The first festival of its kind to take place smack dab in the middle of the city, the Boston Calling Music Festival takes place this Saturday, May 25th and Sunday, May 26th, transforming the barren bricks of City Hall Plaza into a two-day, two-stage music haven. With 18 artists performing for a total of 20 hours, this weekend’s inaugural Boston Calling is guaranteed to be a whirlwind trip, and as a guest, you don’t want to get caught up in the frenzy. The festival is sold out, but if you managed to get tickets, here’s what you need to know to get the most out of Boston Calling this weekend.

Lineup

Each day, the gates will open at 12 pm, and the first performance will begin at 1:30 pm. Unlike other music festivals, the set times for each band do not overlap; technically, you could catch every artist. Keep in mind, though, that the sets alternate back and forth between the two stages that will be set up across the plaza, and they will happen back to back, so plan accordingly. The headlining sets (fun. on Saturday and The National on Sunday) will start at 9 pm, and music will end by 10:30 pm.

Food & Drinks

Trekking back and forth across the bricks is sure to make you hungry, and Boston Calling has some options. There will be a corral of food trucks gathered on festival grounds, including Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, Mei Mei Street Kitchen, Kickass Cupcakes, and more, plus a Grillo’s Pickles Stand, because who wouldn’t want to pair live music with oversized pickles? If food truck fare, or pickles, doesn’t appeal, your wristband grants you reentry throughout the day, and guests are allowed to bring outside food into the festival. Only a factory-sealed water bottle will be allowed at entry, so if you’re thirsty, you can head over to the Beer Garden with a valid ID and a desire for day drinking, where reps from Harpoon, Woodchuck, Beer Summit Boston, and Wicked Wines will be on hand throughout the weekend.

Getting There

As for getting there, the festival recommends taking public transportation if possible- the Green, Orange, Red, and Blue lines all have stops within walking distance of the plaza. If you bravely choose to drive, you can purchase a discounted pass for the Government Center Garage (50 New Sudbury Street) at $15 a day.

What to Bring

The event is rain or shine- and my iPhone’s weather app isn’t showing an all-too-promising forecast for this Saturday and Sunday. This is Boston’s first chance to rival the likes of Coachella and Governors Ball when it comes to festival chic, but comfy shoes, layers, and ponchos (no judgments) always come in handy. The festival will allow a small backpack or bag, but be sure to leave your blankets at home, along with strollers and beverages (other than that sealed water).

What to Do While You Wait

As Boston Calling crawls closer, get in the spirit with this Spotify playlist, featuring two tracks from each artist appearing at the festival. It’s going to be fun! (Get it?)