Entertainment
Best Festival Gear: What to Buy for Lollapalooza & Other Concerts This Summer
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If you love music, there’s a good chance that you’ll be heading to Coachella, Stagecoach, Lollapalooza or another music festival or concert this summer like Blackpink’s world tour. And you’ll need the right festival accessories or travel gear to pack for the trip.
There’s nothing worse than traveling to a music festival only to get stuck outside in the heat without necessities like proper sunglasses, a hat to keep your head cool, a portable phone charger just in case you’re low on juice, hand sanitizer, face masks, bandanas and other essentials such as sunscreen, portable fans, waterproof mascara and liquid eyeliners; and a bag to carry everything from your identification to water bottles.
To help you out, we rounded up a list of music festival necessities, some of which you can buy at Amazon and Walmart to ensure that they get delivered quickly.
First up, the Adidas Alliance Backpack is a comfy, convenient and great backpack for music festivals. It features a zipper pocket for valuables and two mesh slip pockets for water bottles. The back compartment is roomy enough to fit your wallet, Airpods and other small items, while the front pocket can be used for your ID, money, room key, etc.
Anker Portable Charger, Power Bank, 10,000 mAh Battery Pack with PowerIQ Charging Technology
A portable charger comes in handy regardless of whether you’re traveling to a music festival or not. Casely’s Here Comes the Sun Power Pod is an iPhone charging deck that fits in the palm of your hand. The power pod features MagSafe wireless charging and is available in tons of different colors and cool designs. Shop our favorite portable charger for iPhone and Android below.
Nike Apex Swoosh Bucket Hat
Looking for headgear? This simple bucket hat from Nike will keep you cool and block out the sun. The mid-depth design is made with soft woven twill and features an embroidered, color contrast Swoosh logo on the front panel for a clean, Nike finish.
KIRALUMI 8 PCS LED Glow Bracelets, Light Up Wristbands –
Get the glow! An LED wristband bracelet is a cool festival accessory if you’re traveling in a group. The bracelet set above comes with eight bracelets (batteries included) featuring three light modes: fast blink, slow blink and full glow.
Alo Yoga Explorer Fanny Pack
How about a fanny pack? Apart from being timeless and easy to find, if you’ve seen Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, then you know that fanny packs can be used for more than carrying personal belongings. Alo Yoga’s Explorer Fanny Pack is available in a limited-edition espresso color, black, white, limestone and fog. If you’re looking for a cheaper option, this Amazon fanny pack is available in 12 different colors.
USPECLARE Clear Purse/Messenger Bag Stadium Approved
Clear bags are required for entry into Lollapalooza (unless smaller than 6 x 9 inches to be clear bags are required it’s unless smaller than 6 x 9 inches) (no liquids). Bags must be made from vinyl or PVC and no larger than 12 x 12 x 6 inches, like the option pictured above. The clear purse is available in 14 colors including black, blue, green, purple, red and pink. Walmart has a clear bag on sale for $6.98. Click here to shop clear backpacks.
Coleman Broadband Mesh Quad Camping Chair
Plan on standing in line? Get a portable lawn chair! If you’re looking for a basic option, the Coleman Broadband Mesh Chair pictured above is on sale for $20 at Amazon. The chair has cup holder with a mesh back, supports up to 250 pounds and fits into a carry bag. This Alpha Mart camping chair ($43.98) is another good option (that we’ve personally used) for long days in the sun. Click here for more portable, camping chairs.
Stanley IceFlow Flip Straw Tumbler
Staying hydrated is the healthiest way to endure long days in the festival sun. Stanley released a summer-ready collection of vibrant colors for its bestselling IceFlow Flip Straw Tumbler. The collection is available in pink messa, pistachio and dew drop. Click here for more tumbler cups.
Jiyugala Hats Men Women Cowboy Hat Western Cap Wide Brim Sunhat
You can expect to see a lot of Cowboy hats this summer thanks to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter. Hop on the cowboy hat trend with this Walmart hat, currently on sale for less than $2. The hat is available in black, red and brown.
Sun Hats for Men Women Fishing Hat UPF 50+ Breathable Wide Brim Summer UV Protection Hat
The proper hat will help keep you cool in the desert heat, which is especially useful if you plan on hitting up Lollapalooza. The sun hat pictured above offers UPF 50+ protection and has been tested to ensure safety from harsh UVA and UVB rays. The mesh fabric allows for moisture and heat to easily escape to keep your head cool and reduce sweating.
Achiou Neck Gaiter Face Mask Scarf Dust Sun Protection Cool Lightweight Windproof, Breathable Fishing Hiking Running Cycling
You’re probably tired of wearing face masks, but it can get dusty outside, so you might need some form of face protection at festivals like Coachella. If you don’t want a cloth face mask or the more durable N95 mask, the reusable cloth face covering pictured above is perfect for the dessert and other dusty destinations. The washable face mask features four-way stretch and fits snugly on all size heads and faces, and it’ll stay in place, even if you’re running or doing other vigorous exercises. Find disposable face masks here.
SOJOS Retro Oval Sunglasses for Women & Men Trendy Sun Glasses
Finding the perfect music festival sunnies depends on your style preference and budget, but there are a bunch of affordable sunglasses online like these Sojo oval sunglasses. Another festival options, these polarized glasses pictured above have a chain attached, so you won’t have to worry about misplacing them while you’re out. And they’re available in seven different lens frames including red, black, green, grey, blue, gold and red. Click here for more festival shades.
FEISEDY Retro Square Aviator Sunglasses
The sunglasses pictured above offer up a classic aviator style in nine different colors, including mirrored pink, brown and black.
Princess Polly Mora Sunglasses
Another trendy option, these ’90s inspired sunglasses feature a wraparound design and UV protection.
Festival Blanket: Stripes Retro
This portable picnic blanket folds up into a purse, so you can store your keys and other belongings. The waterproof blanket is available in different sizes including 60 x 79, 53 x 58 and 60 x 75 inches.
This fan-favorite, striped blanket from Nomadix is perfect for festivals, is another options for camping, picnics and other activities. Featuring a soft, microsuede top, the water resistant, sand-resistant and pet-hair resistant blanket measures 60 inches x 70 inches and is made from recycled polyester. Not into stripes? Find more Nomadix blankets here.
What to Wear to Music Festivals
Not sure what to wear to a music festival? Shorts, tees and comfortable shoes are a few fashion staples that you might already have in your closet, but if you’re looking for something more curated, you can find festival gear online at retailers such as Revolve, Nasty Gal, ASOS, StockX, Amazon, Walmart, and Farfetch.
See below for a few examples of clothes to wear to a music festival.
Breathable Boxers
Pair of Thieves Superiair Boxer Briefs (3Pack)
After selling out, the super light and breezy Superiair boxer briefs are available again right in time for Lollapalooza. Grab yourself a pair or a three pack to keep your private parts feeling breathable and cool all festival-long.
Cargo Pants
Uniqlo Ultra-Wide Cargo Pants
These Uniqlo ultra-wide cargo pants Aeropostale cargo shorts offer a comfortable fit and plenty of pockets, making them great for a music festival or concert. They are baggy, light and very on trend for summer fits. Grab these cargo bottoms in brown, black or green for only $40.
Short-Sleeve Shirts, Tees and Tank Tops
Abercrombie Camp Collar Summer Linen-Blend Shirt
When it comes to festival clothing, T-shirts and tank tops and linen short-sleeve shirts like the one pictured below will keep you cool in the festival heat, but you’re clothing choice will probably be depend on the weather. If you want to stay cool but don’t want to sacrifice style, this Abercrombie linen camp shirt is perfect for you. It’s available in a wide variety of colors and striped patterns for $60.
Lovers and Friends Meaux Scarf Top
Add some flower power to festival season with the Lovers and Friends Meaux Scarf Top. This scarf top and matching skirt would be perfect for Lollapalooza and other music festivals. You can wear it with a bikini underneath and the pieces are sold separately, so you can mix and match.
Denim Shorts
Denim Jean Shorts
These denim festival shorts are on clearance at Garage Clothing and only available in select sizes. Denim shorts aren’t very hard to find but the price can vary depending on the brand. Wrangler, Walmart, Urban Outfitters, Abercrombie & Fitch, Revolve, Anthropologie and Gap has a bunch of denim shorts on sale.
Comfortable Shoes
1906 Utility Sneaker
Shoes can make or break an outfit, and if you’re trekking through a festival in the wrong shoes, you’ll definitely be sorry. There’s actually a science to picking the perfect shoe but if you don’t have the time to test out different styles, go for comfortable platform boots, walking shoes or running shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty such as Nikes, Pumas, Adidas, Salomon, New Balance, Cariuma, Vans or Converse Chuck Taylors. Other good options: Dr Marten, Burkenstocks, platforms and cowboy boots.
For more festival-related gear, see our recommendations for the best ear plugs for concerts, best travel backpacks and tote bags, and venue-approved bags.
For the second straight February, our Greatest Pop Star from the year before went right from a dominant night at the Grammys into a triumphant headlining set at the Super Bowl halftime show. After Kendrick Lamar last year, this time it was Bad Bunny‘s turn to take a victory lap — which he did with a stunning 13-minute performance that felt both historically rich and unmistakably timely. And while the reviews were strong, so was the backlash, which started well before the performance itself and ultimately led to an alternative halftime show being aired elsewhere. But it all ended with Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio being at the center at every major discussion surrounding Super Bowl LX — arguably moreso than the underwhelming game surrounding it — and likely swarming the Billboard charts as a result in the weeks to come.
On this bonus episode of the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard‘s Emily Fuentes to give our morning-after reactions to the performance — what about it worked for us, what about it felt like a potential missed opportunity, and whether it all added up to the kind of statement we were hoping he might make during such a spotlight moment. Did we feel like it had the right balance of old and new stuff? Did the Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin performances — or the apparently the IRL couple getting married — fit into the larger performance? Was there a moment on par with the “Say Drake” moment from Kendrick Lamar’s show last year? Was there any justification for the artists who played at the Turning Point alternate halftime performance? And who do we think will emerge triumphant in the Billboard Hot 100 race between Bad Bunny and Taylor Swift next week?
Check it out above, along with YouTube video of the halftime performance — and subscribe to the Greatest Pop Stars podcast on Apple Music or Spotify (or wherever you get your podcasts) for weekly discussions every Thursday about all things related to pop stardom!
And as we say in every one of these GPS podcast posts — if you have the time and money to spare, please consider donating to any of these causes in the fight for trans rights:
Transgender Law Center
Trans Lifeline
Destination Tomorrow
Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe
Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on 5Calls.org.
Entertainment
Super Bowl 2026: Bad Bunny Cries, A Party with Los Pleneros, & More Things You Didn’t See on TV
After nearly five months of bustle, controversy, and speculations that revolved around this year’s Super Bowl halftime show, headliner Bad Bunny officially made history — and powerful statements — at the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Sunday (Feb. 8).
The almost 15-minute-long show that took place during the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots faceoff (Seahawks won 29-13) was not your typical halftime show: it was intentional, it was prideful, it was cultural, it was en Español, and it was “a huge party,” as the Puerto Rican artist promised during a press conference earlier in the week.
Benito (his real name) loudly and proudly sang some of the biggest hits — ”Tití Me Preguntó,” “Yo Perreo Sola,” “NuevaYol,” and “Baile Inolvidable,” to name a few — that ultimately made him the No. 1 music artist in the world right now, and the 2026 Grammy winner of the coveted album of the year award with Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, Karol G, Cardi B, and Pedro Pascal were among his surprise guests.
But beyond that, he brought a message of unity to the field: “Together We Are America,” read a football he held at the end of his performance. Bad Bunny previously admitted that he “never thought” his Grammy-winning album would land him as a headliner on music’s biggest stage.
“I wasn’t looking for the album of the year at the Grammys and Latin Grammys,” he noted during the conference. “I wasn’t looking to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show. I was just looking to connect with my roots, my people more than ever, connect with myself, my history, my culture. I did it in a very honest way […] You always have to be proud of who you are and feel comfortable being yourself, but don’t let that limit yourself. I know where I come from, but I also know where I can go.”
Over at the stadium, Seahawks and Patriots fans gathered alike but also a wave of fans that were rooting for the highly-anticipated Benito Bowl, flaunting their pava straw hats and “Team Benito” merch.
Below, check out some things you didn’t see on TV:
Bad Bunny transformed the Super Bowl LX halftime show on Sunday (Feb. 8) into a joyous celebration of identity, history, and unity, stitching together his Puerto Rican roots with broader themes that resonate across the Americas.
From the opening scene of sugar cane fields — a nod to the island’s colonial past — to the portrayal of the now-iconic Casita, the Puerto Rican superstar paid homage to the resilience and struggles of his homeland. Tributes to barber shops, domino tables, piraguas vendors, and Nuyorican pride brought to life the everyday traditions and essence of Caribbean culture.
Much of the symbolism ran deep: “El Apagón” spotlighted Puerto Rico’s ongoing power grid struggles and displacement — read more on that below — while a shoutout to every nation in the Americas emphasized a powerful message of connectedness.
Amid heartfelt moments like the Grammy handoff to a young boy dressed as a young Benito and an actual wedding that took place on stage, the hitmaker proved that his halftime show was about much more than entertainment but a celebration of heritage, community, and perseverance.
Already ranked as one of the most-watched halftime performances in Super Bowl history, Bad Bunny’s show delivered impact far beyond entertainment
More than a 13-minute medley spanning through all of his hits, his performance was a carefully curated display of cultural pride. As the night culminated with his “Together We Are America” message appropriately emblazoned on his football, El Conejo Malo showed the world that halftime shows can be more than extravagant.
Let’s dive into the references and moments you might have missed.
7 Top-Rated Platforms for Building a Better Resume in 2026
Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Show Easter eggs: 15 things you might have missed
Did the Bad Bunny Halftime Show Meet Our Expectations?
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