And just like that, festival season is upon us! Whether you’re a seasoned festival go-er or a bright eyed newbie, packing for any festival can be a minefield. While the tik tokers might advise you to bring your cowboy boots and 12-step skincare routine, here are our tips and tricks for what to bring to keep the vibes high this festival season.
For Travelling…
If you’re arriving to the festival by coach, make sure all of your bags are clearly labelled with your name and contact information!
If you’re travelling by car, maybe throw in some jump leads (there’s always someone who’ll need them!) - Extra snacks for the journey home are also a must!
If you’re planning on bringing a trolly - make sure that baby can make it off road!! From muddy tracks to steep hills, it’ll have to be strong and sturdy to make the journey on site.
For Camping…
Whatever style of tent you choose to bring, make sure it’s DOUBLE LAYERED!! Rain and condensation are the enemy of any UK campsite and the last thing you want is the inside of your tent getting wet. (BONUS TIP: A bit of gaffer tape is always useful in the event of a leak!)
On that note - have a think about where you pitch your tent! Pitching up at the bottom of a hill could leave you amongst the puddles if the rain picks up…
If it’s looking like the ground will be especially hard, a mallet is always a handy extra, but a sturdy pair of docs always work in a pinch!
When you’re in your tent try not to leave anything valuable near the entrance. Zipping your tent up to the top rather than the bottom also makes it more difficult for thieves to access or try their luck running their hand along the inside.
To Wear…
WEAR COMFY SHOES!! Whether you plan to be sprinting between stages or not, it’s inevitable that you’ll soon rack some steps up.
Maybe rethink the jumpsuit…. No matter how cute it is, you may regret it when you make a trip to the port-a-loos…
Wrap up warm. Even with good weather the temperature tends to drop at night, so remember to bring a warm hoodie for bed!
Pack your coat and wellies - we are all at the peril of the British weather, and you’ll be so grateful if you need them!
No matter how rough you’re feeling, you can always rely on some glitter to keep you looking festival ready - just remember to bring the biodegradable kind (which you can usually buy on site!)
To Drink…
While some festivals allow drinks across the site, others only allow you to bring your drinks to the campsite, so make sure you keep that in mind before you find yourself running back and forth between acts to finish your surplus of cans…
Leave the mixers at home! - They’re heavy to carry and take up space in your bag. There’s usually a shop on site which, although won’t sell alcohol, is the perfect stop for all your soft drink needs. If you do bring your own maybe consider something like those little concentrated dilute pods - water is widely available on site (and who doesn’t love a bit of disco juice?!)
Remember to stay hydrated! A large capacity folding/collapsable water container is great for any camp to keep you from running back and forth to queue up at the water taps. (plus points for the extra brave who use these as ad-hoc solar showers)
NO GLASS!! Remember to decant any glass bottles or you’ll be left downing your gin at the gates.
Keep in mind your drinks aren’t gonna stay cool the whole weekend - so really think if that warm cider is gonna be worth it when up against the draw of the a cold pint from one of the bars on site
To Eat…
While there are tonnes of great food options on site, it’s always best to have some snacks to keep you going! (Maybe even pop a multivitamin in there, treat yourself!)
Breakfast or protein bars are always a great option for a festival, but remember anything covered in chocolate or yogurt is likely to melt and cause a mess.
Nuts/ Crisps or anything that’s not gonna melt or attract bugs is best….
For those prepared enough to bring a camping stove, you can’t go wrong with some porridge pots and an emergency pot noodle. (a true festival delicacy)
To keep clean…
From the rain and mud to the sweat and dust there’s no getting away from the fact that you’re gonna smell. Showers can be hard to come by on site. So here’s some bits to bring which may help…
Dry Shampoo was sent from the heavens above for all festival goers. (If you struggle with a white cast try spraying it on before bed!). Alternatively - give a no rinse shampoo hair cap a try! (And if all else fails stick a cap on!)
Hand sanitiser - while it’s usually available around the site these can often run out
An S hook is great to hang on the back of a door, so your bag isn’t touching the floor of the toilets… (can also be used to hang things up in your tent!)
DO NOT FORGET TO PACK LOO ROLL.
Baby wipes are an essential. Trust me on this.
If you’re feeling fancy some exfoliating wipes always help when your face has been up against all the dirt and sweat - either buy some or pop some of your chemical exfoliant on some cotton rounds and put them in a baggy. Caroline Hirons would be proud.
Other useful bits…
Bring suncream!! Unless you want to be scouring the site for a sunburn cure all weekend it’s a definite necessity.
A large capacity power bank is best to keep your phone alive and keep you in contact with your mates (signal can be patchy though - so maybe pick up some army tactics and let them know your message was sent at 1400hrs so they don’t arrive at the meet-up point 2 hours later when you’re long gone…)
Insect repellent will keep the bugs at bay - no one wants to deal with bug bites!
Some ear plugs will help you get a good night sleep no matter how loud your neighbouring campers are.
Flip flops are great to use at camp so you don’t have to get up and tie your shoelaces every time you need to join the queue for the toilets.
Bring some bin bags - always useful if your things get wet, and you’ll need them to clean up before you go
With all that said, anything goes!! Above all else - whatever you choose to bring, make sure you can bring it home with you. No matter how prepared or unprepared you think you are, I have no doubts there will be someone there who has packed a giant inflatable banana but not the poles to their tent. Anything essential will be available to buy on site, so don’t stress if you’ve forgotten anything (but maybe check those tent poles, just in case!)