For a second year in a row, I launched a three-day solo adventure at my favorite and only festival I attend, Outside Lands. Friends had their reasons for not wanting to go, but three very important circumstances keep me coming back for more: It’s cool, it’s local, and however much money I spend on food I save on not buying a hotel room.
The real question is: How do you have fun at a music festival alone? These are my thoughts and my journey at OSL 2023.
Tip 1: Stake out your safe spaces
Friday in the afternoon was pretty relaxed and not too crowded, so it was a great time to fill my water bottle, get merch, and scope out the food. After entering mid-afternoon I hit up my first target, Grasslands.
I really enjoy this area because while it is busy it is also a great place to relax. There are bathrooms, water, food, and drink, as well as many seating options. I got a packet of pre-rolls for the weekend. Food is definitely overpriced at OSL, but the Grassland prices felt comparable to San Francisco dispensaries.
Weed in hand, I traveled to the back of Grasslands to Bloomstock to get a horchata cold brew. This is one of my favorite things to get at Outside Lands, the booth line is never very long and the product is the perfect balance of sweet, creamy, and caffeinated.
Tip 2: Explore new stages and experiences
I have a new favorite stage at OSL, the Dolores stage. Intimate experiences like Dolores and the Toyota Music Den are good contrasts to the huge crowd experiences at “Lands End” or “Sutro.” I caught various programs at this stage including drag, great pop-focused DJs, burlesque and at one notable moment the celebration of a young woman who skipped her doctorate graduation to come to OSL.
The open dance floor was comfortable and more accessible than closed-in ones, like the “Live” stage by Amazon. I recognized many of the performers here from the local club scene and was thrilled to see the Oasis lineup on Saturday. In between each act or activity, I like to rest my legs and people watch and near the Dolores stage is a grassy slope that’s just perfect for it.
One hilarious thing I saw was a couple of guys failing to play catch with a tennis ball over crowds of walkers, I didn’t see them hit anyone but I also didn’t see them manage to catch the ball. Eavesdropping is fun too, people are usually in a good mood and watching them play out on the grass is rejuvenating.
Tip 3: Get all the information
Prior to the festival I had downloaded the OSL app to help me organize my weekend; with it I mapped out what artists I wanted to see, what food I wanted to eat and where it was, keep up to date with notifications from the organizers. For a solo-goer this is a necessity, since you have to make all the decisions alone.
Waiting in long lines alone will give you a lot of time to identify pockets of time in which the crowd is at a performance you don’t care about to get some of the most popular food. Side note: I see almost no point in drinking alcohol alone at a festival. If you can handle a sugary and caffeinated drink, there are plenty of options for you.
I hit up “Electric Bubble Tea Test” for bubble tea and Johnny Doughnuts for coffee each day to keep me going. It’s a hell of a walk so take plenty of breaks, drink lots of water and don’t skip meals. If you are like me and are a little physically delicate then self-care is extra important in order to last the full weekend.
Tip 4: Be realistic about plans
You have complete freedom to dictate your own schedule but you also can’t get too hung up on seeing everyone on your list. Being alone in a crowd means having to watch out for your own safety and so at very dense stages I do not recommend attempting to swim towards the barricade (unless you are very strong and tall) since groups of people will always have the advantage of space over you. Instead find the loose areas on the side, at twin peaks there are bleachers on the hill and from there you can see the whole show comfortably and un-squashed.
There was no way I was going to get into Hellman’s Hollow to catch Lana Del Rey with that surprising crowd density, but that’s ok because I committed myself to watching the Foo Fighters close to the southern entrance where I’d be taking my leave before the crowds decided to move again.
Tip 5: Be a person who can be alone
I mean like 1 in 75,000 alone. Every joyful moment, every emergency, and every effort you make to keep yourself alive and well will be done alone. And there are advantages, too. You can go where you want, eat where you want, see who you want, and leave when you want without interference from other people’s preferences.
I use Outside Lands as a time to contemplate, process, and eventually relax in a public environment. People-watching and eavesdropping are my two favorite pastimes, as well as seeing how fast I can navigate through a crowd and finding good locations to relax. Since no one is taking pictures of me, I don’t dress up but instead take a comfortable and practical approach to my outfits. I was very glad to have brought gloves with me this time since it was a cold weekend almost all the way through. I also never go without my hi-fi concert earbuds and comfortable shoes.
Finally: Know when you’ve had enough
All the self-care strategies in the world can not stop you from getting tired. It happens to everybody, so if it’s late enough in the evening, call it a day. Don’t feel bad about it, don’t feel like you’re missing out and don’t forget to take lots of pictures.
If you ever decide to go solo at a music festival I wish you the best of luck, and maybe I’ll see you at Outside Lands 2024.
T Von D. is a local museum worker and lesbian.
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