Natalie Gennaoui's video: Stagecoach 2017

Last year, I embarked on my first musical festival experience and went back this year for round two of Stagecoach. The way I describe Stagecoach is as the "Coachella for country music." Although I had a blast last, this year the trip was much more enjoyable because I wasn't stressed out about what to wear or what NOT to bring. I decided to write a little snippet of my experience as well as some music festival tips. Tips 1. PLAN EARLY! Well, at least plan your hotel well in advanced. This year I waited until about two months before to book my AirBnb and was that a mistake. First off, everything that was close to the venue was about $250+ a night. AirBnbs were slightly cheaper. The AirBnb that we ended up getting was about 45 minutes away and was pretty secluded from the surrounding cities. This was an experience on this mini trip that was avoidable. 2. DRESS TO IMPRESS. Let's just be real for a second, fashion is almost as important as the music. I said almost, relax. I would definitely recommend browsing on Instagram to see what others wear at the music festival you are attending. Dress comfortable. Don't wear a strapless dress, don't wear heels, and bring a hat. Believe me, you'll thank me for telling you these fashion tips later. 3. MAKE A MISTAKE AND IT'LL COST YOU. Come prepared to take care of yourself at these festivals. Food is ridiculously expensive inside. I hardly ate at Stagecoach and I am pretty sure I got food poisoning from one of the vendors inside. I would recommending eating outside first then eating light insider. Second, don't let anything happen to your wristband. My cousin accidentally adjusted her wrist band before she put it on her wrist. Oops! It ended up costing $20 to replace the wristband. Then when I asked the cashier why it was so much, she responded, "That's not even bad. Coachella is $40." Seriously???? It already cost $300-$400 to attend and now you want to charge people for another wristband? It's really disappointing how unforgiving companies have become. 4. EXPLORE! There is usually a lot to do at a music festival. If you don't particularly fancy a certain artist that is playing, wander around. Even if you are alone, it is a great experience. The first time at Stagecoach, I hardly explored what there was to do besides listen to the artists playing. There are usually tons of lesser known artists playing on smaller stages, dance lessons going on, shops giving out free samples, photo opportunities, etc. This time, I did so much more than I did the first time around at Stagecoach. I learned how to line dance (kinda), went on the Ferris wheel, tried more of the food, got tons of free makeup samples, and visited Desert X. All in all, don't be afraid to stray away from the group and experience more than just the music. Any tips that you have for my future music festival adventures?