Live music is finally back and with that comes one of our favorite Iowa music festivals:  Hinterland! If you’re planning on going for the day or staying all weekend, we’re giving you the details on how to get ready for the outdoor event of the season AND support local businesses while doing so.

Written By: Theresa Macdonald, Des Moines Girl Contributor

Early Check-In

According to the Hinterland website, attendees can pick up their wristband, camping, and parking passes early – and are encouraged to do so! We recommend beating the lines and heading to Wooly’s with your ID and ticket order to get your Hinterland passes early.

  • Monday, July 26 thru Friday, July 30: Noon – 6PM
  • Monday, August 2 thru Tuesday, August 3: Noon – 6PM

Note: Saints, RV, Glamping, Reserved Camping, and Sunday GA tickets cannot be redeemed at Wooly’s.

Cute + Cool Outfits

We know music festivals are about the music, but planning your outfit is at least half of the fun. Be sure to wear something that is breathable and allows you to truly rock out and relax. We recommend visiting local sustainable boutiques like MARNe and Preservation this week to find all of your festival attire, from cute sundresses and sun hats to mesh totes and sunglasses.

Have a little one coming along? PERFECT. There’s nothing better than cute little babies in an already heavenly place. Before or after popping into MARNe for yourself, check out Janes right next door for the most adorable sunglasses, outfits or toys for your mini. 

Camp Early

There’s nothing better than a true music festival experience and that means camping! This year, Hinterlanders who are RV camping or have purchased reserved camping spots can check in Thursday from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Not only does this save you time but it can also alleviate the stress of setting up camp on the first day of the festival.

Stop into Fontenelle Supply Co. to grab some unique and local camping supplies. Fontenelle also made our list of favorite gift shops in Des Moines – especially for the man in your life!

SPF

Whether you’ve been to Hinterland before or this is your first time attending, there’s nothing worse than getting burnt to a crisp at the festival because you forgot to pack your sunscreen. We recommend swinging by Eden and grabbing all things SPF like sunscreen and lip balm with an SPF that will leave your skin protected all weekend long.

Pro Tip: Angela Poldberg, MARNe owner, swears by Eden’s SuperGoop!

Hydration Station

Whether you plan on day drinking or are the designated driver of the group, staying hydrated is a must! Hinterland is prepped and ready to supply you with free cold water at their hydration station so don’t forget to bring an empty refillable water bottle for the weekend.

Need to grab a water bottle before heading to the festival? THE COLLECTIVE DSM is your one stop shop for all things reusable and eco friendly. There you can stock up on a reusable water bottle for the weekend as well as toiletries and reusable utensils!

Booze

If you’re camping, you’re welcome to bring your own food and drink into campgrounds. You’ll be limited to three cases of either beer, boxes of wine, or liquor bottles per group. No glass is allowed! Stock up on local brew by buying cases from the local breweries that we visit here.

If you’re just going to the festival, local food and drink options will be there waiting for you!

Hinterland Merch

The team at Hinterland always has the coolest merch available for attendees so be sure to shop early online or swing by the merch table before your favorite designs are sold out. We’re getting bucket hats.

Knowing what you can and cannot bring to the festival is important too so we recommend perusing the Hinterland rules and planning accordingly to make sure you have the best time.

We are so excited that live music is back and can’t wait to dance the night away with you!

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