The Do’s And Don’ts Of Summer Festivals In The Hudson Valley

Summer means all kinds of festivals, and if you've never gone to one in the local area before, there are some things you should know.

DO: Wear Comfortable shoes and clothes. Festivals are a marathon so comfort is key.

DON'T: Wear stiletto heels and a formal dress or dress pants and a button down. It's a summer festival, not a wedding. There are ways to look good AND casual at the same time.

DO: Bring sunglasses or a hat...or both! This is crucial since most festivals are outside and you'll want the sun out of your eyes.

DON'T: Bring your favorite sunglasses or hat. If you happen to set it down somewhere you'll be sad if you lose them!

DO: Bring a crossbody bag or backpack. You're going to want to be hands-free for festivals, especially if they're drinking festivals. I consider this one of the most critical!

DON'T: Bring everything you normally keep in your bag/wallet. It's a festival, you don't need 4 credit cards, debit card, rewards cards, and everything else. One credit/debit card, cash, insurance card (if you want be on the safe side), and ID.

DO: BRING YOUR ID!!!! Nothing is worse than forgetting it, especially at a drinking festival.

DON'T: Forget your ID. No one wants to be 'that guy' who forgot the ID and is making everyone feel guilty for deciding to go to the event without you.

DO: Eat and drink lots of water. You have to stay hydrated and nourished for a hot summer fest.

DON'T: Eat food that will upset your stomach or drink too much alcohol and not enough water. You'll ruin your own time if you're stuck in the bathroom after food you knew didn't sit right with you. Also, no one wants to be around 'that guy' who drank way too much alcohol but no water, and is now acting like a jerk or needs to be away in an ambulance.

DO: Clean the seat of a Port-A-Potty before you use it.

DON'T: Be the one to trash the Port-A-Potty

DO: Take lots of pictures. Summer festivals are a great memory, you'll want to look back.

DON'T: Be on your phone the entire festival. You're here to experience the event, not document it.

BONUS HACK: Go into your phone settings and turn off the LTE network so it connects to 4G. You will be on a different network and fewer people will be on that one, instead of clogging up your network. You can thank me later.

Remember: don't be 'that guy' and have a blast!