The Polyester Guide to City Festivals
Words: Gina Tonic | Photos: Isaac Ponseele, Raphael Chene, Sam Baron, Nicolas Cabrera, Odhràn Dunne
This month we got the honour of attending We Love Green festival, a Paris based trio of days at the Bois de Vincennes park on the outskirts of the city. As well as an absolutely legendary line up - from Gorillaz to Addison Rae - the festival is a beautifully situated, perfect day (or weekend) out.
The festival takes its name from its eco ethos, one that echoes across the festivities in every action from a dishware recycling system that pays you back for returning your plates, to tiny little pots handed out for free for your ash and cigarette butts.
The consciousness gone into the planning of the festival is palpable and makes the time there mega enjoyable, but there are certain things I recommend everyone keep in mind when attending this kind of city festival to take your days to the very next level.
Bring Serious Footwear
It can feel all too easy to hear ‘citybreak’ and pack only kitten heels. It happens to the best of us. And while some city festivals aren’t in big gorgeous woodland like We Love Green, all of them take a toll on the tootsies.
Stay ahead by packing some chic trainers and some equally chic knee high boots, just in case there is mud about as it can be typical of Euro summer parks.
Bring Everything!!
I think this is great blanket advice for any festival really, but come prepared! You’ll never regret having extra tissues, blister plasters or sunscreen. Most fezzies these days also come with water stations where you can refill your reusable bottles for FREE, so even if you’re trying to utilise your bumbag space to its full potential, save space for some kind of fillable object.
That said, make sure to check out the rules of what you can and can’t bring into the festival grounds. One year I saw a skip full of metal Chillys bottles at the security for one event and the image stays seared into my brain.
Embrace The City You’re In
It’s a city festival and not to point out the obvious, but that likely means you’re in, well, a really cool city. Take the time in your mornings to get a croissant, your nights to check out the local clubs and maybe even, possibly, book in an extra day before or after the festival to trot through the streets and really take in the full atmosphere of where you’re staying.
Plan Your Days Ahead Of Time
We’re in the future now, which means most festivals have their very own apps with dedicated pages for viewing the timetable and planning your schedule. I wholeheartedly recommend doing this in advance, because then you can work out if you have any gaps in your days where you could do even more trotting through the city you’ve found yourself in.
For example, at We Love Green, we had one day where nobody we wanted to see was on until 6pm which gave us a full day of eating steak frites and pissing about in Bon Paris. Lucky us!
Schedule In Moments Of Respite
In another life, I spend every waking moment on my feet having the absolutely best time ever. In this one, I spend half my time sitting around and having the best time ever from the ground.
Maybe there are certain artists that are just as good listening to with your head in the grass as on the barrier. Perhaps you can take over a lovely picnic bench for an hour or two while you eat your dinner with your pals.
Whatever shape it takes, make sure you make moments to pause and conserve your energy for the late night DJs.
Double Check Your Route Back To The Hotel
Finally, but probably most importantly, plan out your travel to and from the fezzie. Is there a shuttle service running? Are the tubes deffo on? How much would a taxi be if you split it by four of you? There is no feeling worse on earth than spending three hours getting back after seeing the headliner set and feeling the highest highs any one person could possibly achieve.
