Lovers And Friends Bag Policy

You’ve scored tickets to Lovers & Friends, the festival where your nostalgia gets a bass drop and your inner teenager finally gets to scream-sing “Yeah!” at Usher in real life. But before you start practicing your choreography to “Get Right,” there’s a beast you must tame: the bag policy. Ignore it, and you’ll be that person frantically trying to stuff a full-sized Jansport into a trash can outside the gates.

The Bag That Isn’t a Bag

Let’s cut to the chase: Lovers & Friends operates on a strict clear bag policy. This isn’t a suggestion; it’s a rule enforced with the enthusiasm of a bouncer who just found gum on his shoe. Any bag larger than a standard clutch—we’re talking 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches—must be clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC.

Imagine trying to fit your phone, a lip gloss, and your emotional support anxiety in something smaller than a sandwich. That’s the clutch reality. For everything else, you need a transparent tote that screams, “Yes, I am a law-abiding citizen with nothing to hide. Besides my sunscreen.”

The Sizing Showdown

Official guidelines say clear bags can be 12 inches by 12 inches by 6 inches—roughly the size of a medium shoebox. Don’t get clever with a laundry bag. Festival security will make you hold it up, and when it flops over like a sad jellyfish, they’ll shake their heads with theatrical disappointment.

I saw a man try to bring in a clear inflatable chair once. He argued it was “technically empty.” The guard said, “Technically, you’re leaving.” He didn’t get in. The chair got a nice view of the parking lot.

What You Can Actually Bring (Surprising Facts Included)

Here’s the twist: while bags are micromanaged, you can bring one sealed water bottle per person. That’s right—a plastic vessel of hope. Fill it at the free hydration stations, or, as I call them, “the places where you’ll make accidental friends.” Also allowed: empty reusable cups, small blankets, and factory-sealed sunscreen (sunburn is not a fashion statement).

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But wait—here’s a surprising fact: dermatologists love you, but security does not love aerosol cans. Leave the full-sized hairspray at home. Nobody needs a Cloud 9 moment that gets mistaken for a chemical weapons attack.

The Forbidden Fruit (aka No-Go Items)

You cannot bring selfie sticks, GoPro mounts, or any pole longer than your forearm. The festival has a surprisingly aggressive stance on poles. I once saw a woman try to sneak in a telescopic walking stick. The guard mimed whacking her with it and said, “Nice try, Gandalf.” She did not pass.

Also banned: professional cameras, drones, and laser pointers. Lasers are basically the dad joke of light tools—you think you’re being cute, but you’re just annoying everyone who’s trying to hear Ciara sing “1, 2 Step.” And drones? Please. That’s how you get arrested while trying to snap a “candid” of Missy Elliott.

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The Fanny Pack Comeback (And Why It’s a Hero)

Here’s the hack: a clear fanny pack. Wear it across your chest like you’re a tourist in 1998 who’s about to buy a Slurpee. It’s small, it’s acceptable, and it keeps your phone close enough to hear your mom text, “Did you see the lineup?” Yes, Mom. I saw the lineup. It’s why I’m here.

A non-clear fanny pack is a bold move—technically banned—but some security guards see it as a vibes-based decision. Don’t risk it. A clear one costs $10 online and saves you 45 minutes of negotiation with a guy named Chuck who’s running on two hours of sleep.

What Happens If You Ignore the Policy?

You’ll get sent to bag jail. Yes, that’s a real place—a table near the entrance where defeated souls return their contraband bags to loved ones or abandon them forever. I watched a man argue his fanny pack was “vintage” and therefore exempt. The guard replied, “Vintage rules apply, sir. You’re out.”

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The unofficial rule is that security wants you to have fun, but they will confiscate your things with the grim efficiency of a DMV employee who just hit their quota. Trust me: pack light, pack clear, and pack snacks (the muesli bar in your pocket is a sacred item).

The Final, Humiliating Tip

Empty your pockets before you get to the line. That means keys, phones, and the mysterious lint ball you’ve been collecting since 2019 all go through a bucket. I once watched a woman have to explain her collection of spare hair ties to a security guard. He said, “Ma’am, this is a festival, not a craft store.” She turned beet red.

And don’t even think about hiding a flask in a clear bag. The irony is that your vodka will be visible, gleaming like a sad lighthouse of poor decision-making. Instead, buy an overpriced cocktail inside and pretend it tastes good. It doesn’t. But the regret is part of the experience.

Bottom line: Lovers & Friends is a glorious chaos of 2000s nostalgia, but its bag policy is a bureaucratic brick wall. Embrace the clear bag. Fill it with just the essentials: phone, portable charger, lip balm, and a tiny photo of your cooler self from 2005. The security guard won’t laugh, but you will—once you’re inside, dancing to “Crazy in Love” without a single worry about your backpack.