-May, EDC falls on his birthday. Mike has been to his fair share of festivals but this will be his first time stepping into the euphoric lands of the Electric Daisy Carnival, so I started asking him what his expectations were. This led us to begin reminiscing on all of our past adventures in the wonderlands of raves, laughing at how far we had come from when we were rave babies and unaware of the unwritten do’s and don’ts of the PLUR culture.

Looking back on that conversation and my first rave—which was Hard Summer 2015—I really wish there was someone who had laid out some do’s and don’ts of the PLUR culture for me. So here I am, passing along that knowledge to you—no thanks necessary. Whether you are going to your first rave or you’re a seasoned raver, this list will lay the groundwork for a successful trip to rave wonderland.

Do – Set a meetup location with your friends.

This is probably the single most important rule of going to a festival. You’ll want to agree on a location and three or four different times throughout the night you and all your friends can reconvene. With all the different stages, art exhibitions, and people, it’s very easy to get separated from your pack. Throw in the fact that festivals are typically in the middle of nowhere, and you can bet your cell phone service will be spotty at best—it's usually nonexistent, which means texting/calling your friends will be near impossible. Factor in the loud music and thousands of screaming fans and if you’re lucky enough to get a call through, I can promise you neither person on the line will be able to hear a word. Nothing can deprive you of having a great time more than feeling like you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere with no way of getting in contact with your friends. So trust me—SET A MEETUP LOCATION. This actually leads to my second point of…

Do – Venture out and meet new friends.

Once you cross the gates into the wonderland that awaits you at a festival, you will be almost overwhelmed by the sheer number of people that you will see are there. I will tell you right now, go out and make friends. What I love the most about festivals and the PLUR culture is how welcoming and open everyone is. In the outside world, you can’t just walk up to a group of people and instantly become best friends. At festivals, you can. Yes, I understand that you came with your friends and you want to have a great time with them. But just imagine how much more fun you would have if you were with your friends and you made 15 new friends for life in the process. Plus, you’ll already have a meetup location to find your pack later on if you happen to get whisked away by your prince charming or rave queen.

Don't – Grope Strangers

I know this one feels like it should go without saying and I’m actually a little disappointed that I even have to make this a don’t but I see it all too often. DON’T GROPE STRANGERS!!!! It should go without saying but this is sexual harassment. I understand that everyone is going to be looking and feeling great and that people are very open but that doesn’t mean you can just grab someone in places that the sun doesn’t shine. I’ve seen it too many times where a guy will just walk up to a woman and grab her butt or boobs without permission and I’ve also been on the opposite end where a woman has grabbed my private parts without asking and it felt weird and wrong. So be an adult and don’t grope someone you don’t know without his or her permission.

Don't – Be That Guy/Girl

Part of what makes festivals so fun is the extracurriculars. If you didn’t know, well now you do, a majority of the people at festivals will be under the influence of something. This allows you to enjoy and connect with the energy of the festival on another level. What isn’t fun though is that person who doesn’t know his or her limit and ends up becoming belligerent, passing out, or just being too damn sloppy. You don’t like taking care of your friends when they get like that and your friends for damn sure don’t enjoy taking care of you when you reach that level. Festivals aren’t cheap so every single person there has spent a good amount of money to be there. Don’t be the reason that you and your friends couldn’t enjoy the festival to the fullest because you couldn’t handle your shit.

Do – Drink water.

The single most important element to a successful festival. You’re going to be dancing, for upwards of four hours, most likely drinking, and maybe even partaking in some other extracurriculars. I’m telling you right now, you are going to get extremely hot and sweaty throughout the night. Drinking water will keep you hydrated and able to party throughout the night with no issues. Typically, they have water stations littered throughout the festival location where you can refill your Camelbak or water bottle while also having multiple vendors that sell water bottles. If you are unprepared and don’t have any water on you but feel like you’re getting dehydrated, don’t be afraid to ask people near you if you can have some of their water.

Don’t – Not dance

You are at a music festival! Dance for crying out loud. Don’t let your ego or the thought of what other people will think stop you from dancing. People are very nonjudgmental at music festivals and everyone is there to have a great time. If you feel the energy of the music overtaking your body, don’t fight it. Just let your body move and vibe to the sounds and be free. Dancing is a great way to express yourself and connect with the music. Plus, you’ll never know who else will want to join your dance circle, which means more friends.

Do – Trade Kandi.

Kandi is what makes PLUR culture. Contrary to what it sounds like, Kandi is not something that you eat, but rather bracelets, necklaces, headbands, and armbands made from chunky beads that people exchange. This is a great and easy way for you to meet and make new friends. You can give Kandi to anyone that you feel compelled to as a way for him or her to remember you. Every time Kandi is exchanged, the two of you will do a hand ritual before exchanging Kandis and ending it in a hug of friendship.

Now that you know the do’s and don’ts of festivals, go out there and have yourself a great ass time. Enjoy some music, make new friends, and let your inner you shine, rave on kings and queens.