We had a great time at Lollapalooza this weekend! Not only did Syd have an awesome time while we were there, but she woke up every morning excited to go back. I have to admit I was a bit nervous the first day… We have taken her to a couple festivals in the past, FYF in Los Angeles and Pitchfork here in Chicago, but Lolla is a whole different animal. It’s much larger, which means loads more people, super drunks, and wild teens. Thankfully we didn’t witness a lot of craziness, and missed the big storm that rolled in on Saturday.

After a fun and successful weekend, I wanted to share my top five tips for taking kids to music festivals:

1. Get some good noise canceling earmuffs. Sydney likes wearing them! We let her take them off when we’re far away from a stage, and it’s not too loud. But once we start getting close she will actually ask for them. Syd also made instant friends with some other girls who had hot pink earmuffs like hers!

2. A backpack carrier, or baby carrier is a must. We have one we use for hiking, and we were so happy we had it this weekend! It’s perfect for navigating through the crowds when you have a little one.

3. Check the weather and be prepared. We were so happy to have missed the crazy storm that rolled in on Saturday, causing the festival to be evacuated. Once the bad weather passed, we headed to the festival prepared for mud and puddles. Plus a few ponchos just incase.

4. Don’t overpack. Lugging around a bunch of extra stuff can just be a nuisance. We only packed the essentials, which allowed us to find a good spot, spread out, dance around, and then quickly pack up and move on. Here’s what we were able to fit in our backpack carrier: sunscreen, a blanket, extra clothes for syd, bandaids, water, a couple snacks, baby wipes, a couple plastic baggies, and a few treats. Suckers came in handy when she got bummed out from a bug bite, but a bandaid and a ring pop later and that was a thing of the past!

5. Take advantage of the kid stuff. This year was the first time we checked out the kidzapalooza area, and it was so much fun! They had good music with special guest appearances, karaoke, a hip hop workshop, yummy treats, temporary tattoos, hair spray color, and more. And the best part, it’s all free! I don’t know about other music festivals, but Lollapalooza really has a good setup for the kiddos. There is even a gated ‘pit’ right in front of the stage, reserved just for kids and their parents.

All in all it was a successful weekend, and we look forward to taking Sydney again next year!