HOLY F%&K OUTSIDE LANDS IS TOMORROW FAQ THREAD

Hello ladies and gentleman!

It has been a quite couple of weeks leading up to the big show tomorrow but the time is finally here! All of us will gather up tomorrow to enjoy a weekend of fun in the sun and good music!

I've been working hard to help transform this sub into a one stop shop for all things Outside Lands and I have been very fortunate to have the help of you all here in doing so. I first just want to thank you for being such a great community and I hope we do great things as a source of OL related info for years to come!

This years edition of the festival includes a couple of changes to how things went down before. Below you will see some quick bullet points of what those changes are and from there we will discuss why they matter.

Additionally I'll be browsing through the subreddit finding questions and answers to add to this overall FAQ for the weekend. This thread will also serve as a hub for any questions.

During Outside Lands Weekend a couple things will happen here. All the same rules will apply but you will see a new sticky each day in the form of discussion/day threads. All OL topics will be pushed to those day threads and at night (since I'll be at OL as well) the sub will be cleaned up to keep things clean.

What does this mean? It means you won't have to worry about "OMFG KANYE KILLED A GOLD FISH BEFORE HIS SET!" threads and such taking over the front page while you're looking for info and news. We'll be keeping things strictly business casual in a sense. Breaking news revolving the concert, things around SF that impact the festival ect. will be okay.

Let's get on to the FAQ!

Changes

Security is going to be on a whole new level this year. Not as relaxed as previous years. Previously you could sneak in to the festival, sneak in booze and other goodies. This year expect things to be little tighter.

Horse back officers will be patrolling the festival all weekend
Increase in officers patrolling the festival on foot all weekend
Police HUB will be centered inside of the GGP this year
Surveillance cameras will be used all over the park this year

This means you'll be safer, but things will also be more tight. Be smart folks. Last year we saw how they added new roaming ID checkers to the festival. Now there is even more reason NOT to do anything silly in that regard.

We can bring totems in this year!

No metal bars
Nothing that can be used as a weapon
May be height restrictions
Asked to use something that is soft plastic/that cannot bring harm
Allowed to bring in flags and banners

Last year there was mass confusion. This year they seem to be allowing them in but with some restrictions. Really you just need to stay away from metal. There are a lot of things you can bring in that work to carry your flag. Last year I used a tree branch and got around fine before I decided to just wear it and hoist it up as needed. Sorry to those who don't like flags, but a lot of us come in large groups and need a way to find our friends.

In my opinion you should give the totem/flag to the tallest person and have them hold it up above others so it does not mess up their view of the show. During a set you know you'll be at, keep it down and when you need to put it up, do it then. Be nice about it, most people don't seem to have a problem when you are.

There will be more water stations around this year, which is great news. As always you can purchase a water bottle at OL and use it to refill for free. I think each bottle is $10 bucks.

What Should I Pack For The Day?

What you should pack all depends in my opinion on if you are going with a group or not and if you plan on buying anything at the festival. There are a ton of med stations, water areas, and food areas around, so if those things are your main concerns you can pack light. If not then perhaps this sections is for you a bit more. All this is based on what I've brought the past couple of years and my success with doing so. I like to keep it pretty light and I also attend with a pretty large group.

Backpack

TICKETS (printed or make sure they are on your phone)
Small first aid kit
2 water bottles (1 for me, 1 for GF)
Snacks (candy, granola bars, fruit, sandwich)
Flag (for finding friends and saving our spot LE/TP)
Jacket/something warm if it gets cold | space for such a thing if it's hot
Any medication you may need (must have your name on it)
Herbal medication packed in a cig holder/pack or in one of my snacks
Clear booze is easiest to bring in because you can say "water"

Clothing

Closed toed shoes (seriously and make them comfy! No one cares about style)
Pants or shorts
A full on shirt, no half shirts, shoulder missing, ect. You will suffer
Light jacket or sweater you can wear if cold or take off if hot
Hat (helps a lot, bandanna works as well)
Sunscreen (thought not clothing, needed, easy to get burned)

Personally I wouldn't layer anything more than a shirt and jacket. You won't need anything more and will be upset with life if it gets hot and you have to carry your stuff around. I've lived in SF (Ingleside/Sunset) all my life and this is how I've always gone about things. If I can withstand Ocean beach in a T-shirt and a light hoodie in the Fall, you'll be okay this weekend.

Miscellaneous

Wallet
ID (especially if you plan on drinking)
Cash (card is accepted at most places, but cash is a lot easier)
Sunglasses (not even a question)
Chapstick
Hand Sanitizer (I've used the actual bathrooms ONCE...so yeah)

If anything is missing in this section, ask away in the comments and I'll add it up here!

Can I Bring This In?

Camera?

Yes. Just take off your lens if it's big. They say no professional lenses and they mean it. If you somehow get it in, don't be shocked if later someone ask you to take it off. Really if it's nothing that looks huge, you're good to go. Go Pro's on a stick or attached to a helmet, ect. are perfectly fine.

Water Bottle?

Yes. Two actually. Silly number but it's been consistent the past two years. Clear plastic water bottles are okay, anything else is a no go. That goes for flask as well. You will be advised to buy an OL water bottle inside. Camel packs are good to go though, that's the exception to the rule. If you want to sneak something in, wrap it in a jacket in your bag. I hide my flask in my Twizzlers pack every year.

Totems/Flags?

Yes. Make sure it isn't metal and it isn't anything HUGE that will block people's views. The people at the gate vary as well on knowing what you can and cannot bring in. I just pull up the rules just in case I get into any issues with them and go about my business. If you can only get your flag in, steal a tree branch and make shit happen. Bring zip ties just in case. Flags are also good for holding your spot at Lands End or Twin Peaks. I lay my down in the area my friends sit at and chill while they go to the bathroom/food between sets. Just be polite and think of those behind you if you are holding one up this weekend.

Alcohol?

Sneak it in. Wrap it in a blanket, flag, jacket, something in your bag. Just don't put it in anything glass and be smart where you store it. Best bet is to go clear and put it in a water bottle or follow the above line.

Also check out fellow beaver u/aforp guide here it's pretty fucking great.

Marijuana?

Yep. Bras, wrapped in something in your bag, cig holders, cig packs, snacks. It's pretty easy to sneak, just don't be obvious with where you have it because if they do find it, you'll be sad.

If anything is missing in this section, ask away in the comments and I'll add it up here!

Other Questions

Main entrance vs South entrance, is there a difference in wait time?

Not really since it just depends on where people choose to park and enter. If you want a shorter line, show up earlier to the event!

If you have a locker, can you leave your stuff in it overnight?

Yes you can. You keep the same locker and key for all three days. You can leave stuff over night, but it is recommended that you take all valuables with you after each day.

Do I need multiple copies of my ticket for all three days?

No you do not. If you have a printed copy you can use that same one for all three days. If you have tickets on your phone you'll just have it scanned each day you enter.

Can you bring food into the festival?

YES! I wouldn't pack a cooler of food, but you can have food in your backpack as you go in. I bring snacks and lunch every year. Typically what my group does is bring snacks for in between sets ect., picnic at Lands End each day when the gates first open, and buy everything else we want to eat through out the day. Stay away from glassware if you bring food. Keep it to lunch bags and small containers/sandwich bags if possible.

Do they accept credit cards inside?

Yes! I can't think of anywhere off the top of my head that does not. Most food places do, Beer/Wine Lands both do and most of the merchandising areas do as well. Paypal and VISA have been recent sponsors so there are a lot of mobile card swiping transactions had at OL.

What time should I line up?

Find parking, then head over to line up. About 15 min before gates open you'll start to see a large influx of people walking in.

Veterans: How much do you spend a day on food & alcohol inside OSL?

I budget out $60 a day for OL. That's because I like to eat at 2 food places and buy 1 sweet treat plus booze while inside. You'll pay about $20-$25 for food if you eat like me and depending on how much you drink determines the rest. If you are on a budget, $30 a day should be fine.

ASK away and all of us here will attempt to answer as best as possible. I see a lot of questions up now that I'll attempt to get to before the day ends (at work right now) and we'll go from there.

Hope this is a good starting point! Thank you all again!

Last note, DOWNLOAD THE OUTSIDE LANDS APP

Posted Aug 7, 2014, 6:22 PM UTC · edited

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