Music festivals are peak experiences. That’s the idea — see your favorite bands, discover new music, and let loose in a wild, wonderful swirl of people.

Some festivals make splashy headlines for their messy, unpleasant, and sometimes disastrous execution, and even the best-run festival will have long lines at the port-a-potties.

Festivals can and should be a positive experience. Here at pStyle, we’ve drawn from our own lives to help you have fun and avoid having a festival meltdown.

Pre-Festival Prep

You’re more likely to have a fantastic time at a music festival if you plan ahead. It’s pretty simple: when you’re feeling good physically and emotionally, you can enjoy the festival. Self-care goes a long way.

Research the Music

First of all, make sure you like the music! It’s worth your time to look up all the performers to see if you want to immerse yourself in their world.

Organize Your Friends

Coordinate with people you enjoy and trust. You’ll lean on this group for support when the weather turns foul or you forgot the D batteries for your air mattress.

Research the Festival

Most music festivals in 2024 have a verifiable track record. You can research people’s experiences from previous years. How was the food? How are the bathrooms? Where will you sleep? Did people leave positive reviews?

Remember, it’s not just the music. Relaxing and having fun will be hard if you struggle to eat, sleep, or pee. Check out the festival’s map and imagine what your days and nights will be like in that environment.

Pack Smart—Think Ahead!

What you pack in your bag can change a chaotic week into the time of your life. Even at the biggest music festivals, self-care can be a challenge. Think ahead about how to meet your basic needs: water, food, hygiene, and sleep.

There are plenty of resources out there to help you figure out how to pack smart, including which items will make your experience easier. The right gear—camping equipment, weather-appropriate outfits, and items like the pStyle—make a huge difference.

You don’t have to do it alone! Organizations like Accessible Festivals are working to make music festivals more accessible to people with disabilities.

Self-Care Once You’re There

Want to get into a good groove at a music festival? Your outfits are important — but so are these key things:

Get Restorative Sleep

If you're not scoring a nearby hotel room, you'll need to figure out camping equipment. It’s not just the tent, either. Sleeping pads, air mattresses, and camping hammocks offer a soft surface to snooze on.

Hot tip: Earplugs might be the most essential gear you pack if you have trouble sleeping when it’s noisy.

Prioritize Your Hygiene

Wash your hands thoroughly and often! Clean hands reduce the risk of diarrhea, norovirus, and other infections.

COVID-19 doesn’t discriminate between country music festivals or a rave in the woods. Consider wearing a high-quality mask while you’re around crowds.

Hot tip: unscented wet wipes are a must-have when you can’t shower.

Eat Good Food

Good nutrition supports your body when dancing and staying up all night. Bring easy-to-eat healthy foods that will keep in the heat, like dried fruit, rice cakes, low-sugar granola bars, and seaweed snacks.

Staying Hydrated Is Your Biggest Priority

Staying hydrated keeps you a happy camper and might even save your life.

The vast majority of upcoming music festivals take place during the hot summer months. When heat combines with the physical exertion of dancing, drugs, and alcohol (which speed dehydration), or both — the body can quickly become overwhelmed.

Don’t become a statistic! According to First Aid for Life, the majority of people requiring medical treatment at festivals are suffering from acute dehydration.

The pStyle

The pStyle is a handheld device that allows you to pee standing up without removing clothing. It’s as simple as unzipping your trousers or hiking up your skirt. Stand-to-pee devices are a game-changer at music festivals.

Why stand in a mile-long line for the port-a-potties unless you have to? You won’t have to sit on filthy toilet seats to pee. With a pStyle, it’s possible to pee outdoors discreetly and safely. See our tips for peeing discreetly (and legally!) in public.

Staying fully hydrated is much easier when you know you can pee easily. With a pStyle in your pocket, you have more options for how and when to pee.

Carrying a stand-to-pee device makes pee breaks quick and worry-free. Check out our stylish canvas pCase to carry your pStyle on your belt!

The pStyle helps your overall hygiene, too. You can avoid dirty restrooms and reduce exposure to pathogens on your hands, face, and genitals. You can also use the pStyle to wipe after peeing.

Bring your pStyle to arena shows and sporting events, too. When the line for the women’s room is long, duck into the men’s room and use a urinal. (Even better, do it with your friends!) The best stand-to-pee device is the one that lets you skip a long line.

Post-Festival Aftercare

No matter what happens, you’ll be exhausted by the end of any festival, so ensure you have a day or two to rest before returning to your regular life.

After the festival, check in with yourself about your experience. What worked? What would you do differently? What gear do you wish you had brought that would make things better next time?

Write it down, and the next time you find yourself googling “music festivals near me," you’ll have a list of do’s and don’ts to make the next festival even better.

With Self-Care, You’ll Have More Fun

A little forethought goes a long way. Staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, eating sensibly, and personal hygiene are not optional if you want to have a fantastic time.

Check out the pStyle before you head off to festival season. Once you’ve tried it, you might start using it daily. The ease and freedom of using a pStyle are perfect for music festivals and indispensable for the rest of your life.

Our website has lots more information, including our full line of pStyles. Send us your questions and incredible festival stories on our contact page.