By: Katalina (@katty_reann)
My husband and I have been attending music festivals for over a decade. My first being a small country music festival in Ohio called, full of originality, Country Fest. My husband's was the now-defunct Big Day Out in Australia. Our music tastes are broad so going to music festivals together has been a learning experience. When going to a music festival, there are so many different genres and stages, which means CLASHES. What happens when your favorite artist is playing mainstage but your boo’s is playing another stage, on the other side of the festival, at the same damn time?! Well, let me save you ten years of learning, and share our tips on how to make the most of a rave (or any music festival) with your partner.
Take the time to make a plan of attack.
A high school teacher once told me the 6 p’s are important: Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. I’ve taken this advice into a lot of different places with me, raves, in particular, I'm sure he never expected though. Having a plan before you start drinking and partying can save you so many headaches. Know who your partner wants to see, and make sure they know who you want to see as well. A lot of festival apps even have the ability to share your timetables with your friends! Take advantage of it!
Now that that’s sorted, take some time to pick a meeting spot, to catch back up if you ever get separated in the crowd. Trust me, it happens. When you’re looking for a spot to catch up though, don’t go for the super obvious one! Everyone else is, and it’s going to be super crowded as soon as you get there. Pick something a little less, extravagant. The biggest art installation is everyone’s meeting spot, so yours can be that slightly smaller one, just to the left of it. Trust me.
You don’t have to be attached at the hip!
The most important thing about going to a festival is enjoying yourself. These festivals are not cheap! So don’t waste a cent of it and end up resenting the fact that you missed your favorite band because you wanted to be with your partner. There are a time and place for everything. Independence is important in a relationship, and a festival is a good time to exercise this independence. When you both have gaps in your timetables, spend all the time you want together, after you meet at your meeting spot ;)
You don’t always have to wear matching outfits, but sometimes, it sure does help.
My husband always thought that matching was weird until we went to Tomorrowland in 2019. We decided to do an Australian themed outfit, and my big Bunnings hat saved us several times. It’s hard to miss a giant straw hat, bobbing around the crowd. Matching outfits are not only good for Insta but also a great way to say to someone, “Have you seen a person dressed EXACTLY like this?” The more outrageous the better!
Timestamp, timestamp, timestamp!
Lost your friend's timetable? No one's shown up at your meeting spot? And all your texts won't send? Well, you always have the one final backup, and honestly, it’s a great habit to get into the second you step onto a festival site. TIMESTAMP ALL YOUR TEXT MESSAGES. Seriously. It takes less than 10 seconds. At the end of every message, but the time that you sent it at. That way, even when the service is spotty (always) and the messages come through in the wrong order (also always) you'll know exactly how late to the conversation you are. It can save you a lot of time if you’re playing phone tag at a festival.
Take some time to make some friends and make some memories
At the end of the day, you’re there to have a great time, make memories, and experience something different, so take some time to do just that. If it's a camping festival, get to know your neighbors! They could be locals to the area, or veterans to that festival who can share some helpful tips, or just provide some company during the festival pregame! If it’s not a camping festival, that doesn’t mean you can’t make friends! Compliment someone's outfit, share a joke between sets, anything to break the ice! You never know, you might meet someone who becomes part of your rave fam in the future!
