McDowell Mountain Music Festival (MMMF) descends upon downtown’s Margaret T. Hance Park in a flurry of energy and excitement March 27-29. Headlined by Widespread Panic, Passion Pit and Thievery Corporation, the eclectic mix of music ranges from jam bands to trip hop.
In order to make MMMF the best urban festival experience ever, we put together a few guidelines to help make your weekend rock.
Get a ticket
First things first. If you haven’t picked up your ticket yet, check out the DTPHX Experience, which includes a single-day festival pass plus a free $20 gift certificate to your favorite downtown restaurant.
Prepare for the heat
With weather in the 90s, make sure to pack Arizona essentials like sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and protective clothing. While the mercury may be rising, the sunny weather makes for a great festival experience.
Bring a blanket, chair or umbrella
Don’t forget a blanket or sheet for use as a padded dance floor, temporary bed for lounging or comfy seating area to share with friends. Folding umbrellas and chairs are also allowed in designated areas within the festival grounds, and come in handy when you need a break from boogieing down.
Use alternative transportation
Walking, riding a bike or taking public transit (like light rail and busses) provides the easiest access to, from and around downtown. With nine Valley Metro Park-and-Ride locations along the light rail offering thousands of free security-monitored parking spaces – why pay to park and sit in traffic? Click here for a full list of festival parking and transportation options or visit Valley Metro for light rail schedule and information.
Try urban camping
Located stumbling distance from the gate in an open lot along First Street between Moreland and Portland streets, secure tent and RV camping is available to festival goers. With prices much cheaper than a downtown hotel, mixed with the allure of sleeping under the stars and the downtown skyline at the same time – it’s the ultimate urban festival experience.
Stay hydrated
You can’t bring outside food, alcohol or ice chests. But a purified water station will be centrally located within the festival grounds for filling up empty Camelbacks, Nalgenes and other reusable water bottles.
Sample the city
Before or after the festival, get a smoking deal on downtown food and drink with the DTPHX City Sampler. Starting Friday, March 27 through Sunday, March 29 – participating locations offer samples (three to six ounces or more) of a signature food or drink pairing for just $5. Pregame with a cup of iced coffee and a cookie from Fair Trade Café or finish off your night at Paz Taqueria y Cantina with a taco and beer. With 15 locations around downtown, there’s lots to choose from.
Say cheese
Charge up your phones, grab your selfie sticks but leave the professional cameras at home. You can Instagram to your heart’s content (using the hashtag #MMMF2015) but only those bearing a press pass can bring in the digital big guns.
Bring money and an ID
Lots of ATMs will be positioned around the festival but it’s always nice to have cash on hand to avoid the fees. If you plan on drinking, only those with a valid horizontal ID (which will be checked) can partake in the consumption of adult beverages.
Leave the kids at home – just kidding!
MMMF prides itself on being a family-friendly event, complete with a Kids Zone chock-full of arts, crafts and other fun activities. All children must be accompanied by an adult.