Your essential tech guide to surviving a music festival

Spring has no shortage of hot music festivals. If you’re planning to hit up some of the biggies, such as Ultra, Coachella, Lollapalooza or EDC, preparation is key. 

Although there’s much debate surrounding staying connected versus unplugging at concerts, many seasoned festival goers agree one of the best ways to enjoy a festival is to use tech for an overall better experience. 

“Festival purists will say you should leave your phone at camp so you can fully experience the festival,” says Tucker Gumber, founder of TheFestivalGuy.com and FestEvo. “This sounds good on paper but festivals present challenges to users that can become very frustrating, if you’re not prepared for it.”

Gadgets, apps and connection hacks make it a lot easier to fully unwind at festivals. Can’t find your friends? Certain apps make meeting up easier. Worried about Uber surge pricing? There’s a way to predict what you might have to shell out later. Oh, and want to know which Instagram posts will get you the most likes? Keep reading.

We spoke with some of the most knowledgeable festival goers and rounded up the best tech tips to keep in mind. 

1. Do your research during the planning process.

Jake Thompson, a seasoned festival goer, has been to music festivals across the globe, including Shambhala in Canada, DWP in Indonesia, I Am Hardwell in Peru and a number of U.S.-based favorites, like EDC and Coachella. He recommends Fest 300 as a huge resource for starting research on upcoming festivals. The site is a curation of tips, event lineups and rituals from festivals all around the world, so you can be briefed on what to expect and the culture around a festival before you make your trip. There’s typically about 300 events listed on the site at all times; hence, the name.

2. Scope out the festival app in advance.

Become acquainted with the functionality of each festival’s official app before you get there and use it to create your schedule in advance. Make note of landmarks for meeting friends and take a moment to locate bathrooms, water stations and spots where you can get your favorite local food. If you have any special needs, the app may help you make a game plan, or consider reaching out to event organizers for more information.

While push notifications can sometimes be overwhelming, in  this case, you’ll want to sign up to receive them for announcements updates, special offers, weather details and schedule changes. You will be more up to date than anyone else at the event. 

Most festival apps do not require data to operate, so it’ll work just fine as you conserve your phone’s battery in airplane mode. If you notice that the app at your chosen festival does require cell service, take screenshots of your schedule and the map ahead of time, then make the map your lock screen’s wallpaper to avoid draining your phone’s battery by using Wi-Fi all day. 

3. Use FireChat to text.

FireChat allows you and your friends to chat without Internet connection or cell service, thus saving your battery. An added bonus is the app has been used in the past to connect fans with their favorite artists via live chat. According to FireChat CMO Christophe Daligault, some artists who participated in the chats last year included Showtek, The Chainsmokers, Armin vanBuuren, Nervo and W&W. Fans were able to talk to these artists for about 30 minutes to an hour before their sets.

4. Use SoundCloud before the show.

Schiller at CRSSD Fest 2015 in San Diego

As you browse show options on the festival app, keep in mind that while your favorite artists might be awesome in the recording studio, some performers are better live than others. Long time festival-goer Abby Schilller, who has attended a number of festivals including CRSSD Fest, Coachella, Lightening in a Bottle and Outside Lands, recommends checking out prospects for your festival schedule on SoundCloud before deciding who you’ll see. 

“You’ll get a better sense of what the artists sound like live and can more easily choose which events to attend. For example, Arctic Monkeys are better than Kanye West,” says Schiller. 

5. Take advantage of festival tech perks.

Festivals are getting tech savvier every year. According to a rep for EDC Las Vegas, this year’s festival will host VR-simulated activations for fans to relive the exclusive footage from other major festivals around the world. Mashable previously reported there will also be sleek earbuds available at Coachella this year to improve sound quality for attendees located in the back of the crowd.

Some festivals don’t announce their new tech elements until a few weeks before the event. Set up Google alerts for your festival so you get emails around big announcements.

6. Be proactive about keeping your phone charged.

There’s nothing worse than a drained smartphone battery, so in addition to battery packs like ones from Mophie, consider a solar phone charger. There are wearable charging options such as bracelets and necklaces available for charging on the go, too. 

When not using your phone, it’s a no brainer to keep it in airplane mode and make sure you’ve switched your Bluetooth functionality off. In addition, turn your phone’s screen brightness down and close your background applications, which suck your battery life. 

When you’re low on battery and still want to take photos, be choosy with the apps you use.

“Apps that use their own camera function (think Snapchat, Instagram, VISCO) use less battery than the phone’s native camera and don’t experience issues when they use your camera on low battery,” Andrew Rauner, professional festival photographer and founder at AJRphotography, says,

7. Monitor your sun exposure.

It’s time to talk sunscreen. Wearable devices can help you track your UV exposure and notify you when it’s time to reapply sunscreen. To start, there’s the L’Oreal “My UV Patch,” a small (one inch in diameter) stretchable sensor that can be worn anywhere on exposed skin for up to five days. It hooks up to an app on your phone and updates you when you’ve received too much sun exposure. We also love the June bracelet, a leather wristband with a jewel in the center that also tracks sun exposure and monitors daily habits, so women can better take care of their skin. Plus, knowing when and how much sunscreen needs to be applied will avoid future problems and help prevent sunburns throughout the weekend.

8. Store gadgets in a secure bag.

Sticking your electronics in your pocket or throwing them in a standard purse won’t cut it as you move and dance your way through the massive crowds at festivals. To keep your gadgets secure, Patrick Dentler, C3 Presents marketing director, recommends products like the Spibelt to conveniently store and access personal items. If the elements are a concern, Dentler suggests a Chrome Rostov backpack and a Lifeproof phone case to protect your gear.

9. Keep your devices in your bag.

If you’re holding your phone while anticipating texts, calls or photo opportunities, there’s a bigger chance for it to get lost or stolen. If you know you’ll need to be available for calls from work or friends during the festival, consider wearing a smartwatch or a fitness tracker with on-screen notifications. These wearables can be synced to your phone andvibrate when you receive a message or call. 

Meanwhile, if you typically use your phone’s “tap-and-pay” feature, look into potential payment alternatives. Many festivals allow you to pay for food, drinks and other items within festival grounds by using your event wristband.

10. Enable Find my iPhone or Find My Lost Phone.

Although Find my iPhone and Find My Lost Phone can’t detect the locations phones that have been turned off, the services are effective for tracking misplaced devices which may still have battery life (or at least, it shows where it was last before it turned off). You can also use these apps to lock your phone remotely, and set the home screen to display a message with your contact info so the person who finds it can contact you. Some festivals also offer Bluetooth tags that can be attached to your phone and allow you to find it even when it’s turned off or in airplane mode.

11. Use a Wi-Fi station as your meet-up spot.

When you get to the festival, it will be important to pick a spot to meet up with friends in case you get separated as the day goes on. One of the festival’s Wi-Fi stations, where the odds of connecting to the network are higher, could serve as a great spot for everyone to meet up. Just be sure to keep the following precautions in mind.

12. Use caution on open Wi-Fi networks.

Most Wi-Fi connections offered at festivals are not password protected. Although free Wi-Fi is a good thing, it’s important to remember that unencrypted networks leave your device vulnerable to hackers.

According to security expert and CEO of HighSpeedInternet.com Carson Ward, two-factor authentication is one of the most effective ways to keep your data safe. “It’s hard to know who to trust with online security,” he says. “But if you secure your email, bank, Dropbox, iCloud and other important services with two-factor authentication, even a stolen password won’t compromise your accounts.” 

The security method is like double-locking your door to decrease the chances of an intruder breaking in. It’s often SMS-based, which means the site or service sends a text message to the user’s phone each time they want to log in to an account. Yes, it’s an extra step, but it goes a long way in protecting your data and information.

13. Check your Uber fares ahead of time.

If you plan to use a rides-haring service like Lyft or Uber, estimate fare costs ahead of time by using the fare estimate tools built within those apps. Once you’ve got an idea of what your fare might be, factor in the very likely scenario that these apps may issue surging rates from 2x to 5x the regular rate during and immediately after the event. 

If you’ve got a designated driver and plan to park at the festival, drop a Google Maps pin from the parking lot to help remember where your car is located.

14. Download the Find My Friends app.

This should be a no brainer, but it’s worth mentioning. Make sure you and your friends all download the Find My Friends app before the festival. You can download it to your iOS or Android devices to more easily locate one another should you get separated by the crowd.

15. Download WaterIn.

Staying hydrated throughout the festival will be absolutely essential. Download the WaterIn app for (iOS and Android) to track your water intake throughout the day. When you’re running low on water, the app will send you a notification to remind you to take a drink or go fill up at the nearest water station.

16. Download OpenSignal.

If you need to make a call or send a text that simply won’t work with the Wi-Fi situation or Firechat, use the OpenSignal app to guide you as you search for an area with decent cell service. The app (iOS and Android) provides a map of the areas with the strongest cell reception for a given location.

17. Be thoughtful with your social posts.

Leslie Richin, social media editor at Billboard, recommends keeping your Instagram, Twitter and Facebook posts short, sweet and interesting.

“As we’ve learned from Diplo and Skrillex, fans are encouraged to ‘live in the moment,’” says Richen. “No one is interested in your low quality video of [insert artist set]. Instead, consider those with short attention spans, and use Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat to showcase the cool things you see around you.” 

Meanwhile, festival photographer Andrew Rauner suggests making cameos in the posts you share.

“It’s more interesting to put yourself in more of your own photos. Notice some cool angle on a piece of artwork — take a selfie with it. There’s something to be said about actually capturing digital memories of where you were and who you were with as opposed to going for that ‘perfectly composed Insta shot.’” 

Although tech has made it easier to enjoy festivals over the years, it’s also important to take a moment to unplug and enjoy your surroundings. Embrace gadgets and apps to track down your festival friends, capture fun moments and locate food, but leave your social media skimming and incessant texting habits at the gates.

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