Coachella fest is nearly here and those attending are probably looking for it to not suck. Well, here are some simple tips that will help accomplish that for anyone attending the three day festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio.
In no particular order:
1Don’t drive
If you are not camping at the festival, take the shuttle. Seriously. It’s great and there are stops everywhere. Plus, most drivers don’t care if you bring a little pre-game beverage on the bus – just so long as it is not in a glass container. Driving a car in and out of the festival every day sucks. Don’t do it. Don’t.
2Don’t pregame too hard
I once saw three girls pound a bottle of vodka on the way into the first day of the festival at 2 pm. I can only assume this did not end well. Coachella makes for some long days, it gets hot as fuck, and, if you are going to shell out $400 a ticket, you might want to remember some of the performances.
3Wear good shoes
And not just any shoes. Comfortable shoes! Walking around barefoot is gross and every year I see attendees walking silly on day 2 because they got some awful blisters from their terrible sandals and shoes. Oh, what’s that? Your most comfortable shoes don’t go with your outfit? No one cares. Just be comfortable.
4Pick a meeting spot
If you are going with a group, someone is going to get separated. Establish a base to regroup early on in the day as text messaging is not always reliable at the Empire Polo Club. You might want to make the spot a food vendor so you can have some Spicy Pie or whatever while you wait for your friends.
5Bring a small flashlight
Not only will it help you see where you are going, you can do this with it (or your phone) to help friends find you or just because it looks cool:
6Drink water. Lots and lots of water.
Hydrate, don’t die-drate. Amirite?
7Bring a phone charger
Your phone is going to die. They have lots of places to recharge them – some of which are in beer gardens!
8Add your credit card to your phone
Almost every vender at Coachella is equipped with Square – letting you pay for everything by using your phone. This is super easy and you don’t have to worry about losing your cash.
Every vendor will be using @Square. Set up Apple Pay or Android Pay on your phone before you get to Coachella, and leave your cash at home. pic.twitter.com/hkn3kxhtez
— Coachella (@coachella) April 6, 2017
9Don’t be a dick
You know those people who push their way up to the front of the stage and end up standing right in front of you 20 minutes after a performance starts. Those people are assholes. Don’t be one of those people.
10Invest in a Neti Pot
Cough-chella is a real, terrible, horrible thing. Even when it is not windy, there is a ton of dust getting kicked around the Empire Polo Club during the festival. Keep a Neti Pot in your hotel, house, campsite, prison cell or wherever you are sleeping at night and drain all that gross shit out of your sinuses at the end of the day. Maybe even a couple of times. You might also want to have a bandana handy to cover your mouth as needed.
Enjoy your time at the festival!
What are your tips for enjoying Coachella? Please share them in the comments.
