What to Wear to a Concert in Summer or Outdoors

Quick answer: Wear a breathable top, shorts or light pants, and closed-toe shoes you don't mind getting dirty. Tie a sweatshirt or light jacket around your waist, and bring sunscreen, sunglasses and a poncho. At mountain and desert venues, the show can end 20 to 30 degrees colder than it started, and even humid lawns feel cold once you're sweaty and sitting still.

What to wear to a summer concert: the short answer

Dress for the start of the show, and carry what you'll need for the end of it.

• A cotton, linen or moisture-wicking top
• Shorts or light pants with deep pockets
• Dark sneakers, trail shoes or broken-in boots
• A flannel, zip hoodie or packable windbreaker
• Sunglasses, a cap and lotion or stick sunscreen
• A folded poncho if rain is possible

Once the outfit is sorted, find outdoor shows near you.

The temperature swing nobody plans for

The biggest mistake at outdoor shows is dressing for the afternoon and forgetting the show ends after dark.

High, dry places swing the most: parts of the West drop 40 to 50 degrees from daytime high to overnight low. At Red Rocks outside Denver, a late summer afternoon near 85 can fall below 55 by 10 p.m.

Humid places swing less (Washington, D.C. averages about 14 degrees a day), but lawns there still feel cold for three reasons:

• Sweat: A damp shirt pulls heat off your body.
• Stillness: You sit on cooling ground between sets.
• Wind: Open lawns have nothing to block it.

The fix is three layers: a fast-drying base, a sweatshirt or thin fleece, and a packable wind shell. In humidity, a synthetic or merino tee beats cotton because it dries faster.

What to wear to an outdoor concert on the lawn

On the lawn, wear clothes you can sit on the ground in and shoes you can stand in for hours.

Darker denim shorts, cargo shorts, joggers or loose linen pants all work, and pale fabrics show grass stains. The grass gets damp after sunset, so bring a small blanket, which most venues allow.

Many amphitheaters now allow rental chairs only, so check your show's page and our lawn venue parking guides before you go.

What to wear to an outdoor concert at night

For a night show, dress for the last hour rather than the first.

That means long pants, closed shoes with socks, and a real warm layer, not a thin long-sleeve tee. If the forecast low is under 60, skip shorts, and for colder months see our guide on what to wear to a winter concert.

What to wear to a concert in the rain

A hooded poncho, not an umbrella, is what keeps you dry at an outdoor show.

Outdoor shows go ahead in the rain. Red Rocks, Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh, Acrisure Amphitheater in Grand Rapids and Jacobs Pavilion in Cleveland ban umbrellas outright. Merriweather Post Pavilion, Jiffy Lube Live and the Gorge allow only small compact ones, while ponchos get through almost every gate.

Pair a poncho long enough to cover your shorts with quick-dry nylon or polyester, waterproof shoes and spare socks in a zip bag. Jeans, cotton hoodies, suede and canvas soak through and stay cold all night.

Lightning is what stops a show: venues pause for strikes within 5 to 15 miles and wait 30 minutes after the last one. If staff call for shelter, go to your car or a building, not under a tree.

Sun, sunscreen and hats

Bring sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, in a form the security gate will accept.

Many venues ban aerosol cans, so bring lotion or a stick sunscreen and reapply after a couple of hours. A cap or packable bucket hat works on the lawn.

A loose, light-colored long-sleeve shirt is the most useful single item: it blocks sun at 4 p.m. and becomes your first warm layer at 9.

Shoes for grass, dirt and mud

Wear closed-toe shoes with grip that you don't mind ruining.

• White canvas sneakers stain from grass, dirt and spilled drinks, sometimes for good.
• Mesh running shoes soak through in wet grass.
• Flip-flops and sandals get stepped on, slip on wet slopes and leave your feet cold after dark.

Dark sneakers, trail runners and broken-in ankle boots handle most lawns, and rain boots handle mud. Wool-blend socks stay warm when damp.

What to wear to a concert at Red Rocks

Dress for Red Rocks like you're going on an evening hike: layers, walking shoes, warm socks and something to sit on.

• Altitude: The venue sits at 6,450 feet, about 1,000 feet higher than Denver.
• Early shade: It faces east into a steep bowl, so the sun drops behind the rocks long before sunset and the cold arrives before dark.
• The climb: From the lower lots you climb hundreds of steps in thin air. Leave sandals and heels at home, and check our Red Rocks parking guide for the lots with the fewest stairs.
• Hard benches: Stadium seats and cushions under 18 inches wide with no legs are allowed, as are blankets up to 40 by 60 inches. Regulars rate a cushion as essential.

Bags must be single-pocket or clear, no larger than 13 by 15 by 8 inches, and must fit under your seat.

Mountain storms arrive fast: hail at one sold-out show sent dozens to first aid. If staff call for shelter, head to your car.

Regulars bring wool socks, a puffer or fleece even in July, and a light rain shell. One first-timer was in a hoodie and puffer before the opener ended and still had freezing toes by the second act. Browse upcoming Denver shows to plan your trip.

What to wear to a concert in Las Vegas

In Las Vegas, dress for desert heat outside and 70-degree air conditioning inside.

Summer highs run around 105 and nights rarely drop below the mid-70s, so the real swing is walking into a casino kept near 70. Wear something breathable and comfortable shoes for the long walks between resorts, and carry a light overshirt or unlined blazer for inside.

Strict dress codes are rare, but upscale resorts and evening shows draw a smarter crowd: dark jeans with a button-down or a simple dress fits anywhere. At Sphere, skip the cap so it doesn't block the overhead visuals. See what's on in our Las Vegas events listings.

What to wear to a festival

Dress for a festival like one long outdoor show, with no trips back to the car.

Festivals run 8 to 12 hours, so sun protection and broken-in shoes matter even more. See our festival listings for lineups and dates.

What you can actually carry, and how bag rules limit your layers

Most venues allow a clear bag of about 12 by 6 by 12 inches or a small clutch, and neither holds a sweatshirt.

So tie your warm layer around your waist, or pick a jacket that packs into its own pocket. Chair and blanket rules vary by venue and even by show, so read your event page before you leave.

What women wear

For women, the formula is a breathable top, bottoms you can sit on the lawn in, and a layer that ties on.

What works: A tank with an open flannel or cropped denim jacket, cutoffs or a sundress with bike shorts underneath, wide-leg linen pants at night, and dark sneakers or ankle boots.

What fails: Short skirts on the lawn, heels on grass and all-white outfits. More ideas in our guide to concert outfits for women.

What men wear

For men, the answer is a tee, shorts with deep pockets, and a layer you can carry without a bag.

What works: A cotton or performance tee, cargo shorts with zip pockets, a flannel or packable windbreaker, dark sneakers and a cap. Below 60 at night, switch to light chinos or joggers. More in our guide to concert outfits for men.

Summer country, rock and hip hop shows

Outdoors, every genre needs layers, real shoes and sun protection.

Country: Cowboy boots work on a dry lawn, but leather soles slip on wet grass, so bring a denim jacket for after dark. See our country concert outfit guide.

Rock: Black denim gets hot in afternoon sun, so wear black shorts until sunset and closed shoes for the pit. See our rock concert outfit guide.

Rap and hip hop: Wear a dark pair of statement sneakers to lawn shows, not your white ones. Full guide: what to wear to a rap concert.

Jazz: Outdoor jazz crowds sit most of the show, so bring a cushion and a real sweater. More in our jazz and blues concert guide.

What people wish they had worn

Most regrets after outdoor shows are about warmth and rain, not style.

• Thicker socks and warmer pants: A Red Rocks first-timer wished for both once their toes went numb.
• A real jacket, not a hoodie: Hollywood Bowl reviewers say it gets cold even in June, and one urged gloves and a blanket.
• A cushion: Bench seats get hard fast, and the Hollywood Bowl's rental cushions sometimes run out.
• A poncho, not an umbrella: Where umbrellas are banned, people walk them back to the car.
• Clothes for a long wait: One lightning delay pushed a stadium show back four hours.