Most festival gear is built for heat. Winter and New Year's shows flip that. You stand still outside for hours after dark, and the cold wins if you dressed for the club. This guide covers how we layer for cold outdoor shows and the official rules we checked for two of them: Countdown NYE in San Bernardino and WinterWonderGrass in Steamboat Springs. We read both festivals' own pages on October 19, 2026. Rules change, so if this page and theirs ever disagree, go with theirs.
Not affiliated with Insomniac, Countdown NYE, Bonfire Entertainment or WinterWonderGrass.
The short version
- Dress like you're going skiing, not clubbing. WinterWonderGrass's own pack list says exactly that.
- Layer: a base layer that isn't cotton, a warm mid layer, and a shell that blocks wind. A heated vest or jacket can replace the bulky middle.
- Hands, feet and head lose heat first. Gloves with touchscreen tips, wool socks with a spare pair, a beanie, and warmers in your pockets.
- Check the bag rules before you pack. Countdown and WinterWonderGrass are very different. Details below.
- Charge everything the night before: phone, power bank, heated-layer battery, rechargeable warmers.
How we layer for a cold night outside
Base layer: no cotton
Cotton holds sweat, and once you stop dancing it turns cold against your skin. Merino wool is the classic ski base layer for a reason. Start with a merino base layer top and merino wool socks. Pack a second pair of socks in your bag. WinterWonderGrass suggests wearing two and bringing a change.
Middle: where heated gear earns its keep
A heated vest keeps your core warm without hiding your outfit. We like the ORORO men's 4-zone heated vest and the women's version. If you'd rather have one piece that does everything, ORORO's heated softshell jackets (men's, women's) come with a hood and a rechargeable battery, per their listings. Check the battery runtime on the listing against how long your night is, and charge it fully before you leave.
Outside: block the wind
Wind makes a cold night feel a lot colder. A shell with a hood matters more than one more sweater. If rain or snow is in the forecast, our Rain & Mud picks have waterproof jackets, pants and boots.
Hands, feet and head
- Thinsulate gloves with touchscreen tips, so you can find your friends without going bare-handed.
- A fleece-lined beanie and a fleece neck gaiter you can pull up when the wind picks up.
- Rechargeable hand warmers if you do a few cold shows a season, plus HotHands and toe warmers as backup. Disposables weigh almost nothing.
Everything above is in our Cold Weather collection.
Countdown NYE (San Bernardino): rules we checked
Countdown's homepage lists December 31 and January 1 at the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, with festival hours of 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Source: the official Hours & Info and Parking pages, read October 19, 2026. The Hours & Info page still showed the previous year's dates when we checked, so confirm the dates on the homepage.
- Bags: clear bags up to 12" × 6" × 12", small clutches up to 6" × 9", and hydration packs with no more than two main compartments and one small one, empty on entry.
- Not allowed: tents, large umbrellas, chairs or blankets, aerosols, outside food and drink, glass and coolers, among others. Read the full list before you pack.
- No re-entry and no camping. You can't run back to the car for a warmer layer, so wear it in.
- Heated gear: the prohibited list we read doesn't mention heated clothing or hand warmers, but security has the final say. Keep a heated layer's battery in its pocket, not loose in your bag.
- RVs: Countdown's parking page says RVs, camper vans, sprinter vans and box trucks aren't allowed in any Insomniac lot, and sleeping in your vehicle is prohibited. This one is not an RV weekend.
WinterWonderGrass Steamboat: rules we checked
WinterWonderGrass Steamboat 2027 is March 5–7 at Steamboat Resort, per the festival's Steamboat page. Its FAQ (read October 19, 2026) says the main stage is outside, with heated beer halls and side tents, and asks you to dress warm and in layers.
- Allowed: bags under 20" × 20" × 10", a small backpack, an empty reusable bottle or hydration pack, blankets 6' × 8' or smaller, and chairs under 34" high (behind the mixing board).
- Not allowed: framed or large backpacks, coolers, glass, glitter, glow sticks, tents, tarps, shade structures, outside alcohol, and skis or snowboards inside the venue.
- Their pack list: base layers (no cotton), wool or Gore-Tex gloves and hats, high-top waterproof boots, wool socks plus a spare pair, a waterproof coat and pants, sunscreen.
- RVs: the FAQ doesn't list on-site camping. Plan on lodging in town and the free public buses, which the festival asks people to use.
Other cold shows
Igloofest in Montreal is the extreme version: outdoor dance parties in Old Montreal from January 14 to February 6, 2027, per its official site. The same layering works there, only more of it.
Looking for SnowGlobe in South Lake Tahoe? When we checked on October 19, 2026, its official site wasn't loading and we couldn't find any announced dates. We'll add it here if it comes back.
Before you go
- Charge your heated layer, warmers, phone and power bank the night before. Cold drains batteries faster.
- Bring the right ID. Countdown's list rejects digital IDs, school IDs and photocopies.
- Keep your phone on you. Cold fingers drop phones, and crowds pick pockets. Our phone security picks help with both.
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Shop the kit: our Cold Night Fest Kit pulls this list into one page, with an Upgrade tier too. See all Festival Kits.
Related guides: our winter and indoor festival packing list and fall festival camping packing list.