2024 WEATHER: It’s gonna be a hot one this weekend. Highs in the 30s, with a humidex rating of 40. So like dress to stay cool. Sunblock. Hats. Reusable water bottles. Maybe even stick it in the freezer so you can cool off while waiting in line to get in. And don’t forget your battery charger!
Sza! Green Day! Hozier! Noah Kahan! Melanie Martinez! What a line up this year at Osheaga, Montreal’s premiere music festival. For three days and nights, from August 2 – 4, 2024, music and art and beautiful people celebrate at Parc Jean Drapeau.
Every year, we update our survival guide for the festival. We’ve got info on getting tickets, where to stay, how to get there, what to wear, and which bands to see.
Getting Tickets
Osheaga has a website to purchase passes. The most popular three-day admission pass is $395 (CDN) and offers general admission to the event. A single day pass starts at $165 CDN (with upgraded options available). The Gold passes ($745 3-day and $320 1-day CDN all taxes and fees included) add on private bars, special viewing platforms with premium views of the stage, exclusive food and beverage stands, fast-lane entry to the festival, and access to private washrooms. If you can afford these passes, they give you a bit of space in the crowd, a good view of the stage, and shorter toilet lines for the two main stages (Mountain and River). These amenities, although not necessary, are appreciated by those who have them (affectionately they’ve been called the ITOTS passes — I’m Too Old for This Shit passes). And, for those who want a premium experience, complete with makeup artists, massage areas, a concierge, a backstage tour, private lockers, access to the front pit viewing area, and a special Platinum terrace, go for the Platinum pass ($1620 for 3-day and $685 for 1-day CDN, all taxes and fees included). In addition, there are group tickets with accommodation packages (Two night stay for 4 people is $593 per person). There are group passes for 20 and 12 as well. Klarna is available to split the cost into four payments.
Admission is open to all, and children under age 10 can go for free to the general site if they are accompanied by an adult. To go to the Platinum zone, kids must have a Platinum ticket. Admission is handled digitally and assuming you get a 3-day pass, there will be a separate pass for each day of the festival. Don’t forget to bring a phone with your pass on it! Also note that you can only leave the festival site once per day. Note that people with reduced mobility must also purchase a pass for their companion to attend as well.
How do you get your passes? Online. Not to be a debbie downer, but there are always incidents of fake passes being sold. Be very careful if you purchase your pass from someone other than the Osheaga website. It happened to a friend of a friend kind of thing.
You could potentially win a contest as well. There are contests all over for Osheaga. Feel free to add any that you know about in the comments below.
Where to Stay
If you’re coming from out of town, you’ll need a place to stay. There’s no camping on Parc Jean Drapeau, but, woot woot, Osheaga has an accommodation package. Osheaga has also partnered with Stay22 to help you find accommodation.
If you don’t have a group of four, hotels are plentiful in Montreal, especially in Centre Ville (Downtown) and the Vieux Port (Old Port) area. Some are very chic and high end. Some scare away bed bugs. Check out reviews before you commit. Sometimes staying at a less obvious hotel might be a great option. For example, the Hilton Garden Inn Midtown on the Decarie Expressway is brand new and five minutes walk to Narmur metro station — about a 30 minute metro ride to the festival. It’s about 1/3 the price of a downtown hotel. You can also rent on Airbnb .
You can also try staying at a hostel. These are more affordable options, starting at $50 a night in a shared dorm room. The green key certified Hotel M Hostel (1245 Rue St-Andre) is well-regarded as the best (our article is HERE and it looked pretty awesome years ago), but there are many others of all sizes. The SaintLo is also extremely popular, but probably booked up already.
Summer prices can be high in Montreal, so you might want to look into options that aren’t necessarily within the popular neighbourhoods (popular neighbourhoods: Mile End, Old Port, Centre Ville, Plateau, Latin Quarter, Guy-Concordia, Griffintown, the Village, St Henri; less popular neighbourhoods: NDG/CDN, Hochelaga, St Marie, LaSalle, Verdun, Rosemont, Outremont, Westmount, Villeray, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve) and use a combination of bus, bike, metro, and foot to reach the Osheaga site. Of course, the popular neighbourhoods are popular for a reason. They’re full of restaurants and boutiques and quirky things to do, so if you want a Montreal experience as well as the Osheaga one, those are good choices.
Montreal’s metro is easy to use with only four lines. There’s also the new REM (The Réseau express métropolitain) to the South Shore, which connects ($3.75 for a one-way A ticket). If you come in via the REM via the south shore, you’ll need a slightly more expensive AB type ticket. The subway and REM line and bus line are all interconnected, so you can use one a one way ticket to transfer between all three. Once you’re on the metro, unless there is a delay, it’s fast. That means that almost any option you pick within walking distance of a metro station is a fine choice. With Bixi bikes and the bus system, you can even extend the range of potential places even further. You can even park Bixi bikes near the festival.
How to Get To The Site and Around Montreal
Take a bike or ride the metro to the Parc Jean Drapeau station on the yellow line (accessible from either the orange or green lines at Berri-UQAM station). During the Osheaga festival, you’ll easily spot where to go because hundreds of other Osheagites will be in the metro with you. The metro in Montreal is clean, safe, and runs regularly while open, save for the occasional service interruption. The downside of the metro is that it only runs until 1 a.m. weekdays and Sundays, and until 1:30 a.m. on Saturday night (technically Sunday morning). From one end of the orange line to the other (Montmorency to Cote Vertu), the trip is around 45 minutes. From one end of the green line to the other (Angrignon to Henri Bourassa), the trip is around 36 minutes.
One point that past attendees make is that getting on the subway at the end of the night to leave the site can be intense. If you need to bail before the headliners finish to avoid the crowd, you won’t be the only one doing it. If you stay to the end, though, everyone will likely be singing on the subway, at least until you get to Berri-UQAM. It is kind of a fun last moment at the festival.
Subway Travel
You can purchase subway tickets inside subway stations. Use the machines (sometimes there are lines) and pay with debit or credit card. You can choose to see the menu in English, which will help if you are unfamiliar with French.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each type of fare you can purchase (see HERE). The STM divides the city and places around it into zones. Chances are, unless you’ve decided to stay on the south or north shore, you’ll be in Zone A the entire time you are in Montreal. Zone A fares include buses, commuter trains, and metro/subway, and the REM, and allow for one way transfers along the route up to 120 minutes, though you can’t exactly back track. A single trip (L’Occasionnelle) costs $3.75, a 2 trip ticket is $7, 10 trips cost $32.50, a 24- hour pass is $11, a three-day pass costs $21.25, and an unlimited zone A,B,C, D weekend pass is $15.25 (valid Friday 4 p.m. until Monday 5 a.m.). Trips to and from the airport via the 747 bus cost $11. Sadly, the REM (Réseau express métropolitain) does not yet go to the airport, but should be one of these days. UBER and taxis charge standard fares from the airport to different parts of the city.
The single trip fare allows transfers between bus and metro for 120 minutes once activated by use, with some restrictions on transfers (you can’t use the same station twice for example). The three-day metro pass begins once it is activated. Ride your heart out. You can also purchase a week-long pass which starts on a Monday and ends on a Sunday, regardless of when in the week it is purchased. Most locals have an OPUS card, which costs $6 and can be recharged to carry different types of metro fares. If you don’t have an OPUS card, you get a cardboard L’Occasionnelle ticket to carry around with you that you take when you pay at one of the station ticket machines. You tap the ticket (or OPUS card) once before passing through the turn-styles to enter the metro system — you don’t need to tap it to exit. Occasionally there are cops checking for tickets. Metro tickets can be purchased using credit or debit cards using one of the machines in the subway system. If the French is confusing, press the button for EN (English).
** Major tip: The lines to purchase tickets to leave Parc Jean Drapeau at the end of the night are very long. Purchase your return ticket ahead of time!
Airline and the 747 Bus
If you come by airplane, the 747 Shuttle Bus to and from the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport does not run on regular A tickets. Your fare is $11, which provides you with a 24-hour pass to the STM system. Three-day tickets and the weekend tickets also cover your fare to/from the airport. If you need to buy a 747 ticket, you can pick them up inside the airport at a ticketing machine, just like regular metro tickets. The 747 bus runs 24 hours a day, though in the wee hours of the night, it runs infrequently (schedule from airport, schedule to airport). The good news is that once you purchase the all-day pass, you can use it all day on the subway and bus system — useful if you’re coming into the city, less useful if you’re heading to the airport.
Bixi Bikes and Your Own Bike
If staying out late, you might want to combine your metro pass with a Bixi bike late at night. Bixi bikes are a great way to get around the city and there are three Bixi stations set up at Parc Jean Drapeau during the summer — one near the metro stop, another near La Ronde, and a third near the beach. At Osheaga, there is usually a place to deposit a Bixi. The cost of Bixi is very affordable. $1.35 to unlock a bike and $.20 a minute for a regular Bixi and $.35 a minute for an electric Bixi. These prices are cheaper with a seasonal membership. The electric BIXIs are very popular. Marked bike lanes, called the REV, are located throughout the city, though they can be inconsistent. Keep abreast of the news from Bixi HERE. Incidentally, normal Bixi bikes are rather heavy and slow — they’re not exactly luxurious rides, but they do get you around. The electric Bixis, provided they’re running well, are fun. You should wear a helmet on the electric Bixi (by law) and on the regular ones… but you will see a lot of people without helmets on both kinds of bikes anyway. One last warning, the Montreal police fine people, including those who ride with headphones or earbuds in (I speak from experience), so take them out of your ears — even if you’re using them for directions — when riding.
If you have your own bike, there is a Terminus at Osheaga to park your own bike. In the past, they provided a valet service, but have not advertised it yet.
Driving
There is parking at Parc Jean Drapeau for $32 per day in the island’s 15 lots during special events. If you purchase the day parking, buy the ticket and put it inside your windshield so it is visible. Exact change in coins, Apple pay, credit cards, and debit are all ways to pay. Osheaga emphasizes the use of bikes or metro rather than driving.
Incidentally, driving in Montreal can be frustrating so pack some extra patience if this is your transport of choice. You can expect roads in appalling condition, traffic during rush hours, complicated parking signs that seem to contradict one another, but the main frustration is the endless construction. Orange cones have become Montreal’s unofficial mascot. Streets are frequently closed and Google Maps hasn’t always gotten the memo. Also, when it comes to filling potholes… even on the highways… well, just pay attention not to hit any too hard.
What to wear
Osheaga happens rain or shine, so begin by checking the weather. Then, check the weather AGAIN. August is generally hot and sunny in Montreal (26 Celsius/78.8 Farenhiet average > deceptive because humidity makes it hotter), but things can and do change. Be prepared for sun, rain, heat, or cold, and quite possibly all four. You could pick up an Osheaga sweatshirt as your take home swag. But in general, you don’t want to be running out to buy needed clothing during the festival, unless shopping was part of your trip. For that, Simons is kind of the local favourite department store and has lots of festival appropriate clothing. A poncho or raincoat if useful if rainy weather threatens or to sit on. At night, you will be glad if you have a warm hoodie once the sun is down and the weather cools.
Whatever your outfit, be sure that you will be comfortable for the day, especially your SHOES/SNEAKERS. You’ll be doing a lot of standing and this will probably be in close proximity to other people. Another point to consider is that the stages at Osheaga are spread far apart – and if you want to run from stage to stage, pick shoes that will get you there. The most important thing to consider about your outfit is which shoes to wear. Despite efforts to add wood boards and fake grass, the Osheaga ground gets muddy and grimy over three days. REPEAT: THE OSHEAGA GROUND GETS MUDDY AND GRIMY AND DUSTY. Closed-toe shoes beat open-toe ones. There’s also a good chance your feet will get stepped on. Our tip: avoid sandals and flip flops. Go for sneakers that are comfortable and you don’t mind getting filthy.
You can dress as you like, short shorts or pants with the crotch between your knees, but generally a pair of sunglasses and/or a hat is needed. Listen to your momma and slather on the sunblock and drink lots of water. Bugs are not usually an issue.
Finally, consider what kind of bag you want to bring. You’ll want to bring something that will get through bag check quickly and can hold essentials like your hoodie, your phone and wallet, a phone charger, a personal water bottle (an empty reusable water bottle is allowed), sun screen, and a snack or three. A beach towel or blanket is also very useful for sitting on the grass. People recommend bringing those $.99 ponchos in case of rain or just to sit on. Some swear by wet wipes — it gets grimy. For a reasonable fee, Osheaga previously offered storage lockers with a phone charger with all-day access. Presumably they will be available again. Toilets? Expect port-a-potties and long lines. Bring your own toilet tissue because – ew – they run out.
Yes, you can bring a refillable water bottle (make sure it’s not the type that comes with water already in it!), but there’s lots of stuff you can’t bring: selfie sticks, animals (except guide dogs), items to sell, flags, banners, beach balls, frisbees, flammables, laser pointers, paint pens, megaphones, walkie-talkies, professional audio/video recording equipment (so your little point and shoot digital camera or phone is fine, but the one with six different lenses might get stopped at the gate), drones, skateboards, musical instruments, hard coolers, tents, totems, camping chairs, sunshades, all metal or hard plastic chairs, long folding chairs, animals (exception service dogs), hard sided coolers, glass bottles and cans, aerosol sunscreen bottles. Osheaga has a policy against wearing divisive symbols and culturally insensitive or discriminatory items like the Indian/First Nations headdress and you don’t want to be the insensitive culture-offending douche bag anyway. See here for a full list of what you can and can not bring. Oh, yes, while hard drugs are out, you can bring cannabis provided it is sealed in SQDC packaging or from any official government source.
There are charging zones for your devices. Having tried to use those charging zones… they’re awful. I don’t think I’ve successfully charged a device at Osheaga. Bring your own battery back up. There’s also a lost and found service, though it is located at the Bell Centre and you must first email to claim whatever it is you’ve lost.
There is medical staff on site for those in need. For those who are concerned about overdosing (or fentanyl), GRIP offered its services in 2023 and will hopefully be back in 2024. Finally, if you face sexual harassment or aggression, Les Hirondelles got you covered. Osheaga also provides places to chill out away from noise and they won’t judge you, honest.
Water refill stations are available at the site, so refill your hydration vest or bottle. Drink, drink, drink water. Drink more water. You can bring your own snacks, and there is plenty to purchase at food trucks and kiosks. There is delicious, gourmet-ish variety at around $10-30 for a good-sized meal. Gluten free, vegetarian and vegan options are available.
Getting Into and Around the Site
The line up to get into Osheaga will be long. At peak times, waits can be over an hour long. Most people arrive via metro and queue up. It can be a little confusing which line to follow, but if you have a regular pass, it’s the long one. Those with gold or platinum passes have their own check in lines that are faster, so follow instructions or ask someone wearing an official Osheaga shirt. The site opens at 1 p.m., and acts start at 2 p.m., so if you don’t want to miss the earliest acts, arrive early. Expect to have your bag searched and to pass through a metal detector. Make sure you have access to your ticket on your phone!
The stages are spread out and it is about a 5-10 minute walk between the main stages and the other stages using a metal bridge. This walk can be dusty and muddy (usually both). There are little paths through the woods as well with art exhibits and chill out spaces. If you have a group of friends, pick a meeting point and a time to meet if you want to find each other again easily. Cell service in Osheaga can be kind of spotty. Expect your texts and messages to be delayed. Consider time stamping them before you send them.
If you want to avoid large crowds of people packing into the metro at the end of the night, leave before the headliners finish their encores. Otherwise, just be ready to wait. It’s not bad. Recommendations come in year after year to buy your metro ticket home in advance.
Alcohol, Marijuana, Drugs, and Sex
Osheaga has many on-site bars and alcoholic beverages are available for those who are 18+, but you can’t bring your own in. Bring two pieces of ID to purchase alcohol.
Yes, you can smoke pot at Osheaga. It has to be in the sealed SQDC packaging and under 30 grams. There are stores that sell marijuana products in many locations in Montreal. Selling marijuana at Osheaga is prohibited.
You’re not allowed to bring illegal drugs or outside alcohol to Osheaga. The festival checks bags for drugs and alcohol at entry. But, to be honest, in many, many years of going to Osheaga, it’s clear that those who want to manage to do so anyway. Security check is thorough, but not that thorough. In the past, the festival has offered chill-out spaces for those whose trip has gone awry as well as on-site medical volunteers.
GRIP provided services in 2023 to let those who choose to use use in an informed way. At their kiosk, they:
- Share information about the law of effect, the effects and risks of drug use and safer practices;
- Provide access to the most neutral, evidence-based information possible on a variety of psychoactive substances;
- Distribute clean or sterile drug use supplies and sexual health supplies (internal/external condoms, information, lubricants);
- Distribute naloxone and fentanyl test strips;
- Encourage people to take care of themselves before, during and after substance use and help them determine how to do it in their own way.
Osheaga also offers the services of Les Hirondelles, a first-responder and intervention group for women and vulnerable people who experience acts of sexual harassment and aggression at festivals and other events. They will listen and provide support to those in need. Les Hirondelles can be spotted by their pink shirts, or you can ask a security guard to direct you to one if you require their services.
Which Bands to See
The festival line up is announced with performers starting at around 2 p.m. and continuing to 11 p.m. The headliners generally take the stage between 8 p.m. – 11 p.m. Most artists perform between 30 minute and 90 minute sets. Osheaga has a solid app (the 2024 app: itunes, android) that will guide you towards what/who/when, so download for your phone ahead of time. It is super useful!
There are many great acts performing at this year’s festival, so it can be very hard to choose who to see. This is made even more difficult when two artists you like equally are playing at the same time. One way to decide is to consider the location of the stage and the performance you want to see afterwards and minimize the walk between them. There are five different stages, six if you include the Sirius Stage (smaller than the rest), with between three or four playing concurrently. The Bell River Stage and Coors Light Mountain Stage sit side by side, so the evening headliners start on one stage, and then the next stage features the second evening headliner. Usually you end up with a good view of one headliner and a bad view of the other. Or, sometimes, all you can do is watch on the screens. If you want to get up as close as possible, arrive early and approach via the side rather than through the middle. Most people prefer to stay back and watch from the grass. If you just want to dance your face off, the Coca-Cola Island stage is where to go for continuous EDM and electronic variants from 2 p.m. onwards.
While you are probably familiar with most of the headliners, it’s quite possible you haven’t heard too many songs, if any songs at all, from the other acts. Osheaga is a great opportunity to expand your musical horizons and discover something new. Listen to an Osheaga playlist ahead of time (this one on Spotify for example) and familiarize yourself with some of the upcoming artists. Or, just wander around and let fate decide who your new favourite find is.
For a few picks from us based on the most recent list.
For Friday: Noah Kahan, Lil Tjay, Mochakk, Sleater-Kinney, Mariah the Scientist, Melanie Martinez, Romy
For Saturday: Green Day, Martin Garrix, The Smashing Pumpkins, Chappell Roan, The Linda Lindas, CRi
For Sunday: SZA, Hozier, Alvvays, Amyl and the Sniffers, Briston Maroney, Marina Trench, Folamour
What Else to Do During the Day
There is no one right way to Osheaga, but pace yourself is generally good advice (unless you prefer excess). There is so much going on from the moment the gates open until when they shut at 11 p.m. Take breaks by checking out Osheaga’s art exhibitions or sitting in the grass. Enjoy the view over the river. There’s a lot of fun free stuff to do and freebies get. There are even make overs, glitter-up stations, and haircuts (at Monster) if you want a fade.
There are different tents and stands for those who want to buy swag. Aside from t-shirts, bucket hats, and hoodies, giant fans have been extremely popular.
You can ride the ferris wheel in the park. The line is always long.
Many people just like to splash around in the fountains. Or, take a moment to lie around in the hammocks or in the grass.
Map and Getting Around
The Mountain and River stages (the Coors Light and Bell stages) sit side by side. The biggest acts play here, alternating from one stage to the next.
The Coca Cola Island stage is more like an outdoor after-hours. If you go there, it’s writhing bodies, lots of dancing, omg, so fun. It’s pretty tight and only shady in a few spots. It’s great to go and get your sweat on between the two main areas of music.
In trying to navigate from the Mountain and River stages to the Bellairdirect Valley and Green Stages), there is often a major bottleneck on the bridge over the road. There’s many steps up and many steps down. Lots of cool art and booths with samples and swag are in this area of the park. If you want to try and avoid that, assuming the road is accessible, going around the aquatic complex and over the road to the area near the Sirius XM stage is usually a quieter, but longer path.
Food is generally between the main entrance along the route down towards the statue of the Trois Disques. It’s a nice chill out space near the Trois Disques with a good view of the city.
How to Pre and After Party
During the festival, there are After Parties sponsored by Osheaga (again, DJ nights, usually with bands playing at the festival). Osheaga usually has three or four official afterparties each night, and there are sure to be plenty of unofficial ones if you follow clubs and twitter feeds and what not. The good thing about After Parties is they often feature bands playing at Osheaga at rather inconvenient times (early during the day) during the festival — so this is a chance to catch what you’ve missed. After parties are not included in the ticket, but some people… you know… they. just. keep. on. going.
July 31
Zach Zoya at Place Ville Marie 6:30 p.m. (free show)
August 2
Avalon Emerson with DJ Minx, Jackson Walker Lewis – Le Studio TD 11 p.m.
Kream, Camden Cox, Setou, Senyo – New City Gas (10 p.m.)
Kuruzam Ivy – Le Belmont (10 p.m.)
Say No More, Gaba, Mandiz, Mitch Oliver – Newspeak (10:30 pm)
Marina Trench, Ledisko – Vino Disco (11 p.m.)
August 3
Osheaga Official Afterparty X Ed Banger 20th Anniversary at MTelus (10 pm)
Uncle Waffles and Mansa at Theatre Beanfield (11 pm)
Michael Brun and Taylah Elaine, Paul Beaubrun at Studio TD (11 pm)
Gryffin with Dezamis and MVNGO at New City Gas (10 pm)
Sofia Kourtesis at Newspeak (10 pm)
Soul Clap with The Fitness at VIno Disco (11 pm)
August 4
Confidence Man DJ set at STudio TD (11 pm)
Kaskade, Jackie Hollander, Andrew Poiolos at New City Gas (10 pm)
Wehbba at Newspeak (11 pm)
Mike Clay DJ Set at Vino Disco
Going Solo?
Osheaga is fun with friends, but don’t worry if you show up alone. If you bravely strike up a conversation and say you’re at the festival alone, you’ll go home with many new friends. Some places to look for friends for Osheaga before the festival include reddit. Here are some favourite conversation starters:
- Which day do you think is the best this year?
- Where did you get your bag/hat/shoes/sunglasses/fan?
- Who did your hair/glitter/make up?
- Which headliner are you most excited about?
- Is there a song that you’re waiting to hear performed?
- Have you seen the Trois disques sculpture?
- Is there anything else you want to do while you’re in Montreal? Is there anything you recommend doing while I’m in Montreal?
- Are there any other music festivals you’re planning to go to this summer?
Reduced Mobility and Accessibility
Osheaga is a big site, but the festival organizers do quite a bit to ensure that it is accessible for those with reduced mobility and disabilities. In particular, there are dedicated parking spaces, a paratransit shuttle to the site, and user friendly platforms and washrooms for those with reduced mobility and disabilities. Of course guide dogs with certificates are welcome on site. For purchasing a reduced mobility ticket and other info, contact the festival by e-mail: [email protected] or by telephone (Monday to Saturday between 9 AM and 8 PM): 514-492-1775.
Top Tips From Redditers
- Buy your return metro pass on the way in, not on the way out. — lostan and similarly International-Elk986, AniviaPls, kfncokeprincess, _asgxn
- Reusable bottle to refill with water! Has to be empty when you enter the grounds but there’s lots of spots to fill the bottle – saves you from buying water inside. — eshm99 and similarly kmnder, thatsong, AniviaPls
- My best advice is stop by the island stage every time you go from green to main. The amount of fun I’ve had jamming for 10-15 min at a time throughout a day in the sun puts you in the best mood ever and lets you find some pretty wicked DJs!! – djerok55
- Your phone will die and you won’t want to hang around a charging station. Bring a portable charger. — lacontrolfreak and similarly Seemss_Legit
- When moving to a new location, proactively think about crowd direction. You’re coming over to Main from Green/Valley and the right side stage is currently being performed on? Don’t just walk in and try to find a spot on the immediate right side. That’s where every single person is feeding into. It’s a high traffic area and it’s going to be packed. Instead, LOOP ALL THE WAY AROUND the crowd and go way over to the left side. In my experience, just think about what the easiest/laziest route is and always do the opposite of what it is. It typically means just veering around one side or another. Literally can’t tell you what a difference ‘doing the opposite of what the crowd does’ makes for a weekend. Going around giant traffic points has often been the difference between hating a show and feeling crowded versus dancing as hard as i possibly can and having the best show of the weekend.– TheSmithPlays and similarily gwannin
- Don’t let the drink vendors intimidate you. Don’t let them take your card or push the tip buttons themselves. If this happens, ask them politely to do it yourself. — Timmy2Gats
- Bring wet wipes and tissues. The portapotties run out of toilet paper. Also there are very limited places to wash your hands so hand sanitizer in a must — crocchic
- Put ice in your water bottle before you leave the hotel. Fill it up on the grounds. — Phoebes-Punisher
- Prepare for 35 degree heat. Seriously. Sunscreen, electrolyte packs, sunglasses, and lots of water. — Phoebes-Punisher
- If you’re camping up front all day, don’t feel too proud to use ear plugs. Hearing loss isn’t fixable. — Phoebes-Punisher
- Explore the park. Check out the Music On Paper booth, eat on the rock steps overlooking the side stages, take advantage of all the free swag vendors give out, get a haircut — Phoebes-Punisher, similarly ImpossibleSpread6620
- Flip Flops and Birks are for amateurs. Wear actual shoes that you can walk 10-15 kilomètres in. — lacontrolfreak, similarly thatsong
- Use the fast lane if you have Bell –ashxn
- Bring a backpack/bag you’re comfortable carrying all day, or rent a locker. — thatsong
- Be nice to others, and if you’re not feeling being in the crowd just leave before it gets worse and watch from further out. — thatsong
- Don’t be afraid to take breaks and just chill somewhere and recharge — thatsong
- Bring wet wipes and tissues! You will be blowing out dark snot from all the dirt – Manic_Pixiie
- Expect about an hour wait to get into the festival especially if you’re arriving at peak time! Plan accordingly — BothGarbage
- Wear ear protection made for live shows. All concerts are too loud, hearing damage is cumulative, and you won’t notice until it’s too late. Loop are a great intro brand for ~$45, but definitely check your local music store. — Sciscito
- Bring snacks. — Tj4y1701
- Bring wet wipes or extra tissues as the washrooms most likely won’t have toilet paper!!!! – Vivaciousvegetable
- Lines might get long to enter into the park so bring water and other drinks 😉 for the line. Drink them while waiting — starsmp
- With regards to everything pace yourself. Sun, water, food, travel between stages, standing – it’s a long day but planning it well helps. — JayMeTor
- Disposable toilet seat covers — heybamberino
- If the drug testing folks (les hirondelles) are allowed in the park again this year then go test your stuff, they have a pretty sophisticated spectrometer machine — h3nrychin4ski
- To echo the drink water tip, hiiiiiighly recommend a camelback or bladder type bag. Very conducive to regular sips and hydration — h3nrychin4ski
If you have any Osheaga tips or pictures, please leave them in the comments below. We love your input and pictures! you can tag them #mtrlrampage or send them to us at [email protected]
