QUESTION: Crowds and mass events: what items are better not to bring along?

Visiting mass events and being in places with large crowds require careful preparation and a thoughtful approach to choosing the items you take with you. In a dense crowd, the risk of losing valuables, pickpocketing, and simple physical discomfort from the weight of the load increases. To ensure that your vacation or participation in a festival is not overshadowed by unpleasant incidents, you should make a list in advance of what is best to completely abandon.

First, it is strongly recommended to leave large amounts of cash at home, originals of important documents such as a passport or birth certificate, as well as all expensive jewelry and excessive equipment. Instead, it is better to take a photocopy of your passport, a small amount of cash for minor expenses, and a bank card with set limits for contactless payments.

Second, bulky items, massive backpacks on your back that you cannot visually control, glass containers, piercing and cutting objects, and cane umbrellas capable of injuring people around you in a crush are extremely vulnerable in a crowd. For such cases, an ideal solution would be a compact waist bag or a zippered chest pocket where all valuables will be right in front of your eyes.

In addition, for successfully overcoming any unforeseen situations during mass events, it is useful to always have 2-3 alternative scenarios for how events might unfold. Plan alternative escape routes from the crowded zone in advance, alternative meeting points with friends in case of lost communication, as well as backup transport options or hotels in case of schedule disruptions. Having such a Plan B significantly saves nerves and allows you to keep a cool head in any environment.