This year is going to mark my seventh straight year at Peachfest at Montage Mountain. If you don’t know what it is, we can’t be friends. Sorry. But for the uninitiated, it’s a musical festival with Allman Brothers roots and four days of the some of the country’s best jam bands.
I’m headed there in the morning for a long day – 14 hours of music. Probably unsurprising, I’ve learned a few things about managing long days in the blistering sun, especially at this festival. Most of the things I know are through making stupid mistakes in previous trips. So I wanted to share a few things to consider if you are headed there this weekend. Consider them tips from a hometown boy and semi-professional concertgoer.
First, It’s a LONG day. You can take up to a gallon of water in the venue with you as long as it’s sealed. Do it and drink it. Refill it often. There are water stations there. Use them!
Use the water park. There is a stage right at the water park so you get the bonus of live music while you hang out in the lazy river for a few laps. There are a lot of jokes that by Saturday the river is more a mix of hippie body odor and patchouli than actual water, but honestly it stays pretty clean. It will keep you cool and that’s a huge part of having a great time.
This should go without saying, but sunscreen. Early and often.
Find shade in the lodge. If you find yourself getting really hot, you should have already sought a little cover. Don’t wait. Take 10 minutes to relax, sit down and get out of the sun.
You can catch a cold shower near the lodge. I’m just going to be there for the day on Saturday, and I almost certainly will get one good soaking.
Pace yourself. Duh.
Once you get through the hot part of the day, there are different things to consider. It gets chilly on the mountain, not matter how hot it was during the day, you will never go wrong with bringing a sweatshirt for when the sun goes down.
At a bare minimum, if you plan to hang out in the lawn, bring a blanket. Sitting on the lawn with nothing between you and the grass will sap the heat out of you impossibly fast.
Also, bring a headlamp. It’s dark. Even if you just use it when you are fishing around in your backpack for your last $20, it’s worth bringing. You can also use it when walking around the lawn. I’ve stepped on plenty of people I never saw. Use it to light your way.
Just these few things will help you finish the marathon in one piece and let you boogie all day.
Enjoy friends and I’ll see you on the mountain!
Chad Sebring is the news editor at The Times-Tribune. He has been a journalist for roughly 20 years, having joined The Scranton Times in 1999. He has won several state and national awards for headline writing, design and photography. Chad lives in Clarks Summit with his beautiful daughter, Sophie. Contact: csebring@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x3486; @chadsebring
