The countdown to Sunset Music Festival 2016 is now approaching the one month mark. It is so close to being here that you can almost feel it. The festival will take place on May 28-29 in Tampa, Florida at Raymond James Stadium. SMF will occur during the peak of Spring season, and for those who aren’t familiar with central Florida’s bay weather during this time of the year, the heat and humidity cranks up. We want everyone who plans to attend this amazing festival to have as much fun as possible while staying safe at the same time. Here are a few helpful safety tips to ensure that your experience at Sunset Music Festival is both safe and enjoyable. (Purchase Tickets Here)
Hydration is crucial
We can’t stress enough the importance of keeping yourself hydrated throughout the weekend at SMF. There will be lots of dancing, of course, and making sure you prevent yourself from overheating or dehydrating while doing so is essential. The weather will be very warm during the festival, so make sure you drink plenty of fluids to keep hydrated. Even a few days prior leading up to the festival you should prepare by drinking lots of water so you can have a head start. You will thank yourself later for that one. Also remember to not overdo it during the festival, as in drinking too much water in a short period of time. There will be plenty of water stations throughout the venue as well. One major essential item to bring with you in order to keep hydrated would be a camelback or a large water bottle.
Keep up with your friends
If you plan to attend the festival with a group of friends, be sure to do your best to not get separated. SMF attracts thousands of people from across the nation, so the chances of you losing your friends due to the massive crowds are high. Sometimes getting separated does happen, but making designated meet up spots at certain times by using your festival map (usually found at the info booths) will help tremendously with reuniting you and your friends. Also having small totems and flags are a great way to help spot you or your friends locate one another throughout the festival grounds. As always, there will be personnel stationed throughout the grounds to assist you and your friends if you are in need of help, so do not hesitate to ask one of the helpful staff members.
Don’t forget to eat
Just like keeping yourself hydrated, it is also very important to stay nourished as well. You can’t live off of water alone at a festival. You will lose tons of energy sweating and dancing in that Florida heat, so be sure to eat plenty throughout the weekend to replenish nutrients lost. SMF will provide lots of awesome food vendors within the festival grounds. It is a good idea to try and snack periodically during the day while inside the festival.
Ideal clothing and costumes for conditions
What you wear to a festival can really make or break whether you will enjoy your days or not. Be sure to wear something lightweight and comfy for dancing to the beat. Dark colors will absorb heat rays from the sun, so it is important to remember to wear lighter colors and avoid the dark ones. If you plan to wear costumes, make sure that it’s not something that will hinder you from staying cool, or that it’s not something heavy that will be uncomfortable after a long day. Another important clothing item is your footwear. Comfortable tennis shoes are most popular for festival goers. Keep in mind that you are going to be on your feet a lot, so good shoes are very important to enjoying your time at SMF.
Seek medical attention if needed
Medical personnel will be readily accessible and eager to assist you at any time via the medical tents on-site. Anything from a simple band-aid to even over the counter meds such as Asprin will be available to you should any problem arise. Electrolytes such as sports drinks will also be accessed upon request. If you are feeling unwell, don’t ignore the feeling and listen to what your body is trying to tell you. Go straight to the medical tent and seek the attention you need to keep you safe so you can enjoy your day. Your health and safety is significantly more important than you staying in the crowd and dancing to the music.