5 Things You Absolutely Need to Survive The AZ Summer Show Season (No, Seriously, Get These)

Hi. Hello. Welcome to the furnace. If you’re heading to the Relentless Beats summer show in the dead heat of Arizona summer, first of all, brave of you. Second of all, please don’t be that crusty, sunburned, dehydrated soul who ends up in the medic tent looking like a forgotten raisin. Here’s your must-have packing list for the desert rave of your dreams. Everything here is personally approved by your older festie sister who’s seen a few too many sweaty sunburns in her day.

Number 1: SIP HAPPENS, STAY READY

Let’s start with water, because if you think you’re “not a water girlie,” Arizona will humble you immediately. Invest in some sort of hydration pack. They’re not just backpacks; they’re hydration vessels blessed by the rave gods. Some even come with fun options like anti-theft zippers, customizable LED strips, and room for your electrolytes and emergency snacks. You will need this. You will be obsessed with this. You will become a hydration evangelist because your life literally depends on it.

Number 2: THE SUN IS NOT YOUR FRIEND, BLOCK IT

Next, we need to talk about sunscreen. Specifically, you need one for your face and one for your body, because you are not a barbarian. Protect those precious little cheeks and your shimmering hot bod with a water- and sweat-resistant sunscreen of your choice. Bonus: it’ll make your limbs look like glazed vegan donuts in the best way possible.

And here’s your hot girl hack: clip your travel-size facial sunscreen to your hydration pack with a glittery carabiner and toss the body lotion in your festie fanny pack. Reapply every two hours or prepare to peel like a sun-toasted croissant halfway through the headliner.

Number 3: WELCOME TO YOUR GOBLIN BAG ERA

Now onto the fun bits. You need a pouch of trinkets, aka your Vibe Bag. Stuff it with Kandi bracelets, pins, stickers, gum, and a few squishy toys that feel like emotional support blobs. You will make friends. You will bring joy. You might cry when someone trades you a handmade bracelet with your favorite phrase or saying. That’s the point.

Number 4: HOT GIRL HAT WITH BUILT IN SHADE

Speaking of protection, your scalp is not immune to the sun’s wrath. Enter the bucket hat of your dreams: wide-brimmed, solid enough to hold decorative sprouts (yes, plant sprouts, don’t question it), and just structured enough to keep you shaded without screaming “tourist in crisis.” Bonus: bucket hats photograph well from all angles, even when you’re three drinks deep and mid-hula hoop.

Number 5: COOL PEOPLE USE FANS

Finally, a fan. Not a flimsy paper one, but a real fan that delivers attitude and airflow. You’ve got options: the dramatic wooden-slat folding fan that demands more attention than your ex’s excuses, or the futuristic wrap-around neck fan that looks like an Apple product and works like a dream. Honestly, bring both. Hand one to someone who looks like they’re about to pass out and boom, you’re a rave angel with cooling powers.

In conclusion: hydrate like your ex is watching, reapply like the sun personally wronged you, accessorize like a chaotic fairy, and don’t underestimate the magic of a well-packed bag. These five items will keep you alive, thriving, and dancing your glittery little heart out at all the Relentless Beats summer shows from sunset to headliner. See you out there, cute, conscious, and absolutely unbothered.