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When We Were Young FestivaL?

What You Need to Know: WWWY Fest 2025 Guide, Tips, Tricks, and More

When We Were Young is back for 2025, and if this is your first time, you’re in for a treat! More than just a music festival WWWYF is a cultural phenomenon for the emo and pop-punk community. Since it began, it has been a sort of Mecca for fans of the scene as all the major bands we grew up with will be playing. This year Panic! at the Disco is back and performing in the USA for the first time since 2022.

In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about preparing for the event, tips for navigating WWWYF and advice for making the most of your experience in Las Vegas, NV. So, whether you discovered this through my r/WhenWeWereYoungFest SubReddit or a Google search, this guide will ensure you’re ready to rock.

Quick note of transparency: there are product & travel links here—purchasing helps me out, but this guide will help you regardless, I promise. Oh visit my Instagram page too!

In This Post, I Will Cover:

  • Preparing for the event & what to bring

  • Lineup, set times, and band planning

  • Day-of tips

  • Moshing, crowd surfing, and concert etiquette

  • Out-of-towners: Travel tips for Las Vegas, NV

Let’s get started!

Preparing for the Event

Know the Basics

This year, WWWY Fest is a single-day summer/fall festival, held outdoors outdoors on a blacktop and astro-turf surface. There will be several stages and bands rotate in and out of them. Don’t show up unprepared!

Ear protection

Only going to say this once. GET EAR PROTECTION. Doesn't matter if it's your first concert or your hundredth concert. These high Fidelity ear plugs will still allow you to talk to people nearby and hear the band sing and hit all the good notes.

Get Moving

Start walking now and break in comfy shoes like Hokas Men or Hoyas Women or grab some high-quality insole inserts. You’ll likely walk ~5-miles (8km) or more, at the fest grounds, without much sitting.

Track your steps with a fitness watch like the Apple Watch—AND ALSO it’ll be a lifesaver later when you loose you phone while the pit (more on that later).

Hydration, Cooling, and Sun Protection

Communication

Cell service at crowded events is notoriously spotty, and your phone will drain its battery quickly looking for better connections. It drains faster if you’re snapping photos and recording videos all day.

A portable charger is essential to not miss getting pics the end of the day bands and also navigating back to your home/hotel.

I recommend this one with MagSafe compatibility that can wirelessly charge your iPhone twice over and even power your Apple Watch. Keep it in your festival approved fanny pack.

For the 21+ Crowd

If you’re enjoying a few beers, drink as much water as alcohol to avoid dehydration. For the inevitable hangover, pack electrolyte packets to recover quickly.

The WWWYF Line Up Set Times and Rankings Your must see bands

The Lineup

This year we again have a stacked lineup with blink headlining. Follow my Instagram to be sure you are up to date on any chnages.

Set Times

Set times won’t be released until a few days before the event.

Plan Your Must-Sees

Rank the bands you want to see ahead of time because you won’t catch them all. Personally, I prioritize bands that don’t tour often or that I’ve never seen live.

ProTip: Set your schedule as your phone background.

Study the Venue Map

Closer to the event date, a venue map will be released. Familiarize yourself with the stage layout to minimize time lost navigating.

Day-of Tips

  1. Security & Packing Smart: Whatever you bring in your festival-approved backpack, be okay with leaving it behind. If security flags it (e.g., unlabeled prescriptions or prohibited items like selfie sticks) you will need to surrender/trash it or will have to take it back home before entering the event.

  2. Plan Early: Once inside, take a photo of the set-time wall and start mapping out your day. It’s easier to move between stages early in the day than during headliner sets. So give your self more time to move between stages for the big bands.

  3. Secure a Spot: If there’s a band you must see up close, claim your spot at that stage early. Be prepared to park yourself there for a while.

  4. Stay Aware With large crowds and constant movement, stay mindful of your surroundings and your belongings. What do you need to keep your head on a swivel for? I cover that next

Etiquette: Moshing and Crowd Surfing

Moshing and crowd surfing are unavoidable parts of the When We Were Young Fest experience. If you’re participating or want to know how to steer clear of it, check out my guides on:

Pro Tip: If you drop your iPhone while moshing or surfing, use your Apple Watch’s “Find My Phone” feature to recover it quickly. It’s saved me more than once!

Out-of-Towners: Travel Tips For Las Vegas

For the specific travel tips of Vegas, I’ll discuss it after the following Flight & Lodging sections.

Flight

If you haven’t booked your flight yet, do it ASAP.

Pro Tip: Bring noise-canceling headphones like this Air Pod Pro’s to make travel more bearable. They can be shared wirelessly with battery I recommend earlier.

Lodging

Avoid booking short-term rental homes or apartments until much closer to the event. Owners often cancel last minute if they can get a better deal.

Hotels or official partner accommodations are your safest bet.

You can use the two widgets if you need to check pricing.

Las VEgas, Navada, USA

  • Airports: Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)

    • This is the airport to use unless you planning on chartering your own plane. If so, check out Henderson Executive Airport (HND)

    • Pro Tip: If seeing the US is on your list, or you just don’t want to spend too much time in Vegas don’t. Las Angeles, California is about a 4.5 hour drive away. You could always fly into LAX, spend time in LA, visit Disney World, see Hollywood, then dive out to Vegas for the event.

  • Venue Access:  The venue is located at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds right next to Circus Circus Hotel and Casino.

  • Were to stay?

    • If you don’t want to have to think too hard about transportation on the event day, stay on the main Las Vegas strip. You will either be able to walk, take rideshare, or public transport

    • Further if you want to have the Vegas experience, the main strip is your go too with Fremont Street as your backup. Fremont Street

      is the old Vegas strip and you may see cheeper prices.

    • That said, as long as you have access to transport, you could stay anywhere in the city.

  • Parking. There is none at the event location.

    • Walking. It is possible to walk the entire strip, so If your hotel is close enough you can walk. Just keep in mind that you will have been standing all day for your return home.

    • Consider parking at nearby hotels and walking, but be forewarned Circus Circus may fill up fast.

    • Take public transport. There is a bus system, but consider the Las Vegas Monorail as well. The festival is near the northern most end at the Sahara Las Vegas Monorail Station stop.

  • Rideshare: Services like Lyft and Uber are good alternatives to driving yourself; schedule your pickup in advance to avoid delays. You may see traffic gets very heavy near the venue, so if it becomes bumper to bumper, consider just walking at that point.

Final Thoughts

WWWYF is more than just a festival—it’s a rite of passage for anyone in the emo and pop-punk scene. Whether you’re there for the music, the nostalgia, or the community, make it a weekend to remember.

Want to rep the scene? Check out my “Emo Never Died,” “Concert Beat,” and “Pop Punk Beat” collections. From shirts to fanny packs, we’ve got the gear to keep you prepared and stylish.