How to Survive and Thrive a Boom Music Festival

Our first company team-building event happened this summer and it was EPIC!

It took place during a week-long music festival in Portugal last month.

Yup, we attended Boom Music Festival not only as a rite of passage but also as a bonding catalyst.

The first words I have for you right now are WOW, what an experience!

No wonder this festival has been going since 1997; the organizers are conscientious, attentive, thorough, and effective all of which created the experience of a lifetime!

In Short: Outstanding!

Anyone who has partied at a multi-day festival knows that completing a 7-day event is like the Iron Man of celebrating life, only warriors need to apply.

When undertaking the endeavor of celebration for a whole week, certain skills are needed.

Skills like preparation, open-heartedness, and common sense are required to party ‘properly’.

Partying ‘properly’, to me is pretty similar to finding the ideal sweet spot dose. 

A week-long festival demands that we learn how to go all out, while not getting sick during, before, or after.

Partying properly also means no drama, not from you or your tribe members.

Good Vibes Only

Surviving is not the only ‘goal’ when at a week-long festival, thriving during and after is not only possible but very plausible.

It’s possible to thrive throughout the entire event, afterward during decompression, and especially once we return home to reality.

In this article, I intend to be just as conscientious, attentive, thorough, and effective as the Boom Festival organizers have been.

Read on for my tips, tricks, and hacks below, because you are joining us in 2025, right?!

Prepping and Planning

Plan as much as you can.

Being out there for a week takes careful consideration, and not being ready is just not fun.

If you like camping, then you’re in luck. 

Boom is a large property where various outdoor ‘accommodation’ is available. Tents, tipis, cardboard tents, and caravans are welcome.

Be sure to check out the Boom app. They did a great job on that too.

Plan for the workshops that interest you and aim to attend. 

If you don’t attend all the workshops, don’t worry, I have a plan B for you. But first, read on.

One could sleep in a hammock for the whole festival, but despite the blistering hot days, the nighttime is fresh and you will want some shelter.

Prepare ahead of time so as not to be on your phone for the entire week. 

Let yourself get immersed in the experience and avoid having anyone count on you for anything during this time.

Comfortable footwear is mandatory! Be sure to buy yourself a good pair for the festival.

There is a lot of walking, and some of it can also be uphill.

The landscape is hot, dry, and dusty with some grassy and thorny spots. 

Many wear Birkenstock sandals, and those are probably the best idea. 

Bear in mind that even flip-flops start to hurt when walking approximately 25,000 steps each day.

Important items to pack are:

• Earplugs at night and ear protectors when dancing on big stages
• Hat and 2x sunglasses (not expensive or designer)
• Flashlight and/or headlamp 
• Sarong to be used as a picnic blanket 
• Hoodie for the cool evenings
• Swimwear
• Electrolytes
• Chemical-Free Sunblock
• Immune system 1st aid kit (see end of blog)

You will want to keep your immune system strong and your electrolytes topped up. 

The days are hot and the sun will burn.

It’s a good idea to arrive in Lisbon a few days before the festival gets started, it allows time to acclimatize to the country, the climate, and the event ahead.

Book your accommodation early, as Portugal is busy this time of year.

The festival venue is less than 3 hours from Lisbon, and you will only need snacks for the road. 

There is a grocery store at the festival with a great selection of juices, fruits, first aid products, personal care products, and camping essentials. Win!

Costs are reasonable and the festival bracelets can be topped up to make payments to food vendors, double WIN!

In terms of costumes, you may join the crowd and wear your birthday suit most of the time but rest assured, if you arrive in Lisbon early, you can get some cool and affordable gear there.

Your Tribe IS the Vibe

Pick your crew and pick each individual very wisely. 

The people we decide to go to festivals with will, and in no uncertain terms, make or break your festival experience.

Sometimes, a festival can be epic even if we go alone. 

Other times, the festival is not great but the team is the vibe.

But every once in a while, the festival is outstanding and the team is epic. 

This is the magic that we are aiming for.

Take a moment and consider what talents, skills, and experiences each of your crew members has to offer, and invite each of them to bring it to the fore.

In our crew, we had a Chinese Medicine doctor, a yoga instructor, a cook, a neuropsychologist, and a natural healer.

Having access to each of these skill sets was very useful and thoroughly put to good use by everyone. 

In short, we had most bases covered for the days ahead.

7 Days and Nights

As a first-time Boomer, my conclusion is that this particular festival has a lot to do with nervous system regulation.

Yes, I realize this sounds weird, but hear me out.

There were many times during the festival that I caught myself being impressed by the logistics applied and what a difference it made to the overall experience.

Lightbulbs were being changed late at night; bathrooms were cleaned regularly and also late into the evening. 

Volunteers are constantly cleaning up cigarette butts from the dance floor.

Sometimes these butts were removed while we were having a boogie but mostly this happened when the stages were closed.

Yup, the main stage closed every day for a few hours, which made all the difference.

Cleaning aside, closing the main stage daily also ensured that everyone was pacing themselves.

It allowed everyone to chill from the main stage music, explore other areas, take a walk, swim, listen to a workshop, or eat some amazing food.

The organizers’ speech during the opening ceremony was a big indication of what was to come.

The opening set on the main stage was due at 6 p.m. on the first night. By 5:45 pm, the crowd was buzzing with anticipation, electric.

See the energy for yourself here!

We could barely wait for those last few more moments leading up to the opening of the main stage.

I quickly got a sense of what was to come when the organizers invited each of us to take a breath and pace ourselves.

The MC reminded us all that the event is a week-long, and most of all to show each other radical love throughout.

That first night, we partied HARD, and then at some point, the music stopped.

We partied hard again the next day, and the stage went quiet for a few hours while the volunteers worked their magic and cleaned up the area.

This conscious switching off of the music and certain stages created an opportunity for us to catch our breath and slowly take it all in.

By the last day, everyone at the festival was on the same vibe, totally in sync.

Every single person was ready to kick it into 6th gear and leave it all on the dance floor.

Expect and Welcome the Overwhelm

Before we get to the climax of the 7th day, it might get emotionally bumpy.

The searing heat, the dust, the walking (omg, so much walking), the public showers, the sights, the sounds, and all the available activities.

Not to mention the humans. Omg. So. Many. Humans!

A LOT is going on and overwhelm is NORMAL, expect it, plan for it even.

There were 14 of us in the group and eventually, one by one, each of us took a day to acclimatize.

What can acclimatizing look like?

During the week, some of us felt tearful, some of us had a wee tantrum, and some of us went on long solo walks (omg, more walking). 

Many of us became convinced that we officially hated psytrance now more than ever.

Large festivals like this can induce anxiety, sensory overload, and stress. This is why it’s so important to explore the grounds and take advantage of everything available on site.

Attending a workshop, enjoying a refreshing swim, and simply meeting incredible people help us to calibrate and relax into the experience.

Opening to the enormity of the environment is the name of the game when attending Boom.

This is when the festival starts to take on a whole new feel to it.

Remember, we come in hot from the ‘normal’ world and we don’t always realize how tightly wound up we are. 

Just like a deep tissue massage, this week-long festival will eventually find your internal sore spot and potentially irritate you, until you find a way to soften.

Once that energetic knot is untangled, Boom Festival becomes a Garden of Eden like none other.

We danced our feet off and even grew wings on the dancefloor.

So many new faces, sensations, and experiences. 

The days were long, our skin was sunkissed, and our hearts were full.

YOUR Crew IS Everything

When at a week-long festival like this, social etiquette takes on a whole new level.

It’s really important to consider that the energy we put in is directly the energy we get back.

Being genuinely interested in everyone you meet is the glue that binds. 

Being welcoming, inclusive, and generous are also habits and behaviors that not only pay dividends but ensure that everyone feels comfortable and at ease.

Who wants to be uptight at a music festival anyway, right?

The points I raise above may feel like no-brainers to some, but sometimes, in the fast-paced Western world, we forget to be inclusive, welcoming, or generous.

A nice touch is to have a gift for the people you will spend the festival with. 

It needn’t cost any money or take up a lot of space. 

A simple handwritten note for each is more than plenty and is likely to be very appreciated.

Just a little goes a long way.

Music festivals like Boom are places where we can genuinely be kind to each other. 

It is not a place to compete, to threaten, or even to feel threatened.

It’s a place to be who you are without any roles, and with minimal contact with the outside world. 

A truly rare opportunity to live with a sincerely open heart.

Give yourself this gift. It fills the soul’s cup like nothing else.

Know Your Chemistry

If you do decide to partake in some ‘party candy’ during the music festival, please consider these guidelines:

– Avoid candy from strangers

Accepting candy from others at the festival, especially in the heat of the moment on the dance floor could potentially backfire.

The party candy that works for some, may NOT work for you. 

Not knowing what you are taking can create a situation when you are feeling unwell and that changes your entire festival experience.

– Dosage is everything!

I repeat, dosage is everything!! 

You can always take more but when you take too much, it’s hard to unwind the clock.

Don’t overdo it. Don’t get legless. Don’t make yourself ill.

Know your limit and dance it out right there!

– Pace yourself

Know how to manage your energy throughout the week so you can enjoy the last day and then also travel back home. 

Know your limit and manage your doses so that you don’t become legless and someone has to take care of you. 

– Stay hydrated

Again, sounds like very basic advice, yet very important and worth repeating.

A great recipe for a homemade electrolyte drink is honey, salt, and lemon juice. 

Combining these three ingredients in still or sparkling water will be a delicious lifesaver throughout the festival.

Ideally, these three ingredients are sourced locally for maximum immune support.

Bonus Tips

– Lost and Found is AMAZING!

We were thrilled to have recovered a phone, necklace, and blankets from the Lost and Found department.

However, the stats on retrieving dusty flip-flops, are less than ideal. 

You may lose your sandals, just saying.

– Food Is Delicious! 

Each vendor displays a sign that explains the carbon footprint required to serve your meal of choice. 

Lemonade is made with actual real lemons, and it’s the same thing as watermelon juice. 

Chai tea is prepared in the traditional Indian way with high-quality ingredients; you can taste the difference. 

We enjoyed wine, olives, and charcuterie at the Wine bar. Yes, olives! 

Not to mention the Argentinian food, Japanese food, Vegan food, etc., all of which were excellent.

– Friendly Humans Everywhere!

Security on site is helpful and kind. 

Vendors are jamming to the tunes while lovingly preparing your meal. 

Fellow festival-goers are genuinely open-hearted and friendly. 

Even, the Bracelet Top-Up team was an absolute delight.

Set Yourself FREE

Prepare yourself mentally and logistically to unwind, surrender, and open. 

This is the time to be your most natural self, free from roles, responsibilities, worries, or demands of life. 

Such moments are a gift. 

These times replenish our hearts and souls. 

Allow yourself to receive.

PEAK Experience Feels Like

The closing of the main stage is THE peak experience everyone has been building up to.

The main stage would be open for another 6 hours only and Astrix was one of the DJs closing us off

These moments of being surrounded by loved ones and apparent strangers, all of us wrapped up in vibrations from the speakers and, you guessed it, so much radical love.

Everyone is feeling freer than they ever have. 

The crowd, the mood, and the energy are in cardiac sync with the music and the vibe.

These last hours on the last day are a near-spiritual experience. Total catharsis.

It is true when they say psytrance is not music; I still believe that wholeheartedly. 

However, I’ve recently learned that psytrance may not be music but it’s definitely an experience.

These precious few hours of surrender after a week of dancing, laughing, connecting, bonding, and learning are a bucket list of experiences you want to give yourself.

Shedding all the demons and leaving them on the dance floor is simple medicine for the soul.

Wanna travel through time and see for yourself what that moment was like? Watch this short video from the closing set.

Decompression Begins

By the 7th day, we’d started to feel disconnected from ‘reality’ long enough to feel ready to face it again.

Once the final set on the main stage ends and the music switches off, we begin our most epic walk of shame back to the tents and caravans. 

The festival is officially closed. 

This is the moment when the integration process begins. 

The process must be slow and gentle. Don’t rush off immediately.

Allow yourself the opportunity to take a moment and start consolidating everything you’ve been through over the past week. 

As a crew, we allowed ourselves to pack up slowly and take it easy. 

Flying anywhere immediately after the festival is not something I’d recommend. It’s not likely to have the energy for such an endeavor anyway.

A few days in Lisbon in a nice hotel;  a massage and a good night’s sleep, will feel like nothing short of a rebirth.

I know it might sound dramatic, but take my word for it. These post-festival decompression days are everything.

The city is full of, sigh, more people. 

Be sure to plan ahead and book your hotel room well in advance; otherwise, you might find yourself tired, dusty, and stuck without a place to stay.

Immune Support Kit

During the first few days after the festival, it’s essential to support your immune system with potent supplements (see my list below). 

After all that dancing, the dust, limited plumbing, and lack of sleep, your immune system will want some added support.

Traveling home at the end of a week-long festival may push your immunity over the edge.

The list of supplements below got me through the entire festival without getting sick.

I’ve been tired, but mercifully did not come down with the flu, or a fever or anything at all.

This is what’s in my Immune Support Kit:

• Colloidal Silver (anti-viral)
• Echinacea (immunity booster)
• Anti-bacterial Cream (iodine)
• Aloe Vera Skin Cream (aftersun)
• Ashwagandha / Rhodiola (energy & sleep)
• Local Organic Salt and honey (electrolytes)
• Activated Charcoal (immunity, anti-viral, digestive support)
• Mushroom Essential Complex (immunity, energy, digestive support)
• Homemade High-quality Golden Tea (turmeric, pepper, cinnamon, ginger)

Oh, I have another important post-flight ritual, I take long hot baths as soon as I’ve landed at my destination.

Taking a post-flight bath is not just about luxuriating.

Adding Epsom salts to your bath water will replenish our magnesium supply—a total win!

The plumbing in the bathtub helps to ground us from all the electromagnetic frequencies our bodies have absorbed during the flight—a double win!

The hot water will help us settle into a deeply restorative state and hydrate us back from the dusty Boom landscape—a triple win!

After a soak in the tub, and a good night’s sleep, here’s what else you can do to reintegrate back into reality.

Call and thank those you spent time with at the festival, and remind them of their value in your life and the moments you shared during the week❣️

Reminding our loved ones of their value in our lives is part of my personal gratitude practice and worth taking the time to do.

Journal your experience

Journaling your experience will help you remember these moments forever.

Journaling is also an opportunity to learn something about ourselves from being in that environment.

No matter what you journal about, it’s likely to be valuable and cherished.

If, for any reason, you did not attend one of the many incredible Boom workshops, fear not; you can still find out more about them.

Go back to the schedule in their app, see who hosted the workshops, and then connect with them online—no sweat.

Be sure to join the social media groups for Boom to catch all the drone footage and connect with people you’ve met on the dance floor.

Listen to our very own psytrance playlist, meticulously curated monthly by our co-founder, Nils.

Please enjoy; nothing would make him happier!

Currently, we are all still digesting our collective catharsis and implementing all that we have learned into our ‘real’ lives.

I can say that during that week, we did not build our team; we reinforced it.

Something feels different—good different.

To me, it feels that we are all still in sync despite being a global team spread across Europe and Africa.

It’s All Thanks To…

I will wrap up this very long Surviving and Thriving article by thanking the three Microdose Pro founders who made this possible.

I won’t write too much because it’s gonna make me tear up, again!

Being with Microdose Pro for nearly three years, I can say, with a hand on my heart, that I have never met humans such as these.

The kindest, most welcoming, loving, generous, considerate, pragmatic, and efficient people I have ever come to meet.

Nils, Gino, and Kai, your contribution to this industry and our personal lives is unspeakable and immeasurable.

Even though I write content, I have no words, just overflowing gratitude.

You are and always have been my unicorn people 🦄.

At this point, two weeks after the end of the 2023 Boom Music Festival, there isn’t much to do but start planning and saving for the next one.

We’ll be the group of crazies, front and center on the main stage with the MP caps on.

See y’all in 2025!

Asha ✨