Brace yourselves, festival season is well and truly upon us once again. However, scrolling through hundreds of line-ups squinting to see the smallest acts listed and booking the trip are only a small portion of the preparation needed for a successful festival experience.
Festival-goers often get so caught up in the excitement that they forget campsite essentials. I’m sure we can all agree that there is nothing worse than realising you left something important behind, especially when you’re in a field miles away from home. To prevent this from happening to you, we have devised a list of 10 things that you simply cannot forget.
Tickets
You would be surprised by how many people get so focused on remembering their sunglasses that they forget their ticket to the festival itself. Double, triple, and quadruple check you have your tickets with you before leaving your house. Please!
Baby Wipes
Probably the most important thing on this list. Let’s be real, you will sweat and get covered in mud. Tents are inevitably stuffy and being squashed in a crowd of thousands of other sweaty festival-goers will not do you any favours. While there are showers available, they’re often occupied or just as gross as the port-a-loos. Baby wipes are perfect for keeping you feeling as fresh as possible.
Dry Shampoo
A combination of sweat, mud, and whatever liquid is in the plastic cup that just got thrown over you (it’s best to not try and guess) can leave your hair in a dire state; and there isn’t going to be a hair salon on your campsite. Dry shampoo is a simple solution. A quick spray can save your hair from looking as awful as it may smell.
Torch
Campsites can get dark at night and when thousands of tents are pitched it can be difficult to find yours. Save the battery on your phone and invest in a torch, you’ll thank me later.
Portable Charger
A portable charger will come in very, very handy. Those who forgot to bring a torch (we told you so) or are inclined to upload photos to social media constantly may find that their phone batteries drain quickly. Although, you may occasionally find charging ports scattered around the grounds, it’s beneficial to come prepared and bring your own.
Glitter
Forget what I said about baby wipes being the most important item on this list. Glitter is a crucial element to a great festival experience. Sunburn? Cover it with glitter. Greasy hair? Cover it with glitter.
Waterproof Jacket
If you’re attending a festival in the UK, let’s face it, you are more than likely going to need a waterproof jacket, an item often forgotten about in the midst of planning extravagant festival outfits. If you’re extremely lucky, you won’t need it to be waterproof. Although it is an easy, lightweight piece to bring with you, just in case.
First Aid Kit
Prepare for the worst! Packing a small first aid kit full of essentials will take up next to no space in your rucksack. Handily enough, One Stop Festival have done all the work for you and created a readymade first aid travel kit equipped with all that you need, from antiseptic wipes to an eye patch.
Water Bottle
Keeping hydrated is necessary when you’ll be in the heat all day and drinking alcohol from sunrise. It will also be key for washing your face and brushing your teeth. Bringing a water bottle to a festival with you makes it easy to fill up when you needed.
Money
If you do forget anything else mentioned on this list, cash may save you. You might be able to purchase what you’ve left behind on the festival grounds. Plus, after a busy day of drinking and dancing, the smell of burgers and hot dogs wafting to your tent may be too appealing to pass up.
Brilliant advice lauren, well needed for my trip to glasto next year. That glitter idea will come in very handy!