Best products from r/FireflyFestival

Thank you, didn’t see it.

So honestly, super easy project that anyone could do, I called it diy but it’s 99% just connecting wires. For speakers, I’d recommend scouring craigslist for a set of bookshelf speakers. You should be able to get a good set for under $30. The most important thing to look at is the sensitivity rating and the impedance of the speakers. Sensitivity is essentially how loud the speaker gets with less power running to it. Get the speakers with highest sensitivity (preferably 88+) and a low impedance (4 or 6 ohms if you can) if you want to be lazy, these are a damn good value. You could probably find better on craigslist but if you don’t trust your speaker buying go with that pair.

Next step is the amp. There are two pretty easy options that come immediately to mind. First, the “diy” amp you can go ahead and install this in one of the speakers. Parts express has videos showing you how this could be done. The second option and the one is probably recommend is this as far as I know it’s the same amplifier just this one comes housed, there may be small differences.

The final problem is how to power it, and once again you have options. The two basic options are either off some double a batteries or off of a large lithium ion battery pack. Between these options I’d say just go with the aa batteries for cost and just come down with a whole bunch (hit up Costco or bjs and buy like two packs of them). With the first amplifier you’ll have to buy a seperate battery pack to held them, with the second it actually has a place for the batteries already. Now, the coolest option but more expensive is what I’m hoping to do this year. Your car battery is actually 12V dc, exactly what you need. Therefore you can power the amps off of your car battery, just make the connections when you’re there and leave the wires running out of the hood with some quick disconnects (not necessarily this one but something similar) so that it’s easy to take down and set up every day. If you go with the second amp you will need the correct plug. Now, to ensure you don’t kill your car battery, you’ll need a solar panel, preferably with a with a trickle charger. I believe this is probably the best option. You can go cheaper but this is a well known brand so I trust it not to screw up my cars battery. This can sit on your roof all day if you have a tall car. Still do something to make it an inconvenience to steal. If you have a short car just leave it on while your there and use quick disconnects again to make packing up easy, or run the wires inside the car when your gone and have it charging through a window.

Hopefully this all makes sense, it seems like a hassle but for about $100 you’ll have a damn good sounding festival set up that you could take home and set up in a room and love the sound just as much at home as at the festival- I’m telling you, bookshelf speakers sound soooooo much better than your average Bluetooth speaker, just ask r/audiophile, and it’s a cool conversation piece while there. Anyone has any questions I’m happy to help!

Some things I didn't see are to bring a cover of some kind.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0145R49C8/ref=mh_s9_acsd_top_b3YYH9X_c_x_4_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=mobile-hybrid-3&pf_rd_r=1NFNJH08RD69SV58HS2K&pf_rd_t=30901&pf_rd_p=fc5b70d5-5693-52d8-9b98-7c0ee60f6b87&pf_rd_i=3258963011

You can find a cheap one at Wal Mart. Get this for your table, chairs, cooler, etc. and get a tarp to drape from the cover over your tent. You are not going to get any shade from the festival and your tent will heat up throughout the day if its not blacked out. Plus, its easier to sleep in (the sun starts to rise at around six or seven am over the summer).

My best advice is PLAN. Plan out the acts you want to see. I usually hung out at camp until three or four o clock before heading to the grounds. It is so hot and so sunny. You can, of course, spend the whole day there, but I had a much less miserable experience when I just waited until the hottest part of the day was over. I also got less of a sunburn.

They don't let you bring aerosols, bottles (unless they're empty), or food into the festival, so bring cream sunscreen and hydrate and eat well before you go in. That's not something they really mention anywhere until you get there. The food is not worth the price, neither is the beer. Its best to eat your own food.

And one last thing, the campsites are TINY. Bring a small tent and a small car and you'll be fine. It's only two of you so you shouldn't need much room but it gets crowded quickly.

Also, make baby powder your friend. You're allowed to bring it in to the festival. Saved mine and my friends lives from some awful chafing.

I hope you have lots of fun! Firefly was the high light of my summer last year! I won't be going this year because I don't really like anyone in the lineup, but definitely one of my favorite experiences. Stay safe, stay hydrated, stay out of the sun when you can, and make friends!

Elevated camping is just a hilarious concept to me. As if one person in a planning committee was like "I want to do everything identical to regular camping, but sleep 2 feet higher", and since they were a generally nice person, everyone else politely nodded their head.

Like I'm legitimately confused as to its merits over an air mattress in a regular tent. Feel like it just dramatically increases the probability of accidentally falling onto the ground during a groggy morning or drunk night.

That being said, I'm confident that whatever camping option you have, you're going to have a BLAST! Firefly is an awesome experience- great people, great music, and great vibes all around. In addition to what other people have suggested, I'd highly recommend a reusable water bottle to bring into the festival, as well as a handkerchief in case it's dry and dusty. Also a cheap camp shower works wonders if you don't want to wait on line for a shower!

USE SUNSCREEN. Wear a hat. Wear sunglasses, bring extras. Bring several pairs of comfortable shoes, flip flops or worn out shoes are going to be a bad time. Carry extra socks with you, amazing how refreshing it is to change your socks in the middle of the day.

Earplugs are a must, for loud music areas and for trying to sleep.

Bring a larger tent than you think you need. Room is nice. also bring a luggage lock - a small combo lock that can fit through your zippers and make it a bit more secure (but lock real valuables in your car.)

In addition to your tent, bring a 10x10 canopy like this to shade your tent or the area in front of your tent. It will keep the sun off of your skin while chilling, and if used over your tent can cool it off inside.

Get some solar powered lights to put in or around your camp. Find a way to put the solar charger outside, outside lights can help you find your tent, light the interior on under the canopy I suggested, and makes it look pretty cool.

If you are worried about juicing your phone, clip one of these to your backpack as you walk around all day. A good one can keep your phone topped off pretty well. Get one per phone, they aren't that heavy. Beats having to visit charging stations.

I posted elsewhere about using a camping stove, these are really good - make sure to get some JetFuel for each one. Bring old pots and pans, a kettle to make hot water, and butter cooking spray is the bomb to keep things fairly non-stick. To make coffee, use a simple pour over device with cone shaped paper filters. Bring reusable cups for each person.

Bring bags for garbage. Try to reduce the amount of plastic you throw away.

If you don't want to pay for showers, bring one of these camp showers. I also bring another 5-gallon container to refill your bag and for washing dishes etc, and a folding wagon to carry it in because I'm too old to struggle.

You can also just get one of these. Its a solar shower bag.

https://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Elements-Summer-Solar-Shower/dp/B000J2Q0SU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1496935682&sr=8-5&keywords=solar+shower+bag

I never used them myself but last year I went with friends who brought one, they said it worked pretty well in conjunction with dry shampoo.

While I wouldn't say firefly is specifically an LGBT friendly festival, its basically like all the others in the north east area. In my experience I've never seen any homophobia or transphobia at these festivals. Even times when I saw gay couples who were all over each other I never noticed anyone harassing them, even saw a rainbow/LGBT totem some group carried around last year. I think she should be okay standing in lines for the showers but a portable shower/shower bag would be a good way around running into potential assholes.

Yes and no. There will be some ambient lighting from neighboring campsites but other than that it will be pretty dark. I would reccomend bringing along a headlamp/flashlight to navigate your way back to the site.

Lamps with a strobe/red light feature are also very helpful when trying to meet up with friends.

I would also look into some lights like [these](XKTTSUEERCRR (Two Rolls) 3528 SMD 300LED, 10M/32.8 FT, Waterproof Flexible RGB Color Changing LED Light Strip For Outdoors/Indoors/Car/Stage/Festivals/Party Decoration + 20Key Music IR Remote Controller + 12V 5A Power Supply https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WU335ES/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_lr3wxbD5GX27X) to hang around your canopy or tent. Adds a nice mood touch and also very practical when hanging around the site. Hope this helps.

Bring rain boots just in case. Last year's mud fest turned into a shoe graveyard and I ruined several shoes that I brought.

Also Walmart /camping stores have solar powered shower bags for real cheap (like under $20) bring a big jug of water and dedicate that jug solely to shower water, its not the cleanest feeling (if you don't have a shower tent you can wear a bathing suit and wash up outside of your car) but i certainly hope youre not going to a camping festival thinking you're going to be clean anyway, its definitely better than waiting in a long line and paying for a shower

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0009PUT20/ref=mp_s_a_1_sc_1?qid=1452773074&sr=8-1-spell&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=solar+powerd+showe+bag

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B010GSU294/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1452773182&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=shower+tent&dpPl=1&dpID=41VMyC7Bm0L&ref=plSrch

*sorry about the links I'm on mobile

Pedialyte is a must-have whenever I go. My buddy and I would wake up as soon as the showers opened, chug a bottle of pedialyte, shower, then go back to our campsite and sleep for a few extra hours. Waking up clean and hydrated is the best feeling in the world. I also recommend a loung chair like this. When your tent gets too hot, laying down under an EZ up is a great time.

There are cocktails and I think I remember there being marg/daquiri-type drinks available but I'm not 100% sure on it. I usually stick to the red bull buckets ($12, I think). A beer is like $6-7 for a bud light/corona, $9-10 for fancier stuff. Mixed drinks run $8-10ish.

If you want to save some money and have a bit more flexibility with drinks, invest in some collapsible flasks and stash briefs. You'll be a hero to everyone in your group.

I think I may be in the minority on this, but the shower bag never really did it for me. I brought one like this and it was really lack luster. Im 6 feet tall and after hanging the bag, the nozzle was below my waist. That would have been fine, if not for the fact that the shower head just barely dripped, Placing the bag on the roof of the car got the water nice and hot within an hour or two. But if you want to get clean I might go with one of these with some kind of wash basin, or a kiddie pool and a bucket work really well for a quick cleanup

I've tried Dubs and Downbeats. I like the fit and sound of Downbeats much better, plus they don't stick out of your ears, and really aren't even visible. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00A3Z44R2/

Buy one of these. Fill it up stick it on the roof of your car and you should be good to go. We bought two and filled them once and it was enough for 4 guys to make it through the festival washing every morning.

Absolutely! We bring something along the lines of this: https://amzn.com/B0009PUT20
Just have to fill it up with water, let it sit on your car in the sun and in a few minutes it warms up and you can use the spigot to hose yourself down. It was perfect last year

I've had https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0044DEESS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_NKSkzbXD0AZGK these for 3 years now and I love them. There's a string that connects them so I don't lose one and while they make me bit lose my hearing at concerts, they still allow me to have conversations with anyone around no problem. I also have somewhat tiny ear canals and yet they stay nice and snug for me.

Edit: I give up trying to make that link look pretty on my phone.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00IFHFJXI/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525918208&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=battery+portable+shower&psc=1
This shower is the best thing ever! I just bring two 5 gallon containers of water and it gets two people through two showers daily with extra.

In the festival: Gold Bond powder for chafing/sunburns/itchiness, hi-fidelity earplugs (I use DownBeats bcecause they're more compact than others), Anker 10000mAh battery pack and a multi-USB charger cable so all your friends can get their charge on w/o having to stop at a charging station

Camping: Mio water enhancer for electrolytes + flavor, Anker 20,100 mAh battery pack

Zinburry 1000 Pcs 8" Colorful Glow Sticks Bracelets Necklaces Fluorescent Neon Party Concert Costume https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07587TY5M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_EDj3AbBBDDF18

I just got 1000 for $19.99
I am ready for #Glowmageddon18
#GarrixGlowmageddon
#BigGGlowdown
#GlOdesza18

I use these from Etymotic and I really like them. I don't usually use ear plugs for festivals unless I'm right next to the speakers in front or something, but for regular concerts or house shows I do!

https://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-Protection-Earplugs-Standard/dp/B0044DEESS?th=1

Buy a shower tent and a portable shower, acquire something to stand on like SMALL wooden pallet so you're not standing on mud, bring a few 5 gallon jugs of water (empty or filled, you can fill it there) and you can shower right at your campsite. It won't be the best shower you've had but it'll do.

I got something similar to this last year and it used it as a camp shower. If you split it with one other person it'll be cheaper than using their showers with no line. I also got this to use along with it, but you could just use water bottles.