You’re trapped in the middle of a heat and mosquito infested swamp. No, it’s not Florida, it’s Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL). These are some of the essentials to ensure an enjoyable experience.

Portable phone charger – Phones are essential for ACL. They are necessary for finding friends, taking videos and pictures, and ordering an Uber if you parked farther away. Although there are some phone charging stations at the festival, there are also thousands of people who need their phone to be charged as well which means there will be long lines. It is better to be safe than sorry and invest in a cheap portable charger that can also be used for future adventures.

Two refillable water bottles – Austin is hot. With thousands of people crowded in Zilker Park sweating is unavoidable. In order to stay hydrated, drinking water is a must. It’s recommended that you bring two large water bottles to refill at the refillable water stations. Two bottles are better than one, so that you always have a good amount of water and will avoid losing the sought after front row spot.

Sunscreen (no aerosol) and SPF lip balm – With the sun searing down all day and no guarantee of cloud cover, sunscreen is necessary to prevent a serious sunburn. This is especially important for those who have more than a one day pass. It is important to reapply sunscreen every few hours because after a while it will start losing its effect. The most forgotten place on the body to protect from the sun is the lips. That’s why it is important to bring some SPF sunscreen to keep your lip from getting dry and cracked and ruining your weekend.

Poncho – Weather is always very tricky and in a weekend, it could go from sunny and hot to chilly and raining. Why not bring an umbrella? Well, this would distract other people from the events going on by blocking their view and a poncho protects more of your body from the rain and the cold. The poncho can also double as something to sit on, when the ground is muddy, to avoid getting wet and dirty clothes.

Sunglasses – Sunglasses are absolutely necessary for any ACL attendee. The UV rays from the sun can cause eye damage and since ACL takes place in Zilker Park, there is a very limited source of shade. Not only will sunglasses reduce the amount of eye damage, but they will help you enjoy the concert by keeping the sun from being too distracting. Sunglasses also double as physical protection as they will keep you safe from flailing limbs during the packed concerts.