Music festivals are fun… until they aren’t. Nothing wrecks the vibe faster than sunburn that feels like second-degree torture, shoes that eat your feet alive, or watching your phone die with your tickets, cash app, and ride back all locked inside it.
Bash on the Bay at Put-in-Bay is the definition of high-energy chaos: 35,000+ people stuffed onto an island airport in August heat, waiting for headliners like Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, Ashley McBryde, Russell Dickerson, and Bret Michaels.
Two days of country music with Lake Erie humidity? You either prepare smart, or you suffer.
If you’ve ever prepped a car for a spec race, you’ll know the philosophy: the little things are what win the day. The same goes here. Pack poorly and you’re stranded in the pits. Pack right, and you actually enjoy the show instead of playing survival games in a field. Here’s the gear that matters.
1. Sun Protection Gear
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The Put-in-Bay Airport has about as much natural shade as a Walmart parking lot. By mid-afternoon, you’ll be roasting under 80+ degree heat with humidity that feels like soup.
What to bring:
- Sunscreen: Broad-spectrum SPF 30+ that’s water-resistant. Apply before you even leave the ferry and keep reapplying every two hours. Sweat, beer, and dancing don’t mix well with sunscreen longevity.
- Hat: Wide-brim if you care about your neck, baseball cap if you only want to look country-cool. Either way, you’ll thank yourself (and this article) after five hours under blazing light.
- Sunglasses: Polarized UV-blockers. They’ll cut glare bouncing off Lake Erie and help you pick your friends out in the sea of strangers without squinting like you’re 80.
2. Reusable Water Bottle
Dehydration at outdoor concerts isn’t a maybe. Studies show one in ten festivalgoers ends up dehydrated enough to notice, and that’s just the people who admit it. Long ferry rides, overpriced drinks, and hours of standing mean you’ll get there fast if you don’t bring your own solution.
A small, insulated water bottle is your best friend. The event follows NFL-style clear bag rules, so as long as it’s not a massive jug, you’re good. Local hotels like the Put-in-Bay Resort let you fill up before leaving, and the festival itself usually has refill stations.
Bonus: you cut down on single-use plastic, which Lake Erie desperately needs less of. And if you’re into saving money in other parts of life too, there are even free casino bonus deals available on AskGamblers that cost you nothing upfront.
Just like staying hydrated without buying overpriced bottled water, it’s about knowing where the smart freebies are.
3. Comfortable, Weather-Ready Footwear
Half a mile from the ferry to the venue doesn’t sound bad until you realize you’re doing it after standing for six hours in direct sun.
The festival grounds are an airfield, not a polished arena – expect mud if it rains, dust if it doesn’t, and uneven terrain no matter what.
Smart moves:
4. Lightweight Rain Jacket or Poncho
The Lake Erie weather forecast is basically a gamble. A sunny morning can turn into a stormy mess by sunset. The festival is rain-or-shine, and umbrellas are banned.
Bring a packable jacket with a hood. Ponchos work, but you’ll feel like a crinkly plastic bag if you’re crammed into the crowd. A breathable rain jacket doubles as a layer once temps drop into the 60s at night.
5. Portable Phone Charger and Essentials Pouch
Think your phone will last on a day of videos, digital tickets, group chats, and GPS? Good luck. Add spotty service with 35,000 people hammering the same towers, and your battery will drain twice as fast.
Pack a power bank. A small, reliable one with its own cord. Put it in a pouch that fits the bag policy. Fanny packs or small clear crossbodies are fine.
Inside that pouch should be:
Keeping everything compact and organized not only protects them but also makes moving through the crowd easier. Storing everything in one secure spot and having backups like a paper ticket or extra cash helps reduce stress during the day and can make festival navigation smoother, keeping your essentials safe.
6. Insect Repellent and Basic First Aid Kit
By dusk, mosquitoes show up for their own party. Mix water, fields, and warm air, and you’ve got a recipe for itchy regret.
A travel-sized bug spray will save you hours of scratching. And don’t underestimate the value of a tiny first aid kit. Think:
You won’t look tough limping to the medical tent over a blister. Toss the kit in your pouch.
7. Folding Chair for Section B
Standing all day sounds heroic until reality hits around set three. Section B ticket holders can bring folding lawn chairs. Everyone else? Sorry, no dice.
If you’ve got Section B, invest in a lightweight chair you can carry from ferry to venue without hating yourself. Blankets aren’t allowed, so a chair is your only seating option inside.
8. Layered Clothing for Variable Conditions
Daytime on the tarmac = shorts and tanks. Sunset on Lake Erie = cold breeze that drops temps 15–20 degrees. Ferry rides can also feel like wind tunnels.
Long days outdoors mean it helps to travel light and carry only what you need — compact bags and weather-ready clothing make a huge difference.
Pack layers:
You’ll feel smug when everyone else is shivering in cutoff tanks after 9 p.m.
9. Ear Protection and Hygiene Kit
Festival sound levels hover around 100 decibels. Long exposure at that level can mess with your hearing permanently.
Earplugs aren’t uncool – plenty of touring musicians use them. High-fidelity plugs let you hear the music clearly without frying your eardrums.
As for hygiene, prepare for the porta-potty lottery:
Supplies run out faster than beer, and you don’t want to be caught without.
10. Travel Documents and Backup Plans
The “no re-entry” policy is unforgiving. Forget something important, and you either live without it or end your night early.
Pack what matters most:
Think of it as a survival kit for the modern age: analog backups for when tech decides to betray you.
Final Thoughts
@tonyaroberts1983♬ original sound – Tonya Roberts
Packing for Bash on the Bay is a lot like prepping a race car. You don’t throw every tool in the trailer – you bring what you need to stay competitive. Same idea here: pick essentials that keep you comfortable, safe, and ready to enjoy the music.
The payoff is obvious. Instead of standing in line for overpriced bottled water or regretting that tank top once the sun goes down, you’re focused on the stage, the energy, and the people around you. And that’s really the whole point.
Bash on the Bay 2025 is shaping up as one of the biggest yet. Luke Bryan and Sam Hunt are enough to pull crowds, but with Ashley McBryde, Russell Dickerson, and Bret Michaels, you’re looking at two nights of wall-to-wall music. Pack smart, stay steady, and let the festival run like a clean race – smooth, memorable, and worth every second.
Hello, my name is Harper Barton. The only thing I love more than travelling is writing about it. Sounds strange doesn’t it? But yeah, I adore writing and sharing my experiences about what I have experienced during my travels. Since I am a person who loves being a part of the community, I often write about local festivals with the goal of popularizing outside just small communities they come from.
