When you decide to go to one of the summer festivals in Lisbon, we’re pretty sure you’re like us: you don’t want to miss a thing!
It’s obvious that you go to see your favorite artists and bands, but the truth is that, if you can, you’ll also be curious to take a peek at the other stages, where sometimes there are shows that no one is expecting.
This situation has occurred at least once to the person writing these lines, who entered the secondary stage of one of the best-known summer festivals in our city to see Gossip, and was completely blow n away by the show that lead singer Beth Ditto gave on stage that night.
Do you know what the result was? Years later, the band became headliners and performed on the main stage.
This introduction is to tell you that, whenever you go to one of these festivals, always try to see one or two concerts on the secondary stages.
Then you can brag, like me and many other festival-goers, that we were sure we saw one of the band’s most fantastic concerts. .. even though they weren’t the headliners.
To make sure you don’t miss anything that’s really going to happen at the summer festivals, from agreeing which concerts you want to see with your friends to how you can get to the venue, follows our list of tips to make sure everything goes perfectly.
1 – Make arrangements with your friends
Now that they’re practically closed all the posters for the summer music festivals in Lisbon, and also all over the country, it’s time to warn your more absent-minded friends about another incredible summer.
Create a group on WhatsApp or Messenger and start gathering the whole “troop”. You can’t wait too long because tickets may sell out!
Accept, too, that once inside, you won’t be able to see or be with everyone.
We all know that’s impossible, don’t we? Even if we’re wandering around like fools , lost in search of Elsa!
If you’re thinking of going to Rock in Rio, you should know that this festival offers a mobile application with practically all the information you need to know to get around the festival new Tagus Park.
2 – Define which concerts you really want to go to
Together with your closest friends, or your partner, create a list of the concerts you really don’t want to miss, and make sure you know on which stage and at what time they start.
If you really want to see artists who are on different stages at the same time, or if you want to rest a bit between performances, we suggest organizing your list with priorities, for example, “Must-see”, “I’d love to see” or “If I can’t see it, no problem”.
3 – Don’t forget to buy your tickets
Now that you’ve got everyone together, and you know which concerts you really want to go to, it’ s time to buy the tickets, which can be daily or general passes, depending on the duration of the festivals and, of course, which artists will be performing each day.
In the case of MEO Kalorama, which is a three-day music festival, there are two types: daily or general pass.
All you have to do is figure out if your favorite artists are performing on a single day, or if they’re spread out over the entire line-up, and then it’s best to take advantage of the price of tickets for the entire festival. It’s always cheaper!
4 – On the day of the festival: how to get there
The first day of summer festivals is always the most intense. We’re really looking forward to the day when we can finally see our musical icons up close and live.
Just as important as dressing up for a festival is defining how you want to get to the venue.
Remember that, because these events bring a lot of people, it can be difficult to find parking spaces close to the venue, which can ruin your whole experience right from the start.
So, ideally, arrange to travel by public transport in advance and leave the car in the garage.
In the end, you use the same means of transportation back home, or as a last resort, you ask for a TVDE, which at the end of each day of the festivals can also be overloaded, but which are still better options than personal transportation.
5 – On the day of the festival: what to wear
We’d say with the clothes you feel most comfortable in, but there’s always one or two tips that always work and that you don’ t always remember.
Later in the evening, it could get cold. That’s why it’s always a good idea to pack warm clothes.
Before nightfall, however, it can be very hot, so taking a hat and sunglasses to protect you from the sun is an excellent idea.
Finally, because you’ll be spending a lot of time on your feet watching the concerts, walking from stage to stage or fetching drinks to keep you hydrated, make sure you bring your most practical and comfortable footwear.
Wearing high heels might not be the best idea, but who are we to tell you how to protect your dear little feet, right?
As for accessories, don’t even think about leaving the house without your phone to take pictures of your favorite artists, as long as you don’t spend too much time doing it and don’t “spoil” the concert for those behind you, who also want to see the concert without being “taken” by your screen in front of them.
More or less as important as the smartphone is the powerbank, which will give you extra energy to capture a few more photos with your friends.
Don’t forget that at most summer festivals, the doors open in the middle of the afternoon and don’t close until 01:00-02:00 in the morning.
That’s why it’s urgent to have a way of recharging your equipment, even though many festivals already have such offers scattered around the grounds.
6 – Take care of your body
One of the worst things that can happen at one of these summer festivals is that you become unwell, ruining not only your experience but also that of everyone who went with you, who will certainly be worried.
So eat well and stay hydrated! All festivals offer food and drink areas where you can tuck in.
Nowadays, practically all summer festivals offer Contactless technology, which means that you can only pay using an electronic device such as your cell phone.
7 – Ignore all these tips… but have fun
There’s nothing more important than having fun at a summer festival. So if you’re one of those who likes to go with the flow, go ahead, we’ll support you too if that’s the case, because we’re sure it’s your thing and you’ll be happier that way.
Despite all these tips we’re giving you, sometimes this is the way we like to experience a summer festival: we go and see what happens.