Vans Warped Tour Survival Guide

With the dawn of Warped Tour 2016 upon us, we’ve decided to compile this handy guide on what to expect and how to make the best of your Warped experience.

Get There Early

You’ll want to arrive before the doors open. There’s no way around queuing but generally speaking, the earlier you arrive the shorter the queue which makes entering the venue less of a hassle (for you anyways, maybe not for that group of 10 that arrive at 6:45 for a 7:00 show. There’s always one). This will also help you get a good spot as you don’t want to be too far from the stage – but not too close either. Make sure to get plenty of sleep the night before so you can leave early enough.

Capture the flag

Or rather, look out for the flag. See that flag by the main gates that says “Skip the Line”? Well right next to that is a ‘Feed Our Children NOW!’ tent. If you donate 3 cans of food, a used mobile phone or £5 to them, they’ll give you a wristband allowing you to wait in another, smaller queue that gets let into the venue first. This means you can get to the grounds a little later but still get into the venue early, and you’ll be helping a great cause at the same time!

Have a good morning – and night before.

Be ready the night before. You don’t want to risk being late for the show so please, pack your bag and leave it by the door! Know what shoes you’ll be wearing there. We all want to look good at a concert and shoes play a huge part in ensuring that, they can be what make or break an outfit – but remember! Comfort first, couture second. You could look like Beyoncé, but if after half an hour of waiting in line you feel like you’re going to need your feet amputated, you’re doing it wrong. Good fashion brands know how to make their shoes comfortable AND fashionable, you shouldn’t have to sacrifice one for the other. Eat breakfast. No, not that pack of gum your friend left at your house two days ago, or that open can of fizzy drink but actual breakfast. Toast, some eggs, porridge, cereal, all of the above. It’s the only meal you’re going to eat in an air conditioned place for the next 10 hours or so – cherish it! Buy water. One should be a fairly large bottle, but able to fit in your backpack. You won’t want to open this one as it’ll need to be sealed to bring it into the venue. You’ll be able to refill this once inside at water stations dotted around. You’ll also want to bring a smaller bottle, something you can drink from whilst waiting in line because trust me, queuing in line can be the hottest part of the day!

Bring enough money

I mean the paper stuff not the plastic kind. Enough to buy food, drink and band merch because although there’ll be ATMs on the grounds to withdraw cash from, you’ll have to pay a small fee and that sucks. And be sure to budget your spending once you’re there so that you don’t end up leaving without something you really wanted.

Bring a backpack

It’s no use following these tips if you’re going to end up carrying 10 different things in each hand all day, ruining the fun for you. You’ll also get loads of freebies walking around the grounds all day, plus the merch and music you buy.

Wear decent shoes

High heels, sandals or flip flops won’t make it through the day. You’ll want to wear some decent shoes, waterproof where possible.

I highly suggest Vans, although famous for their ‘Authentic Lo Pro’ range they actually sell shoes in hundreds of other styles, many of them perfect for such an occasion. As well as being comfortable, lightweight and durable, Vans shoes make expressing individuality as easy as ever, something which many festival-goers aim to do. Their broad range of styles means that you are guaranteed to find a pair that you like and thanks to their versatility, they look good with absolutely anything! Head over to vans.co.uk where they’re offering 30% off all items in their all-new summer collection! If you’re unable to grab a pair in time for the tour don’t worry, there will be a ‘Vans shoes tent’ at the tour this summer, so be sure to check it out!