Bringing things into the festival

[conmac2000]

Quick question from someone who's never been to Coachella,

How strict are the rules about bringing things into the festival? Mainly cameras, backpacks, food/water, etc.

Thanks.

[amishCYBORG]

Don't bring a professional (removable lenses) camera and you are fine.

Don't bring a large backpack and you are fine. Camelback/fanny pack ok. Anything else will either not be allowed, or will create huge delay for you during security check.

Food/water is not allowed.

Gooch your other things and you're fine.



Do your own homework next time.

[bmack86]

There is an FAQ for things like this.

If you're camping and it's very hot out, you'll be able to tell just by the weather if the security will let you bring in some water. If they do that, abuse their trust and bring in bottles full of vodka and sell them to the teenagers wandering around. You'll be the coolest guy at the fest.

[Nealocus]

I had no problem bringing in Cliff bars last year as well as (sealed) bottles of Advil...if that helps at all.

[grind]

I'll give you my best legitimate answer.

You are allowed to bring in a an empty bottle of water (they have free water refill stations inside the fest, but be careful because the line gets long really quick during the day). You can't bring in any full drinks, even if they are sealed. You also aren't allowed to bring in any food. As stated above, you can bring in a camera as long as it doesn't have a detachable lens (I've even heard of some people being turned down because they had one of those cameras that are just a step down from a DSLR and sort of look like they have a long lens on them, but they can almost always just turn around, pick a different line and get through with a different guard, so I wouldn't worry about those types of cameras too much. You are not allowed to bring in a camelback (sometimes they'll let you in anyway though).

If you want to try and bring that stuff in anyway, the risk is on you, a lot of times they'll make you toss whatever you try to carry in, or make you go put it in your campsite/car. Some things that might help:

First and foremost, it depends on who you get searched by. Some guards are very relaxed and barely search you at all. However, some guards will go through every little pocket in your backpack, make you dump all of your stuff on the table and give you a very thorough pat down. So it helps to sort of keep an eye on how the guards are searching before you jump in a line.

If you have a backpack and just pack it full of tons of crap: sweatshirts, jackets, bandana, whatever whatever. Sometimes the security will take one look at it and not even want to bother digging through that mess, so you can stick something at the bottom of your bag (food, a camel pack etc.) and they won't see it. But sometimes you'll get that really intense guard who makes you dump out your entire bag, and then your screwed. Get creative and try to hide it in such a way that even if you have to empty your bag, they won't find it.

Sometimes people have good luck bringing in power bars and stuff just by holding them in their hand during the search. Have you're wallet, the set times booklet, an empty water bottle, your cellphone and maybe a camera all in your hands, and stick a power bar in the middle of it all. If they make you lay it out on the table, just try to set it down in a way that keeps the power bar hidden etc. And if they see it, no biggie, just eat it right there or toss it.

Oh and if you are renting a locker, you can try to sneak in a bunch of stuff all at once. Find a guard who isn't searching too tough, fill your bag with food, and once you get in just stash it all in your locker so you don't have to worry about sneaking it in every day. This only helps with stuff that won't melt though, because those things can get pretty hot during the day.

I'm not trying to screw the fest out of money or anything, but I figure if I can spare myself from having to wait in line for water, or give myself a little energy boost with a power bar in the middle of a set, I'll be able to enjoy myself more

Hope this helps!

[JustSteve]

Short version: sometimes you get stuff in sometimes you don't. You wasted a lot of words to say so little.

[Chillzzz]

They took my umbrella last year and were not very nice about it

[Lynn163]

And ladies, there are "female only" search lines, so please find these before you get in line so you don't have to cause a hold up by pushing your way through and in front of ladies that have been standing there the entire time. Unfortunately last year there were only 2 lines for us (many for the guys) after getting off the shuttle (at least when I went through).

[grind]

Short version: sometimes you get stuff in sometimes you don't. You wasted a lot of words to say so little.

I added some tips that might help the guy out, but sure, sometimes you win sometimes you lose.

[adrienneleasah]

How about weed? Suppose a festival-goer has AIDS??? curious

[gaypalmsprings]

One guy made me take the lense cap off my camera to check for drugs. They even checked inside my wallet once - kinda strange. They always make he take my hat off. I really don't mind the pat down - but why do women get to pat down men, and men can't pat down women?

I've never had a problem with a couple of power bars. They are cheap, even if you have to toss them.

[gaypalmsprings]

How about weed? Suppose a festival-goer has AIDS??? curious

They don't check for AIDS.

[xmichaelyx]

... but they can almost always just turn around, pick a different line and get through with a different guard ...

This is the thing to do. I've heard of people having point-and-shoot cameras with larger lenses not be allowed in. The guards know jack shit about what they're supposed to allow and not allow. (And camera-wise, the rules don't help them much -- the idea that any camera with a removable lens is a "professional" camera has been laughable for years. I can take more professional pics with a fixed-lens Fuji X100 than I can with my removable-lens Olympus E-PL2).

I had no problem getting in the first day with my spray-on sunblock. On the second day, the dipshit security guard took it and threw it away, insisting is was full of vodka.

The retarded lack of consistency could be used to your advantage in some situations.

[anonimouse]

...but they can almost always just turn around, pick a different line and get through with a different guard...

meanwhile, you just missed two sets