What to Know Before You Go to a Show These Days

The best rule is also the simplest one: check the venue’s official website before you leave home. Not the old event listing you found in search. Not a screenshot someone posted. Not a general memory of what you brought last time. The venue’s current “Know Before You Go,” FAQ or policies page is usually the most reliable place to start.

• Bag policy: Clear bags, small purses, backpack bans and size limits vary widely.
• Ticket format: Some venues require mobile tickets, official apps or wallet downloads.
• Resale and transfer rules: Some tickets cannot be resold, transferred or screenshotted.
• Phone battery: Your phone may be your ticket, parking pass, map, payment method and emergency contact tool.
• Photo and video rules: These vary dramatically by show type.
• Food and drink rules: Outside food, sealed water and reusable bottles may or may not be allowed.
• Stroller and diaper bag policies: Family items may be allowed, restricted, inspected or stored separately.
• Medical items: Medical bags and supplies are often handled as exceptions, but policies vary.
• Payment options: Some venues are cashless, while others still accept cash.
• Late seating: Some shows will not seat latecomers until a break.

Bag policies are one of the biggest changes for modern showgoing. Many venues have tightened what guests can bring inside, especially arenas, stadiums, festivals and larger entertainment complexes.

Some venues allow only clear bags. Some allow a small clutch or wristlet. Some permit regular purses after inspection. Some prohibit backpacks entirely. And some offer a “no bag” line that moves faster than regular security.

• Clear bag policies: Common at stadiums, arenas and large events.
• Small purse limits: A clutch or small crossbody bag may be allowed when larger bags are not.
• Backpacks: Often restricted or prohibited, even when purses are allowed.
• Camera bags: May be treated as professional equipment and restricted.
• Bag checks: Even allowed bags may be searched at entry.
• Storage: Some venues offer lockers or bag check, but many do not.

When in doubt, go smaller. The less you bring, the fewer surprises you are likely to face at the door.

Your phone may now be the most important thing you bring to a show. Many venues use mobile tickets, app-based tickets, rotating barcodes or digital wallet passes.

Before you leave, download your tickets, log into the correct app, check that the barcode or QR code is visible, and add tickets to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet when possible. Venue Wi-Fi and cell service can be unreliable right when everyone is trying to enter.

• Download tickets early: Do not wait until you are standing at the entrance.
• Use the official app or ticket account: Some tickets must be opened inside a specific platform.
• Check screenshot rules: Screenshots may not work for rotating barcodes or secure tickets.
• Transfer tickets correctly: If someone else is using a ticket, transfer it through the official method when required.
• Review resale rules: Some tickets cannot be resold, transferred or sold above certain limits.
• Charge your phone: Bring a portable charger if you rely on your phone for tickets, maps, parking or payment.

This depends on the event. A phone that is totally fine at one show can be completely forbidden at another.

As a general guide, live theatre, comedy, opera, ballet, symphony performances and live tapings are usually much stricter about phones, photos and recording. Concerts and festivals may be more flexible with casual phone photos, but they may still prohibit professional cameras, flash, livestreaming or extended video recording.

• Theatre: Usually no photos or videos during the performance.
• Comedy: Often no recording, and some performers require phones to be locked away or silenced.
• Opera, ballet and symphony: Typically strict during the performance, with possible photo opportunities before the show, at intermission or during curtain call if allowed.
• Concerts: Casual phone photos may be allowed, but rules vary by artist, tour and venue.
• Festivals: Photos are often allowed, but professional equipment and drones are usually restricted.
• Immersive events: Some encourage social sharing, while others protect surprise elements and prohibit photos.
• Live tapings: Phone use and recording are usually tightly controlled.

Even when phones are allowed, keep screens dim, avoid blocking views, turn off flash, and do not record people around you without permission. The best show phone rule is simple: use it when allowed, then put it away and be present.

Family-friendly events can still have strict venue policies, especially in larger buildings. A show may welcome children but still limit stroller storage, large diaper bags, outside snacks or bulky items in seating areas.

• Diaper bags: Often allowed as an exception, but they may need to be inspected and may have size restrictions.
• Strollers: Some venues prohibit strollers inside seating areas. Others allow stroller parking, lobby storage or designated check areas.
• Car seats: Usually not allowed unless the venue has a specific policy permitting them.
• Snacks: Outside food rules may still apply, even for family events.
• Ear protection: A smart idea for concerts, festivals, loud theatre effects, sports events and young children.
• Age guidance: Check whether children need their own ticket and whether the show has minimum age recommendations or restrictions.

If you are attending with a baby, toddler or child who needs specific items, contact the venue in advance. Policies are usually easier to handle before you arrive than when you are standing in the security line.

Food and drink policies can be surprisingly different from one venue to another. Some venues prohibit all outside food and beverages. Some allow sealed water bottles. Some allow empty reusable bottles. Some make exceptions for medical needs, infant care or dietary restrictions. Others allow almost nothing through the door.

• Outside food: Usually restricted, especially at theatres, arenas and ticketed venues.
• Water bottles: Sealed water, empty reusable bottles or no bottles at all may be the rule depending on the venue.
• Medical or allergy needs: Often handled as exceptions, but you may need to contact the venue or security team in advance.
• Baby food and formula: May be treated separately from general outside food, but policies vary.
• Comedy club minimums: Some comedy clubs require a drink or item minimum in addition to admission.
• Cashless venues: Many venues now prefer or require card, app or contactless payments.

Arriving “right on time” is not always on time anymore. Between parking, ride-share drop-off, bag checks, ticket scanning, elevators, concessions, bathroom lines and finding your seats, it is worth giving yourself a bigger buffer than you think you need.

Late seating policies can be strict, especially at theatre, opera, ballet, classical music and live taping events. Some shows will not seat latecomers until a specific break. Others may seat late arrivals only in a temporary location. Some immersive events or timed-entry experiences may not allow late entry at all.

• Check door time: Door time and show time are not always the same thing.
• Look up parking: Reserve parking, check transit options or plan your ride-share drop-off.
• Allow for security: Bag checks and metal detectors can add time.
• Know the late seating policy: Theatre and classical events can be especially strict.
• Find your entrance: Large venues may have separate gates, accessible entrances, VIP entrances or box office windows.

Early arrival is not just about being responsible. It also gives you time to get settled, buy a drink, find the restroom, silence your phone and avoid becoming the main character in someone else’s row.

If you are attending through OTL Seat Fillers, always read the private invitation details carefully before reserving and again before you leave for the venue.

OTL Seat Fillers is a private membership club. When available, complimentary ticket invitations are posted in the members-only area. OTL does not sell tickets, and invitations are not guaranteed. Event details vary by venue, partner, city and date.

• Check the guest count: Make sure the invitation matches the number of people you plan to bring.
• Use the correct Will Call name: Follow the name and check-in instructions listed in the invitation.
• Arrive on time: Late arrivals may not be admitted, seated or eligible for future invitations.
• Do not resell invitations: OTL opportunities are private and should never be resold, transferred publicly or posted as free-ticket offers.
• Review age restrictions: Some events are 18+, 21+ or not appropriate for children.
• Respect venue policies: Bag rules, phone rules, food rules and seating policies still apply.
• Keep private opportunities private: OTL does not publicize partner names, and members should not turn private invitations into public promotions.

Learn How OTL Seat Fillers Works