The electronic circus is rolling into Chester, Pennsylvania, and by 4 p.m. Friday, the Festival Grounds at Subaru Park will become immersed in bass, lasers, cold beverages and thousands of people dressed as though fabric itself has become an intolerable burden.
Breakaway Philadelphia takes over the grounds September 11–12, with two eight-hour nights of calculated sensory overload featuring Tiësto, Marshmello, SOFI TUKKER, ISOxo, Deathpact, KLO, Malaa, Whethan, Layton Giordani and enough additional electronic firepower to permanently rearrange your internal clock.
Before charging through the gates like a neon buffalo, here is everything you need to know.
When and Where
Breakaway runs from 4 p.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday at Subaru Park Plaza. The box office opens at 3 p.m. and closes at 11 p.m. both days.
The festival is 18+, although the Space Deck Terrace and certain other ticket options require you to be 21. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID unless you enjoy explaining your birth year to exhausted security guards.
The Transportation Situation
Advance parking is available, but buy it before entering the vehicular wasteland surrounding the stadium. Arriving without a plan is how you end up circling Chester at 5:45 p.m., screaming at Google Maps while your friends send videos from inside.
Rideshare pickup and drop-off is located in Lot G at Subaru Park. Expect surge pricing after midnight, when several thousand people simultaneously discover that none of them arranged a ride home.
If you are driving, choose a designated driver. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has little sympathy for psychedelic excuses.
The Bag Regime
Bags must be 14 x 6 x 14 inches or smaller. Backpacks and oversized bags are prohibited.
Empty hydration packs are allowed if they have no more than two pockets and fit within the size limit. You may also bring one empty, transparent plastic water bottle of up to one liter.
Fill it when you get inside. Hydration is the thin blue line separating a transcendent festival experience from sitting on the ground beside a trash can while your friends ask whether you can hear them.
What You Can Bring
The authorities will permit:
- Point-and-shoot cameras without detachable lenses
- Empty hydration packs
- One empty transparent plastic water bottle
- Non-aerosol sunscreen and bug spray
- Travel-size deodorant, sanitizer and wet wipes
- Ponchos
- Small misting fans
- Earplugs
- Blankets, towels, yoga mats and moon mats
- LED hoops, whips, poi, gloves and other approved flow equipment
- Prescription medication in its original pharmacy bottle with identification matching the label
Bring earplugs. This is not cowardice. It is an investment in being able to hear conversations when you are 45.
What Must Stay Home
Do not bring large bags, professional cameras, GoPros, tripods, detachable lenses, chairs, umbrellas, tents, selfie sticks, glass, outside food or beverages, totems, drones, weapons, fireworks, airhorns, or anything security could reasonably classify as a projectile.
Marijuana—including medical marijuana—is prohibited.
There is also no same-day re-entry. Once you leave, you are finished. The gate will not be moved by your story about the phone charger sitting in your car.
Money, Food and Other Instruments of Control
Breakaway is essentially cashless, although some merchandise and non-food vendors may accept cash.
Food vendors and bars will operate throughout the festival, with beer and liquor available to attendees 21 and older. Prices will almost certainly remind you that capitalism remains alive and well, so eat before entering and prepare your bank account for combat.
Lockers are available, but they must be reserved separately for each day. If you habitually lose your sunglasses, charger, wallet, and moral compass before sundown, this may be a wise investment.
Weather Report
Friday is expected to reach roughly 83 degrees, with early sprinkles giving way to clearer conditions. Saturday should hit a similar high, with a chance of a late-afternoon shower.
The festival is rain or shine, and umbrellas are prohibited, so bring a poncho. Wear comfortable shoes capable of surviving grass, dirt, spilled drinks, and eight hours of frantic lateral movement.
Severe weather can temporarily postpone the event, with updates announced through the main-stage sound system. Pay attention if the music stops and an official voice begins issuing instructions. That is not an experimental intro.
Build a Plan—Then Abandon It Responsibly
Save the set times and festival map to your phone before arriving. Cell service has a habit of collapsing at festivals precisely when you need it most.
Choose a meeting point with your group that is more specific than “near the stage.” Decide which artists are non-negotiable, but leave room to wander. Some of the best sets happen when you stumble toward unfamiliar bass because the lights looked strange from 200 yards away.
The Final Warning
Breakaway Philadelphia is designed to overwhelm the senses. Pace yourself. Drink water. Eat something. Wear ear protection. Watch your friends and know where the nearest medical tent is.
End Overdose will be on site providing naloxone and overdose-response education. Use the resource. There is nothing uncool about being prepared to keep somebody alive.
Then, once the logistical machinery is handled, surrender to the spectacle.
The electronic circus is rolling into Chester, Pennsylvania, and by 4 p.m. Friday, the Festival Grounds at Subaru Park will become immersed in bass, lasers, cold beverages and thousands of people dressed as though fabric itself has become an intolerable burden.
Breakaway Philadelphia takes over the grounds September 11–12, with two eight-hour nights of calculated sensory overload featuring Tiësto, Marshmello, SOFI TUKKER, ISOxo, Deathpact, KLO, Malaa, Whethan, Layton Giordani and enough additional electronic firepower to permanently rearrange your internal clock.
Before charging through the gates like a neon buffalo, here is everything you need to know.
When and Where
Breakaway runs from 4 p.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday at Subaru Park Plaza. The box office opens at 3 p.m. and closes at 11 p.m. both days.
The festival is 18+, although the Space Deck Terrace and certain other ticket options require you to be 21. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID unless you enjoy explaining your birth year to exhausted security guards.
The Transportation Situation
Advance parking is available, but buy it before entering the vehicular wasteland surrounding the stadium. Arriving without a plan is how you end up circling Chester at 5:45 p.m., screaming at Google Maps while your friends send videos from inside.
Rideshare pickup and drop-off is located in Lot G at Subaru Park. Expect surge pricing after midnight, when several thousand people simultaneously discover that none of them arranged a ride home.
If you are driving, choose a designated driver. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has little sympathy for psychedelic excuses.
The Bag Regime
Bags must be 14 x 6 x 14 inches or smaller. Backpacks and oversized bags are prohibited.
Empty hydration packs are allowed if they have no more than two pockets and fit within the size limit. You may also bring one empty, transparent plastic water bottle of up to one liter.
Fill it when you get inside. Hydration is the thin blue line separating a transcendent festival experience from sitting on the ground beside a trash can while your friends ask whether you can hear them.
What You Can Bring
The authorities will permit:
Bring earplugs. This is not cowardice. It is an investment in being able to hear conversations when you are 45.
What Must Stay Home
Do not bring large bags, professional cameras, GoPros, tripods, detachable lenses, chairs, umbrellas, tents, selfie sticks, glass, outside food or beverages, totems, drones, weapons, fireworks, airhorns, or anything security could reasonably classify as a projectile.
Marijuana—including medical marijuana—is prohibited.
There is also no same-day re-entry. Once you leave, you are finished. The gate will not be moved by your story about the phone charger sitting in your car.
Money, Food and Other Instruments of Control
Breakaway is essentially cashless, although some merchandise and non-food vendors may accept cash.
Food vendors and bars will operate throughout the festival, with beer and liquor available to attendees 21 and older. Prices will almost certainly remind you that capitalism remains alive and well, so eat before entering and prepare your bank account for combat.
Lockers are available, but they must be reserved separately for each day. If you habitually lose your sunglasses, charger, wallet, and moral compass before sundown, this may be a wise investment.
Weather Report
Friday is expected to reach roughly 83 degrees, with early sprinkles giving way to clearer conditions. Saturday should hit a similar high, with a chance of a late-afternoon shower.
The festival is rain or shine, and umbrellas are prohibited, so bring a poncho. Wear comfortable shoes capable of surviving grass, dirt, spilled drinks, and eight hours of frantic lateral movement.
Severe weather can temporarily postpone the event, with updates announced through the main-stage sound system. Pay attention if the music stops and an official voice begins issuing instructions. That is not an experimental intro.
Build a Plan—Then Abandon It Responsibly
Save the set times and festival map to your phone before arriving. Cell service has a habit of collapsing at festivals precisely when you need it most.
Choose a meeting point with your group that is more specific than “near the stage.” Decide which artists are non-negotiable, but leave room to wander. Some of the best sets happen when you stumble toward unfamiliar bass because the lights looked strange from 200 yards away.
The Final Warning
Breakaway Philadelphia is designed to overwhelm the senses. Pace yourself. Drink water. Eat something. Wear ear protection. Watch your friends and know where the nearest medical tent is.
End Overdose will be on site providing naloxone and overdose-response education. Use the resource. There is nothing uncool about being prepared to keep somebody alive.
Then, once the logistical machinery is handled, surrender to the spectacle.
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