Warped Tour Survival Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Unlike most festivals that give out their set times weeks in advance to let fans prepare their day, Warped Tour usually gives out their set lists the day of the event. Make sure that you get their early so that you don’t miss any of your favorite bands. Some bands start playing immediately after the gates get open.

Also keep in mind which bands you want to see because unfortunately some set times overlap each other.

Warped Tour is in the dead of summer. Add that with the body heat of thousands of concert goers and you have the recipe of heat related illnesses.

Make sure that you drink plenty of water the day before so you can ensure that you are hydrated. Sunscreen/sunblock is also a must because most of the concert venues are outside.

Wear a short sleeve shirt or a tank top so that you will cool off faster. Quickly learn that shorts will be your friend, because the majority of the day will be spent walking from stage to stage.

Also if you don’t mind hats make sure you wear one so that the sun won’t be in your eyes.

Lastly, the shoes that you wear are critical. Comfortability is key here. Wear the “SK8 Hi” Vans or something similar.

MAKE SURE YOU EAT. I cannot stress this enough. It may seem as a less important issue when you are trying to see all of your bands in one place but your health comes first. Food is normally expensive at big venues so make sure you eat before to save money.

The entire day of Warped usually starts at noon and ends at around 7pm.

Every section of the crowd has a different experience than the other so make sure that you are aware of where you are before the band plays.

If you like to just watch the band without anyone bumping into you the back of the crowd is where you would like to be.

If you want a more active experience then the middle/front of the crowd is where you want to be. This is where the crowd usually dances/moshes and crowd surfs.

All of the bands that are going to be there have some sort of merch for sale. Make sure you bring about $40-$60 just for merch.

Bands have shirts, hoodies, hats, band-flags, CDs, and other things for sale at their merch tables. The smaller bands are usually more affordable than the bigger ones.