The ultimate stoner’s guide to weed at festivals

Music and weed are one of the best duos in the history of vibes. Also going down in the history of vibes? Festivals. Festivals have long been one of the earliest havens for cannabis users to connect and share and enjoy the plant. And while things have changed a little bit since the Woodstocks and the Harlem Cultural Festivals of our past, we have new things to enjoy now.

Present-day music festivals like Rolling Loud, Lollapalooza, and Coachella (along with many more) draw huge crowds every year. And if you’re dedicated to enjoying weed at a festival no matter what, you probably still want to bring your own cannabis (BYOC) whenever possible.

Of course, there’s a method to the madness when bringing in a spliff or twenty into a music festival.

In hopes of making everyone’s music festival experience more stoner-friendly, here’s a foolproof guide to living your best stoner life at music festivals.

Part one: Plan to have fun

Before you go to your festival, you should consider a few questions, including:

• What are the weed laws in the state you are in?
• Are you going to a single-day or multi-day festival?
• Does the festival have a bag policy?
• How high are you trying to get at the festival?
• Is it a high-energy festival where you will be up on your feet or will you be able to bring in a chair and/or blanket?

Answer these questions before you head to your festival so you can start getting a basic idea of what your festival experience is going to be like. Once you’ve answered the questions above, make sure you plan ahead for the following:

Pay attention to state weed laws

If you only do one thing on this list, please make sure to inform yourself on the state and local laws of wherever the music festival is going to be. Yes, festivals are usually a chill place to smoke and enjoy your weed once you are inside, but you cannot forget to factor in out-of-state laws or local law enforcement once you leave the festival.

If you are visiting a state with legalized cannabis like California, it is safer to purchase in-state instead of bringing products from another state. The last thing you want is to be hit with a felony for having an ounce of flower while you road trip from Texas to Coachella. It is a simple yet underrated rule: know the local and state laws.

Understand the amount of weed you will want and/or need

The next thing you need to know is how long you will be at your festival. This helps you get an idea of how much weed you will need for your ideal experience.

If it is a single day, you may want to just smoke beforehand or eat an edible that hits just as your favorite artist comes on. Though we do have tips for seshing all day long below.

For a multi-day festival, however, you are going to want to consider buying in bulk or bringing a little variety to help you get through 2-3 days without being able to re-up and without resorting to asking fellow (yet random) festival goers to see who has bud to sell.

By the way, you really don’t want to buy weed from anyone there. If you don’t believe me, take Danté’s word for it.

Think about festival security and safety measures

When preparing for a music festival you have never been to, it is usually best to do some research on Reddit or phone a friend who has first-hand experience on what to expect. It also might be helpful to check the festival’s bag policy. For instance, some festivals only allow clear bags, giving you even fewer places to stash goodies.

For better or worse, security at the festival is always a toss-up. Many of us know the feeling of being terrified to bring a joint into a music festival just to encounter security that could not care less about our weed. But for every 420-friendly security guard, there is an anti-weed security guard that might want to remind you of the rules and tosses your stash.

If you want no issues guaranteed, play it safe and do not bring anything in with you. For help finding the perfect bag to bring, check out this list of the Best festival backpacks to wear by Rolling Stone.

Part two: The best ways to sneak weed into a music festival

If you are ready to risk it for the biscuit, then it is time to choose from one of the four core ways to sneak weed into the festival.

1. Stash in your clothes: underwear/bra/shoe/socks

Hiding weed in your clothing is a tried and trusted method that many a stoner can rely on. Underwear and bras are fan favorites as a safe zone where security guards are least likely to check out of respect.

Putting joints in your socks and sneakers is also a great alternative. The only negative aspect of the clothing method is you might be squishing or sweating on your pre-rolls, so finding a slim case or box could help prevent damage while you get through security. More tips on that below.

2. Hide it in your hair

If you are blessed with a luxurious mane that you can style into an updo, you can gently place your stash in your crown and style appropriately. A thick hair full of ponytail is a perfect way to conceal that doob tube or small baggie of weed. Do not underestimate the power of the perfect hairstyle.

3. Use a hidden stash container

Certain situations call for a 007 stoner stealth mission, and for this, we recommend you get yourself a secret stash container.

There are tons of creative everyday items that have secret compartments for you to hide your 420 essentials. You can head over to Etsy, Amazon, or eBay to find the nifty stash safe of your dreams.

A few of our favorite stash containers for music festivals include:

this iHit Phone Case Stash

this Altoid Stash Box Joint Kit

and this Deodorant Secret Stash

4.   Bring a pack of cigarettes & e-cig dupes

Last but not least, hiding your weed in a cigarette pack or e-vape is a very useful tactic. You can either roll up joints to go in a pack of cigarettes or you can take out the batteries to your vape mod and use that same space to store buds. Strangely but surely, security is much less likely to cause a stir over your nicotine.

Part three: Choosing the right weed format for your desired vibe

Deciding what type of weed to bring and how you want to get high is just as important as getting it past security in the first place.

Everyone is looking to achieve a different level of baked for their festival experience, so pairing your desired vibe with the right pre-rolls, edibles, or blunts can be a game-changer.

Vape pens

Hands down the most convenient, discreet option for music festivals is carrying a trusty vape pen. Vape pens tend to look just like your typical e-cigarette, so they already have a discreet advantage.

You can opt for an all-in-one disposable or pod-based vape that will let you virtually sesh anywhere without being obvious.

The PAX Era and its pod system with concentrates an industry-favorite that looks just like a nicotine vape. Your oil is housed within the vape battery, so security will have to take apart the entire vape to figure out you’re packing THC.

Pre-rolls & infused joints

Pre-rolls and infused joints are by far the best all-around product to bring into a music festival. Easy to store, dispose of, and spark up: pre-rolls are one of the most convenient options.

A 14 pack of pre-rolls like those offered by Pacific Stone are an amazing choice for an affordable all-day product that has plenty of weed for you and your friends. Just keep sparking up.

As for small smokeables, Jeeter’s Baby Jeeter Infused Joints are a good example of product with a compact size for easy storage, while still packing a punch with a concentrate core and kief on the outside.

Blunts

For the connoisseurs, we recommend looking into phat blunts that are built to last through at least 1-2 full sets from artists in the lineup.

If you are feeling extra special, a hash rosin-filled joint or blunt is the perfect heavy-duty smokeable to get you lifted. 

STIIIZY’s 40’s 2g Blunts are a great option for a hemp-wrapped blunt plus glass tip for a top-shelf quality experience. These are infused with live resin clocking in at a 40%+ THC percentage hence the name.

Packwoods Blunts weigh in at 2.5g’s making them one of the heftiest blunts on the market and another good choice for festivals.

Edibles

When in doubt, edibles are a faithful option that lets you get the strong highs you need without the dank smell, lighters, or extra accessories.

The advantage with edibles is you can avoid bringing them entirely if you time your high just right. But as a rule: don’t go too fast. Take too many, and you just might be surprised at how well you can sleep through a live concert.

If you do end up bringing a couple eddies with you, try removing them from any packaging and passing them off as regular candy. Think ahead of time what dosage of edibles you’d like to bring and how high you’re trying to get.

Part four: Last-minute reminders

Hopefully, by now, you have a good idea of how you’re going to enjoy weed at the next festival you attend.

Ditch the pipes, bongs, and bowls at home so you don’t have to worry about keeping track of your smoking accessories. And remember to roll up before you roll out, so can be ready to smoke at a moment’s notice.

Lastly, make sure you and your friends know what to do if you get too high. It takes a village to raise a stoner, but we’ve got you.

Sesh safely and vibe on.

Nadir Pearson

Nadir is a dynamic cannabis leader and entrepreneur from the East Coast. He is the founder of SMART (Student Marijuana Alliance for Research & Transparency,) a national collegiate cannabis organization and a co-founder of Hybrid Co. Nadir also serves as a project lead for Cannaclusive.

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