Top 10 Forecastle Tips

Now that you have Forecastle Festival tickets in hand, here’s some great tips (in no particular order) from a couple of seasoned attendees. Don’t have tickets yet, no worries, get ’em here. Have a safe and fantastic festival weekend!

1.  Wear comfortable shoes. You’ll be on your feet the entire weekend, so this is a must.  If you purchase new shoes for the festival, make sure to break them in before weekend. Wear them around the house in your underwear if you like; we won’t judge. We promise, you will thank us later.

2. Bring cash. As they say, cash is king.  Most food and beverage booths accept cash only.  There are ATM machines on site, but you can avoid service fees if you “cash up” before you head down to the festival.  Also bring a credit card in case of emergencies, and no…the 10th beer is not an emergency.

3. Hydrate. Standing out the in the sun all day can literally suck the water out of you.  So drink water and do it often.  If you are drinking, you’ll dehydrate even faster so a good rule is to alternate water and drinks.  This year there are several Reverb water stations (locations shown on the website map and app map) where you can re-fill your water bottle with filtered water for FREE. So BYO empty water bottle and/or hydration bladder pack.

4. Download the Forecastle App. The Forecastle Festival app is FREE and available on Android and iPhone. It includes full schedule details, artist information, and discounts on awesome merch if you “chart your course”.  You can also customize your own lineup by clicking the add button for your top pick artists.

5. Plan your Driving Route and Parking.  There are many different ways to get to Waterfront Park and many different parking options.  The Forecastle Festival website provides parking and transportation options.  We highly recommend you bike, which saves money and helps save the environment. Bike valet parking is FREE and right next to the main entrance, so super convenient too.

6.  Bring sunscreen, blanket, toilet paper.  We already said it was going to be hot, so you best protect your skin and sunscreen up. A blanket is a great item to have at the park to sit on an enjoy your favorite artist.  And toilet paper…which is always a good tip, no matter the occasion.  Throw some extra toilet paper in your purse or backpack  just in case, because you never know when you might need it.  Speaking of purses/backpacks, they will be searched by security at the entrance, so no funny business.

7.  Leave prohibited items at home.  Below is a short list of prohibited items.  A full list can be found on the Forecastle website.

• Food & Drink - but you can bring an empty water bottle (highly recommended)
• Umbrellas - but you can bring a poncho or rain jacket if the forecast calls for rain
• Coolers - but you can bring a “Cool Purse” which is awesome…you know you want one
• Metal Aerosol Cans which includes Sunscreen - so opt for the plastic sunscreen bottle
• Professional cameras (no detachable lenses) - so bring your point and shoot camera or use your phone camera

8. Pick a designated driver or arrange for transportation.  We all know this, but there is nothing wrong with a little reminder. DO NOT drink and drive.  There are plenty of options if you or someone in your party does not want to be the DD.  Here’s a few: City Scoot, Derby City Pedicabs, Uber, Lyft, Public transportation (TARC), or cab it. More transportation options on the Forecastle page.

9. Stop by the Forecastle Foundation Booth. Stop by to learn more about the Forecastle Foundation and what you can do to help  “preserve the world’s awesome”.  They’ll have merch for sale. Show your support and rock these items during and after festival.  Also check out the amazing artists at the live art wall. If you’re lucky, you might get a piece to remember your fantastic weekend.

10. Explore the City.  New to Louisville or haven’t been downtown in a while? Spend some quality time downtown this weekend. There are plenty of great things to do before and after the festival.  Check out the awesome Guide to Louisville on the Forcastle page for food, drink, and attractions recommendations.

11. Secure your Personal Items. Ok, Ok, so this is number 11 on a top 10 list, but we promise you’ll thank us for this extra tidbit. NEW THIS YEAR: rentable storage lockers with UNLIMITED cell charging. Amazing, right?!? You’re welcome. Reserve yours by the day or for the entire weekend. Daily rates are $20, weekend rates are $50.

If you have any tips or recommendations, please share them with us! Cheers!

The New2Lou Crew