Bass Canyon 2025 is less than two weeks away. This will be my first time going back to the Gorge since 2015, and it made me realize something: I’ve been going to music festivals for 18 years. My first festival was Ozzfest 2007 at the Gorge.
This was a day of many “firsts.” First music festival, first time going to the Gorge. I got down in my first mosh pit, and it was my first time seeing women walk around in public in fishnets. (What a time to be alive.) I got to meet and hang out with Static X. The entire band signed a CD that’s still sitting on a shelf in my bedroom to this day. It was the first time I heard bass so loud I could feel it in my bones, and the day ended with my first time seeing an absolute legend in Ozzy Osbourne (RIP). The entire experience was incredible, and I’ve been attending music festivals consistently ever since.
Here is a prep guide from a washed-up raver that will hopefully save you some headaches and sunburns at Bass Canyon 2025.
How to Pack
I’ve never been a costume guy, so packing for me is easy. I’m packing one duffle bag with essentials only (camping gear not included). One solid outfit for each day, one pair of shoes that match each outfit, and that I’m prepared to have thrashed in dirt and glitter when I come home.
Headbands and head ties are nice to keep sweat out of your eyes. Bandanas keep the dust out of your nose. Extra socks and underwear just because it makes me feel safe and responsible. I’ll bring a pair of jeans and a pair of sweats for lounging at the campsite and to stay warm at night.
Weather can be wild at the gorge; it can be cloudy and cold for one hour and hot and humid the next. And no matter how hot it gets during the day, it will always cool down considerably when the sun goes down, and some nights it’s downright cold. For me, hoodies and shorts are the best festival attire to keep me comfortable. You can tie the hoodie around your waist or throw it in your bag, and they’re easy to slide on and off.
Bass Canyon 2025 Camping Essentials
Bass Canyon has thoughtfully compiled a thorough list. Let me tell you something, Paradiso never gave me anything like this when I needed it most. My first year at Paradiso was in 2012, and I survived for two days on a family-size bag of Doritos and a gallon jug of water. I took the “bare bones” from above and fully sent it into the Gorge. While I have fond memories of my poor decision-making, I don’t recommend it.
There is a lot of information on this list, but I would pay special attention to the bare bones, the essentials, and the hygiene sections. There is something special about having mouthwash and toothpaste after two days of inhaling dust and eating gas station snacks. A nice camping chair can make all the difference, so you’re not sitting in the dirt or on your cooler while you’re trying to rally for day three.
The things that I wish I had had the most during those first festival camping experiences? More tent supplies. A good mallet with extra stakes, tarps, zip ties, and duct tape. Windstorms and rain can devastate your campsite if things are not properly tied down and covered up. Little things that make camping not feel like a complete headache and ensure you’re dry and warm while you’re sleeping.
You can pack too little food and figure it out. You forget some socks and have to reuse a pair; it’s gross, but you’ll live. If you don’t pack enough tent supplies and the weather turns, it could be a very long weekend.
PACK YOUR TICKETS AND CAMPING PASSES AHEAD OF TIME. Once, I showed up at a concert and realized the tickets were still at my house two hours away. This is a feeling of stupidity and dread I would not wish upon anyone. And don’t forget your ID.
Food
Food is the trickiest thing to plan for. I know some people will go all out and bring grills and tables, and pre-cooked meals. That’s all too much work for me, so I go with a much more slimmed-down approach. For three days, I would do one medium-sized cooler packed with essential food. I’m only bringing food that doesn’t need to be kept cold or food that can stay sealed in a cooler filled with ice.
Macronutrient-dense options like meat and cheese sticks or beef jerky are great because they can sit in melted ice and stay fresh when freshly sealed. Other things I like to throw in my cooler include protein shakes, green grapes, Gatorade, Pedialyte, and sandwich fixings are a staple. Throw a spoon and fork into the cooler from the silverware drawer; my cooler doubles as a table, and we’re good to go.
The last thing I’ll do is grab two gallon jugs of water from the store and try and keep those in a cool spot all weekend, like under the car in the shade.
Relish The Prefunk
This is the best time at any festival and the most sacred ritual each day. Fits are fitted, drinks are poured, walking to the festival in the glow of the midday sun, you can hear the bass from the venue start to tickle your skin as you approach the main gates. These are always the moments I remember the most from most of my festival trips. Soak those moments up like a sponge; you’ll never forget them.
Pro Tips At the Festival
Sunscreen. For the love of god, bring and apply sunscreen.
DON’T FORGET YOUR ID. This is worth mentioning twice because I’ve seen this mistake ruin entire weekends.
Portable batteries to keep your cell phones and Bluetooth speakers charged are clutch. Check the full list to see what you can and cannot bring into the festival.
Take a screenshot of the set schedule and set it as the lock-screen background on your phone. This is one of my favorite tricks in the book; it’s saved my ass from missing great sets more than once. I also find a hard copy just in case my phone dies.
Have designated meeting points for the group. Cell phone reception tends to be horrible in the middle of the festival, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve lost friends at these things.
Be attentive. Partying at the Gorge is demanding because it’s hot, and a lot of people don’t prepare for it properly. If you see people struggling, give them water make sure they get medical attention.
If this is your first time at the Gorge, be sure to head to the mainstage at sunset. Golden hour sets at the mainstage might be the most beautiful thing in the entire music festival circuit.
Stay in the moment. This is the thing you’ve been waiting to do. The crowds and the heat and the music and platoons of friendship. Enjoy all of it, don’t get in your head so much.
