How to Prepare For A Summer Festival
Scored tickets to see your favorite artists on tour this summer? Congratulations! Now it’s time to get ready.
To ensure you have an awesome time and enjoy every minute, there are a few things you’ll want to bring with you. We’ve rounded up all the must-have essentials to make the most of your concert plans, and they can all be purchased US tax-free and shipped internationally with MyUS.
A Belt Bag (aka "The Fanny Pack)
Handbags and backpacks are more prone to pickpockets, so leave them at home and instead opt for a belt bag. There are endless styles and sizes for both men and women, and they'll help you keep your possessions safe and secure, even in a crowded concert venue. For a minimalistic look and enough room to stash the essentials, we love the Fourteen Belt Bag from Herschel Supply Co. for $25. Available in eight colors, it has an adjustable waist belt, zip front closure with leather trim, and can be worn on the waist or slung over your shoulder.
"Love this fanny pack so much I got one for myself and one for my daughter. It's a great size - not too small, not too big -- and will fit a phone, keys, small wallet or ID case, and more. Great construction, easy to adjust for size." says mcphillips in her glowing review.
Portable Phone Charger
You know you're going to be taking pictures, posting them to Instagram, and texting your friends throughout the concert, so along with fully charging your phone before you go, be sure to bring an portable charger, like the PowerCore 10000 from Anker. It's one of the smallest and lightest external batteries on the market, and provides almost three-and-a-half iPhone 8 charges or two-and-a-half Galaxy S8 charges and at 32 US dollars, it won't break the bank. It also comes with a travel pouch, Micro USB cable, and 18-month warranty.
"This is my first Anker power bank and I absolutely love it! I got this as a compact charger I could take with me back and forth to work and to my upcoming music festival I am attending. It is very compact compared to my other power banks. Fits perfectly in my purse and backpack I am taking to the festival." says Janelle in her review.
Concert Earplugs
We go to concerts to hear our favorite artists perform, but some live concerts and festivals can be extremely loud, leading to temporary (and even permanent) ringing in the ears and hearing loss. If that's not the kind of souvenir you want to bring home, invest in a pair of quality earplugs like these High Fidelity Concert Earplugs from Mumba for $20. They're soft, comfortable and virtually invisible, and have a proprietary precision filter that give an average noise reduction of 24 dB. So you'll get just the right amount of sound reduction while preserving voice clarity and audio quality, so you can hear better and still be able to talk to your friends.
"I have used these at a couple concerts and they cut down on the volume a lot while preserving full range of tones. Honestly thought I was listening to an album at one concert with surround sound on. Definitely better than foam earplugs." says Nancy Ingham in her Amazon product review.
Binoculars
Whether you didn't score the best seats or want to be able to see every expression on your favorite artist's face as they belt out your favorite tune, a compact pair of quality binoculars are a must-have. At $27, Aurosports High Powered Folding Binoculars are an excellent choice. They offer 10x magnification with 25 mm objective lenses, are fully waterproof, and can be folded when not in use, making them convenient for use on the go.
"Took these binoculars to see Cavalia Odesseo from the nose bleeders section and I must say they gave me an excellent view of the horses and acrobatics. I could easily see the violin soloist, the Spanish guitarist, and the enchanting vocalist behind the shrouds on the balconies. I will never watch a stage performance the same way again." says Mr. Somreth in his five-star review.
Collapsible Water Bottle
Outdoor summer festivals in the blazing sun can lead to fatigue and headaches if you're not staying hydrated. But carrying around a clunky water bottle all day isn't ideal either. Enter the Collapsible Water Bottle from Nomander. BPA free and made of 100% food-grade materials, it holds 22 ounces, has a leak-proof twist cap, and rolls up to a compact size when not in use - so clever! And because it has a wide-mouth opening, it's super easy to clean and can even be thrown in the dishwasher. Pick it up in your choice of eight colors for $25.
"Lightweight + conserves space = TRAVEL MUST-HAVE!" says Devourer of Books in their Amazon product review.
Sunglasses
Protect your eyes from the intense glare and harmful UV rays of an outdoor concert with Maui Jim's Mavericks 61mm PolarizedPlus2®Aviator Sunglasses. At $299 they're a bit of a splurge, but they offer 100% protection from UVA and UVB rays, have PolarizedPlus2 lenses for excellent glare protection, and polished titanium frames that look sleek and stylish.
"I love these sunglasses! This is my first pair of Maui Jim, and I don't think I will ever wear another brand. They are lightweight and so comfortable. They look great on, but also provide a lot of coverage. Highly recommend!!" says Liz79 in their glowing review.
Hand and Face Wipes
There's no telling what kind of germs and ick you'll encounter at a concert. Be prepared for anything that comes your way with Wet Ones Antibacterial Hand and Face Wipes Singles. You'll get five pocket size packs that each contain 24 individually wrapped wipes. They have an antibacterial formula that kills 99.99% of germs and enriched with skin-conditioning aloe - perfect for quick clean-ups, messes, and anything questionable you may come across.
"These individual wipes are the best. I put them in lunch boxes, the glove compartment, suitcase, and my pocketbook - anywhere you need a wipe. The packets are easy to open - my 6-yr. old doesn't have any problem opening them, and they have a pleasant, not overbearing smell." says SI in their five-star review.
Sunscreen
Sure, you cam apply sunscreen before you head out to your venue, but with most sunscreens lasting no longer than an hour or two, you'll need to reapply to avoid a sunburn. For portability and great protection, our top pick is Banana Boat's Ultra Sport Sunscreen Lotion in a TSA approved travel size of 2 ounces at $9. It's water and sweat resistant, and offers SPF 50 UVA/UVB protection that lasts up to 80 minutes. And it's portable two ounce size makes it easy to stash in your bag or pocket so you can reapply when needed.
"Great price and perfect travel size." says Sharon Patterson in her review.
We always aim to bring our members the best shopping options available, but some of the products featured in this post may have purchase restrictions. To find more information, please visit the merchant’s terms of sale, shipping guidelines and/or terms and conditions.