Your outfit is ready. Your friends are already debating which set to catch first. Now for the accessory that earns its place in your festival bag: a rave fan.

Part practical, part personality, a folding hand fan lets you create a little airflow while adding a finishing touch to your look. But which one should you bring? Here’s how to choose a rave fan that fits your style, your plans, and the dance floor.

Find your fan size sweet spot

A larger fan gives you a wider surface for moving air and showing off a design. A smaller fan can be easier to tuck into a bag and carry between stages.

Before you buy, check the product’s open and folded measurements. Think about how you’ll carry it, too. Will it fit in your bag, or do you need a compatible holder? Your future self, juggling a phone, water bottle, and group chat, will appreciate the planning.

Check the materials and construction

A fan’s ribs support its shape, while its fabric creates the surface that moves air. Pay attention to both rather than choosing by the print alone.

The Gay Fan Club’s bamboo hand fans are a place to start if you’re looking for a folding fan with plenty of personality. Read each product’s details for its dimensions and materials, and follow any care instructions to help keep it ready for the next outing.

Give the hinge and ribs a little respect. Open and close your fan without forcing it, and avoid crushing it beneath everything else in your bag.

Choose a design that feels like you

Your rave fan doesn’t have to match your outfit perfectly. Sometimes the contrast is the whole point.

Go for a statement design that gets your friends laughing, a color that pulls your look together, or something that feels unmistakably you. If you’re considering a specialty finish, check the description: reflective and UV-reactive effects aren’t interchangeable, and how they appear depends on the lighting.

The best choice is one you’ll want to bring out again, not just something that looks good in a single outfit photo.

Let’s talk clacking etiquette

Clack fans make a statement. Whether that statement belongs in the middle of someone’s favorite drop is another question.

Our take? Read the room. Repeated clacking near someone’s ears or over the music can take them out of the moment. You can enjoy your fan without making sound, and a little consideration goes a long way on a crowded dance floor.

Give yourself room to open it without hitting anyone, ask before fanning a stranger, and check the event’s current rules before packing. Policies can vary by venue and festival.

Stay cool, but take care of yourself

A hand fan can help you feel more comfortable, but it doesn’t replace water, shade, or a break from dancing. If you feel overheated or unwell, step away and seek help rather than trying to power through the next set.

Ready to find your festival fan?

Choose something you’ll love carrying, check that its size works for your plans, and leave a little room for personality. Practical doesn’t have to mean boring.

Shop The Gay Fan Club’s rave fans and find your next dance-floor companion.