With summer comes an activity almost all of us enjoy: concerts. On July 17, Vans Warped Tour came to its Pittsburgh stop at the First Niagara Pavilion.

Beginning at 11 a.m. and ending at 9 p.m., Warped Tour is an entire day’s worth of music entertainment. With over 50 bands in the lineup throughout the day, there’s always something to do or someone to be watching. Stages are set up around the area, and people  are free to roam from stage to stage to watch bands all day.

Like most concerts, the first task is waiting in line. Warped Tour offers a unique alternative to this, though. In return of donating canned foods or even an old cell phone, concert attendees are permitted to skip the line and move onto the day’s festivities. Not only does donating these items help the organizations, but it gives an early start to your day.

When you step onto the scene, you’ll notice that the First Niagra Pavilion has been completely transformed. Unlike its usual setup, the Pavilion is filled with tents across the vicinity. These tents are for selling band merchandise, free stuff and even just an area to cool down. Who doesn’t love that? There is so much to look at throughout the day, so it is key to take advantage of your time and get a chance to experience everything.

Like the tents, there are multiple stages set up in the area. Totaling about 10 stages, concert goers can have a chance to see as many bands as possible throughout the day. This not only allows for seeing some of your favorites, but also discovering new bands and artists who might not be as popular.

If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend attending Warped Tour. It is an awesome, music-filled day that is truly unique in its kind. There aren’t many places where you can go to listen to about 50 bands all day long, so grab some friends and start planning for next year.