Lucky enough to have a Glasto ticket? Planning on moshing at Reading or Leeds? Taking the sedate path at a family-friendly shindig? Wherever you are heading, take heed of my definitive festival packing guide which I have compiled from the front line (a muddy field). First time camping? Try my beginner’s guide to camping too.
Festival packing guide
Loo roll: Take twice as much as you think you need.
Tent and sleeping bag: Don’t get precious about them. They will return home covered in graffiti and smelling like other people’s wee – that is the festival law. If you have a lovely tent you take on chilled out camping trips, buy a separate festival one that you won’t cry over.
Pain killers: Necessary every morning to ensure you can actually get up and see some bands after a bit too much illegal substance abuse the night before. Not that you’d do that.
Wet wipes: They are a shower in a small, portable bag. Get medicated ones so you can keep hands clean, too.
Wellies: If you take them, it’ll be sunny. If you don’t, it’ll chuck it down and you’ll be living in mud for a weekend.
Deodorant: because you won’t shower.
Fancy dress: Obligatory. Take some with you to avoid the temptation to spend £15 on a lime green jesters hat once you’re there.
Mac in a sack: Folds up small. Again, it won’t rain if you bring one.
Glow sticks: For drunken moshing. But do not break open and apply to skin, as this hurts. A lot.
Flag: To mark out your camp in a sea of dark green tents.
Sunscreen: Heatstroke ain’t sexy.
Torch: Avoid breaking your leg tripping over someone else’s guy rope at 3am.
Toothpaste: You might pull, despite smelling like a dead goat.
Spare pants: See above.
String: I don’t really know why you should take string, but it makes me feel like a super-prepared boy scout.
Bin bags: incredibly useful for rubbish, storing dirty clothes, fixing holes in your tent…
Any other camping kit: Try my ultimate camping checklist for anything you might have forgotten.
Or alternatively just take as many drugs as its physically possible to carry, or let everything else take care of itself.
Author
I enjoyed clicking ‘approve’ on this comment x
Wine in a box with one of those taps.
Haha this made me laugh cos it’s so true and exactly what I bring!xx
The wine in a box is my staple item, finish the contents then blow up for an instant pillow 🙂 x
<3
I can’t festival/camp without Taveljohns disposable urinals. Glamorous they ‘aint, but neither is queuing for an hour for a grim portapotty. These things are genius!
Author
ooh I am totally getting one of those! great idea. 🙂