Whether you're off to your first music festival or you're a regular festival goer in need of some tips and tricks to make your experience more enjoyable, you've come to the right place. We've compiled a list of packing essentials, planning advice and more to ensure you have the best weekend possible.
Toiletries: Starting with the obvious, deodorant is an absolute essential, but make sure you bring roll on as some festivals won’t allow aerosols into the premises. If you’re planning on using the communal showers, bring miniature shower gel, and shampoo and conditioner if you’re planning on washing your hair. Face wipes are a handy alternative to help you feel fresh if the queues for the showers are too long. You don’t want to be getting sunburnt on the first day and then in pain for the rest of the weekend, so sunscreen is a must-have!
Clothing: Whether you’re going all out with frills and sparkles or simple shorts and a shirt, make sure you plan out your outfits for each day in advance so you’re not tempted to overpack. In addition to your daily outfits, be sure to bring some extra socks, just in case it’s a wet weekend. Having something comfortable to sleep in is also important, joggers and a t-shirt are always a cosy choice. A festival staple, a bum bag is a handy accessory that will make sure you don’t lose your phone, purse or any other necessities whilst out and about. Don’t forget your wellies either, perfect for dancing in the fields without getting too muddy.
Camping Essentials: Make sure you take the right size tent, whether you’re sharing or camping alone, make sure you’re going to have enough room to be comfortable. Even if it’s sunny during the day, the nights can still get cold, so a sleeping bag is a must-have. You’ll be surrounded by other campers, who may stay up later than you, so bringing an eye mask and ear plugs is a great way to turn off from the world around and get some much-needed sleep. If you want to upgrade your camping experience, take an air bed, a duvet, pillow, and some fairy lights to hang around your tent so you can camp in style.
Food and Drink: Staying hydrated is important, a lot of festival grounds have water refill stations so it’s good to bring a re-usable bottle, but also make sure you bring plenty of bottled water in case you can’t get to them. All festivals will offer a wide variety of food stalls, but it’s good to bring some snacks with you just in case. Things like apples, crisps, cereal bars, pre-wrapped pastries and dried fruit are all great choices. If you’re bringing alcohol to the festival, make sure you check the festival's limits so you don’t have to throw any away on arrival
Handy Extras: It's a good idea to keep your phone on airplane more until you need it, but just in case your battery does die, a power bank is perfect for keeping your phone juiced up over the weekend. A disposable camera allows you to capture fun memories, and you can relive the experience after you've got them developed. Chances are you'll be spending some time near your camp with your friends, a camping chair allows you to chill out in comfort. If you've got a lot of stuff to transport to the festival, a camping trolley will be ideal for you!
Make sure you know how you’re getting to the festival and then back home before heading off. The large crowds of people can often cause bad phone reception so you might not be able to call your friends when needed, so make sure you plan a meetup spot in case any of you get lost. Choosing where to pitch you tent is very important, you want to make sure you’re not too close to the toilets as they can start to smell, and try to position your tent somewhere memorable so you can find your way back after a few drinks. If you're with a larger group of friends, set up your tents in a circle to create a space in the centre for you all to relax in together.
Chances are one of the main reasons you’re going to the festival is to see a selection of your favourite bands, make sure you jot down what times and what stages they’re playing on to ensure you don’t miss them. It's a good idea to go for a walk around the grounds when you first get there so you can navigate easily throughout the weekend, if there's maps around make sure you grab one and keep it on you at all times.
The most important part of a festival is having fun and making memories, making sure you're prepared will help your weekend run smoothly, even if something does go wrong! For more camping advice, check out our guide to Pitching a Tent like a Pro and have a browse of our Festival Essentials collection.
