The Ultimate Survival Guide for Life In Color Miami’s Move into the Wynwood Art District

The tickets are nearly sold out, artists are flying in any day now, and festival-goers are packing their bags for Miami for the 10th anniversary edition of Life In Color. Stages and paint cannons are being set for this year’s celebration in the party capital of Miami, but instead of being in your traditional stadium setting, this time around the urban landscape of Miami’s Wynwood Art District will be hosting the madness that will ensue Saturday, January 28th.

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The graffiti-coated district will now be hosting a total of 18,000 paint-splattered music lovers right in the middle of this thriving neighborhood with venues that are no stranger to events like this one. Mana Wynwood and the RC Cola Plant are hosts to large events like III Points Music Festival, Art Basel, and Miami Music Week, and Life In Color will be the first to combine both venues into a megacomplex for music in the middle of a neighborhood filled with restaurants, galleries, and places to continue the celebration.

A video showing what the venue which hosts events like Miami Music Week and Wynwood Fear Factory looks like during the day. Video courtesy of Youtube/Jaybells.

This festival will be a bit different, and, given its change of environment, some things have to be said to make sure you have a great event this time around. Now that the festival has taken to the streets of a neighborhood that was built for music and paint alike, it gives attendees room to explore before the festival and the ability to continue after it’s over. Regardless of your plans, a couple of reminders should be put in place to solidify the success of your time this weekend at Life In Color. 

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The map of the festival clearly shows how it sprawls into the streets of Wynwood and will require a couple minutes of transition time between stages, so it is imperative that you be comfortable for this one. No sympathy for those who decide to wear uncomfortable shoes and ask to get picked up by their friend. Comfort will be the ultimate decider of what to bring, considering it will be a festival with large pyrotechnics, paint on every square inch, and venues spanning the main center of the Wynwood neighborhood. It must also be mentioned that there is no sympathy if you intended to go to Life In Color but plan to avoid getting covered in paint; if that’s the case, best of luck. Get ready to be the canvas of dozens of neon slime-inspired colors, and embrace this by leaving any extravagant clothing at home; keep it simple, even with a plain white T-shirt to keep for memories of how soaked you got that day.

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Speaking of paint, they will provide their own latex-free, light-on-the-skin paint, which makes everyone happy they committed themselves to that. A couple of other things to ensure that you and paint don’t have a bad relationship after this Saturday. Consider bringing sunglasses or a bandana to protect your face and hair from any potential annoyances on the day after. It will also be important to mention that re-entry will not be allowed, so please bring all your goodies with you, and don’t leave anything in the car. A bag within the specs of a non-multipocket 24” X 12″ bag will be allowed, such as fanny packs, cinch packs (drawstring bags), and camelbacks/hydration packs (which must be emptied upon entrance.)

Inside those bags, consider a couple of things for success. Even one bag per group of friends will ensure a great time. If your group is from out of town and staying at a hotel, it would be best you bring a portable phone charger so you will be able to call your rideshare and be on your way and not stranded at Wynwood. However, don’t dare to jump in that Uber or Lyft covered in paint; do bring a couple towels to wipe down or put over the seats. Maybe consider bringing a spray bottle to wash yourself down. If you do plan to drive there, a clip or place to secure your keys would be best. Then, you can keep any unnecessary items inside your car and can ensure that once you leave the grounds your keys aren’t left somewhere on the floor.

Pro-Tip: The city of Miami only has parking suitable for those that plan to get there early. It is highly recommended to get a ride share into the venue and start from there to appreciate all the neighborhood has to offer and avoid having to park a mile away.

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If you plan to start your day by exploring the Wynwood neighborhood, don’t be ‘that guy’ trying to bring spray paint into the fairgrounds “because it’s in Wynwood.” For the safety of others, you can buy your own bottle of paint at the festival grounds. Items like that will be confiscated for the safety of others, so consider leaving items like this back at the car or hotel. The paint, harmful or not, will require some work to get off certain materials, so be delicate in picking out your outfit, and ditch anything like canvas shoes, because they will ruin easily. The things being pushed as “don’t bring” are meant for your best interest, like not ruining a beloved item, such as that fancy camera you just got on the holidays. As much as you might want to bring something like this, you will be worse off if it gets damaged. Remember that dozens of photographers and videographers will be there capturing every moment, so keep photos to a minimum except for the Snapchat-worthy moments and selfies with new friends. If you do plan to snap photos on your phone, consider a zip-lock bag which still lets you use the touch screen and protects it from getting ruined by water or paint.

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To those just about ready to make their way to Wynwood for this year’s Miami edition of Life In Color, be ready for a move that will make for a festival like no other. No longer being stuck inside a stadium all day and now being in a neighborhood with streets that hundreds of artists have called their canvas, be ready to be a canvas of your own. 

Pro-Tip: If you are itching to bring something specific like a Chinese lantern or drone, the official list of items that will not be allowed by the festival can be found here.

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Life In Color will be taking place at Mana Wynwood & RC Cola Plant on January 28th in Miami, FL. Tickets for Life in Color are still available through their official site.

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