While the most popular and sought after music festivals flourish in the media spotlight, some of the highest quality ones remain overlooked. People often rush to attend festivals promoted by large names in the media, feeling pressured to keep up with the hottest trends. However, many do not consider the intensive planning that is required to ensure your experience is a success, and to avoid fatal errors. Whether you’re sleeping in the woods of Delaware which Anna McFillin describes as “A beautiful disaster,” or dancing under strobe lights until 3am in Amsterdam which Sophie Herbert cites as “The greatest night of my life,” preparation is key. Before impulsively purchasing expensive festival tickets, here’s what you need to know:

1. Know the lineup

Lineups change every year. While many festivals maintain a specific sound annually, there are sometimes some curveballs as they will adapt to what is new or popular. Therefore, it is crucial for individuals to know who exactly is playing for before committing to attending. New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has hosted notable rock and jazz legends for 50 years now, including this year’s presence of The Rolling Stones and Santana, as displayed on nojazzfest.com. But in 2017, the headliners included rapper Snoop Dogg and pop artist Meghan Trainor, differing tremendously from what is expected from a respected jazz celebration. To ensure you are fully informed of who will be there, be sure to check out the official website of each festival, selecting the lineup of the current year. It can be predicted that top-charting artists with new releases of the given year will make multiple festival appearances, giving you options in where you choose to see them. Many festivals seek to include a wide variety of sounds, yet lean towards a certain genre. Atlanta’s Shaky Knees Festival website claims it as “A Rock-lover’s dream,” opposed to Miami’s Rolling Loud Festival which is “The largest Hip-Hop festival in the world.” These brief statements found on the festivals’ websites allow festival goers to narrow in on their options and make the best selection for their personal preferences.

2. Examine what you want from the festival

Aside from the differences in performers, the amenities offered by each festival range drastically as well. While some thrive solely off the music, others offer art exhibits, free giveaways, games, and rides. While these are all added bonuses, they may actually enhance the overall experience dramatically. Additionally consider if you would like your night to cease when the music stops and let yourself rest, or if you would prefer an all encompassing experience of a festival that permits camping. Music enthusiast Anna McFillin describes her tumultuous weekend sleeping in the woods of Dover, Delaware at Firefly Festival. “It was my first time ever camping. I was not prepared and neither were any of my friends, but I think that’s why we had so much fun. We improvised, sleeping in crunched up tents held up by a canopy, but loved every second of it! It’s definitely an experience every festival goer should try...but be prepared.” Camping will surely guarantee an unforgettable experience, but comes with great risks. Consequence of Sound reports the downsides of camping, expressing “You won’t sleep very much,” and “Camping eliminates basic necessities, a clean toilet, and electricity,” both of which may be a dealbreaker after an already exhausting day.

Festivals with camping permitted : Coachella, Firefly, Bonnaroo, Electric Forest

No camping: Osheaga, Governors ball, Outside Lands, Made in America, Panorama

3. Study the location

Coachella, arguably the most famous modern music festival attracted an attendance of 126,000 people per weekend in 2017, according to Billboard. While Coachella is glamorized on social media, previous attendees complained about the discomfort and exhaustion of the Californian desert setting, including the lengthy shuttle ride onto the festival grounds. Vogue journalist Olivia Potter shared her Coachella experience, recalling the “100-degree temperatures and sporadic dust storms.” From deserts to grassy fields to concrete, there is a festival with a terrain to fit any preference. However, note that spacious areas tend to operate best due to the amount of people present.The Meadows Festival only survived two years at Citi Field in Queens, NY due to spacial, according to the message of the founders posted on the festival’s website. Operating in the park’s parking lot, the 45,000 expected attendance rate for the following year was overwhelming to the crowded, requiring the past venue to be retired. However, the location of the Queens festival was appealing to some due to the accessibility. “Anyone can get to New York City easily. Getting to the Meadows required almost no planning for me, and I can imagine it was simple for people coming from out of the area too. You don’t even have to drive” says Teresa Holliday, Queens resident. This setting differs drastically from Bonnaroo’s 700-acre farmland in Manchester, Tennessee or Hangout Festival’s beachfront view in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Be sure to choose a climate that is comfortable for you, and suitable for any of your needs.

4. Consider any additional costs

With weekend passes costing from $300-$600, consider purchasing a one-day pass instead. Patience is a virtue in this situation, as festivals release the daily lineups weeks to months succeeding the grand lineup announcement. Here you can be selective and avoid paying for performances that do not interest you. Be aware that the advertised ticket prices for most festivals is less than you will eventually have to pay, due to taxes and service fees determined by the festival. On The Governors Ball festival website, a weekend pass is noted as $305. At checkout, however, a supplemental $45 service fee extends the price to $350. In addition to the tickets themselves, account for costs of transportation and accomodation. Book your stay plenty of time in advance, as hotels and airbnbs raise prices when the festivals approach, knowing that desperate procrastinators will pay the high price. 21 year old Sophie Herbert learned the importance of planning ahead after impulsively purchasing Coachella tickets. “It didn’t work out. I bought the tickets on a whim. After thinking about it, I realized everything would cost too much with the plane and hotel, so I had to sell my tickets,” she recalls regretfully. “There’s a lot of festivals I’d love to go to but it’s just not really practical.”

5. Skip the first year of the festival

While the thought of attending a festival’s inaugural year is enticing, it may pay to hold back and ensure everything is functional and legitimate. The notorious Fyre Festival, which Netflix titled “The Greatest Party That Never Happened”, was the epitome of a festival-gone-wrong. As revealed in the Netflix and Hulu documentaries, Fyre founder Billy McFarland sold tickets to his fraudulent festival excursion in the Bahamas. Hopeful attendee Dylan Caccamesi spontaneously purchased the $1200 ticket with his friend, impressed by the exotic location and eager to become a part of festival history. “It advertised and promised a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We are both young entrepreneurs and the access to celebrities and influencers would have given us networking opportunities,” he says, impressed with the festival’s support by celebrated models such as Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid. While doing sufficient research is suggested before attending any major event, sometimes the only way to be sure is to wait and see. Caccamesi continues, “Between the startling amount of A-list support, the incredible promotional campaign, the website, and the logistical planning they advertised, the whole thing seemed that it was going to be awesome.” Instead, their promised luxury meals were uncooked cheese sandwiches, the villa mansions were hurricane relief tents, and the headlining performers had cancelled, leaving the attendees in a disastrous state. 20 year old festival goer Teresa Holliday was present for the first year of both New York City’s Meadows Festival and Long Island’s Billboard Hot 100 Fest. Although she enjoyed the performances, many concerns arose. “Honestly, both of the venues sucked,” she says. “Neither of them were meant to be festival grounds. They were set up in parking lots and it was hard to get around, it was a hassle. They didn’t prepare for the crowd at all, people were getting trampled everywhere and they couldn’t control it. I got free tickets for Billboard Festival, but I definitely would not have paid the actual price for it.”

6. Prepare what to bring

Refillable water bottles are key to lasting throughout the day! Nearly all festivals invite you to bring your own (empty) water bottle to fill up inside the venue. It’s environmentally friendly, and keeps you from paying the steep price of $6 that some venues charge for a water. Bonnaroo Festival’s “What To Pack” web page suggests miscellaneous items such as a hat for shade and bug spray, while also listing prohibited items like “glass containers of any kind” and “selfie/ gopro sticks”. If you want to refrain from spending too much on food, pack some snacks from home to keep you energized in between meals. Allison Doyle states “When I went Osheaga festival I didn’t really think of feeding myself because you’re so busy all day running back and forth between sets. I wish I would have thought of bringing food or eating a lot before I left.” Sunscreen is also a must, just as long as it isn’t in an aerosol container, which is against many policies. Refer to the specific festival’s website to double check the do’s and don'ts; the policies can range from venue to venue.