Surviving #Curlfest

Last weekend I had the privilege of attending my very first Curlfest. Hosted by the Curly Girl Collective, CurlFest is one of the largest outdoor celebrations of natural hair. There literally is nothing like it! Held in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY it draws thousands and thousands of naturalistas from all over the country. While it's an amazing, fun-filled, exciting, and gorgeous event, here are my tips to surviving and navigating the festivities.

1. Get Some Good Rest the Night Before

This one seems like a no-brainer, but don't underestimate this tip. You will be doing lots of walking around the park and it's not the flattest of terrains. Also, this event lasts from 12-7pm-- that's a long time to be outside in the sun (there is no shade). Although you will be exhausted when you return home from the event, it's always a good feeling to get started feeling refreshed and renewed.

2. Get There Early

So if you read all of the media surrounding this event, everything tells you that the event starts at noon. While this is true, you should definitely plan to get there early if you have a phobia of large crowds or you like to walk freely about the park. I arrived at 11:20am and there was already a long line to take a picture at the #Curlfest sign. Getting there early also allowed me to shop the vendor marketplace easily and efficiently. I bought the cutest sunglasses and headwraps!

3. Wear Comfortable Shoes

THIS. RIGHT. HERE. While this is a time to be fly, don't come out wearing your fanciest shoes or ones that are just cute without an ounce of comfort. So why is this a tip? Simple. Prospect Park is HUGE! And if you come from the metro, it's even more walking. Also, there are lots of lines to stand in. My Birkenstocks saved my soles and arches.

4. Pack Your Own Food or Eat Before or After the event.

There are are maybe 10 food trucks at Curlfest trying to serve thousands of hungry folks. I was able to get a really tasty chicken gyro, but that was because I got there relatively early and skipped the entry line (I ended up going to the line when I was ready to go). Once I received my silver swag bag and was heading out of the park, the lines for the food truck were massive. Who got time to be hangry when your gushing over beautiful fros and melanin?

5. Skip the Entry Line-- Better Yet Don't Buy A Ticket

So here is my biggest gripe with Curlfest. Word is, you must have a ticket to enter. Problem is, it's way too big of an event to only have a handful of people working the "entry". When I first arrived, I came in from the back so I was able to enjoy all of the activities before making it over to the entry line. BRUH. I waited 1 hour and 45 minutes to "get in". I bought the silver ticket which included a blanket, reusable tumbler and tote bag. Was my wait worth the swag? No. But was I not going to get my swag after I paid for it? No. So it's a lose-lose situation. Not to mention, when we finally got to the front of the line it was a free for all because the lady checking in folks was standing in the line and not at the table. That caused confusion as people were walking forward to the table only to be told that they had to go back to the one lady checking people in. Mind you, there were 4 people at the table handing out bags. They could've given check-in girl more support-- I know she was flustered!

6. Be Patient (and ready to stand in lots of lines if you want free goodies)

Along with what I said about the entry, just be ready to wait. The ratio of attendees to brands is like 1,000 to 1. So be patient. Especially if you want free products, 'cause that just means getting out of the entry line to wait in another line. Honestly, if you go at Curlfest for the freebies going to a hair show may be a better deal. The Taliah Waajid Natural Hair Show in ATL gives away all the goods! (so do many other shows)

7. Don't Be Cheap-- Support the Local Vendors!

This was my favorite part about Curlfest-- seeing all the wonderful black-owned brands out here flourishing!! From t-shirts (Black On Black), to artwork, to headwraps (Cee Cee's Closet NYC), to sunglasses (Exclusive Eyes NY), there were lots of goodies to buy. There were also folks out there with wagons selling Italian ice or homemade beverages. Entrepreneurs were getting their sell on. It felt as if they definitely didn't get as much love as the product booths, which is a shame because they were BOMB!

8. Have FUN!!

This one goes without saying. Curlfest is a festival of love, appreciation, beauty, melanin and magic. Just being in a space with those who look like you is so empowering and freeing. It was such a pleasure to experience this event!