Pre Music Festival To-do List

Tickets are in hand, morale is high, it’s festival time! Before you embark on your musical adventure, hit up this to-do list and make sure you are ready to roll problem free!

Get your car ready:

• change the oil
• check the tire pressure
• check all fluid levels
• fill up the tank
• check your spare tire
• wash the windshields
• remove anything you don’t need for the weekend (check everywhere to make sure there are no old open containers, glass bottles, or anything else that may be “festival illegal”)
• packing fix-a-flat, jumper cables, extra oil, etc. is encouraged.  Get there and home safely!

Double check your Music Festival Packing List:

• If you have to leave very early in the morning it may ease your burden to go ahead and pack up the car the night before, so you are rested and ready to head out.
• Check the fridge so that you don’t leave behind any purchased food items that needed to be kept cold overnight.
• Remember to pack the cooler where it can be opened easily to add ice or grab drinks and snacks during the trip.  It’s a good idea to fill it with ice early so that your items don’t overheat on the trip, plus it is so nice to have a really cold beer to celebrate your safe arrival with!
• Keep the packing list handy and mark things off only after you have put them in the car.  So many times I have”packed” things only to discover later that I left that pile of stuff on my bed… womp wamp waaahhh!
• We have posted a packing list on this site so hit it up for packing ideas and feel free to leave some comments adding to it!

Get your route ready:

• Double check that you have read, understand, and printed out full directions.
• It’s never a bad idea to have an extra set of directions so utilize whatever resources you have. For example, if you can print out a copy, leave the page marked on your mobile devices, and put the address in a GPS you’re all covered. If all these options are not available it’s ok of course, but if you have the option it is good to have a backup in case the printed directions fly out the window, your GPS stops working, and you ’re unable to access the page on your phone.  Most likely all these won’t happen, but one can never tell. Oh, Murphy’s Law!
• Often directions on the festival’s website will have the easiest route and you can usually follow signs or other cars once you get to any off the beaten path kind of roads. Do not assume this, however, because it is not a given. Having your full route all mapped out will save you time and the headache of wandering around lost and anxious to get out of the car.

Get yourself ready:

• Everyone has their own pre-vacation rituals so these are just some suggestions of mine:
• Get all your chores done the days before you depart. The festival weekend will be amazing so the last thing you want is to worry you forgot to send off the rent, pay a bill, or dog proof your bedroom.
• I like to go ahead and make sure my bed and bathroom are all cleaned up. You can get so dirty during festivals so it’s nice to come home and be able to take a beautiful hot shower and plop down in a clean warm bed without any delay. Again, this is not important to all but for me, it is something I value so I wanted to add it to the checklist!
• Check your bank account and make sure your money affairs are in order. Go ahead and withdraw any cash you need for the weekend so you can avoid charges at out of state ATMs. It is also a good idea to keep an emergency stash of money either hidden in your car or kept in the bank in case you need extra gas money, have a blowout, or any other problems you may encounter on the way home from the weekend.
• Take one last good hot shower before you leave. Soak it up, it could be a few days before the next one…
• Get excited! The weekend before you is worth getting excited about, so enjoy the buzz of anticipation!

Get yourself ready:

• Take a few minutes to double check that your items are all secure and road ready. Then take a look around and make sure everything has been packed up and nothing is left sitting outside the car.
• Finally, double and triple check that you have packed your tickets, and keep them out so that they can be easily found once you arrive at the festival grounds. Driving all day only to discover you have left you tickets behind is a spirit crusher, DON”T LET THIS BUMMER HAPPEN TO YOU!