The Seven Festival Essentials You’ll Probably Forget
Being a frequent festival-goer, I often remind myself of the value of hindsight after shuffling from stage to stage with blisters on my feet and sunburned shoulders. Amidst all the excitement and planning for a long weekend in a remote field, it’s easy to forget the simple things that can make festival living a bit more comfortable.
Roughing it is definitely part of the fun, but you can prevent unnecessary hardships by creating a festival packing list. Categorize it into "clothing and accessories", "toiletries", "valuables", and "camping", and don’t forget to include these often-forgotten items that can save you from a tight spot.
Snacks
Even if you’re not a wild mosher, you’ll be on your feet all day and night, which requires more energy than you realize. Packing slow-burning snacks like nuts or cereal bars with a good mix of fat and protein can help you avoid energy crashes.
Blister Plasters
You’ll cover considerable distances walking back and forth across the festival site throughout the weekend. Add a pair of wellies you’ve only worn once before and a few hundred people treading on your toes, and blisters become almost unavoidable. Gel-based plasters to protect against further rubbing are oft-overlooked necessities.
Duct Tape
From fractured tent poles to tears in your tent’s canvas to holes in your wellies, a little bit of hard-hitting tape in the bottom of your rucksack can solve crises and take up very little space.
A Torch
We have all been there- rummaging around in a pitch-black tent at 3 am after having one too many ciders to locate the zip on our sleeping bag, trying to use our dying phone screen as a light source. You need a lightweight little torch. If your tent has an inside hook, you can even set up a makeshift lamp by hanging your torch from it- if not, time to take out the duct tape again. Duct tape comes in handy, as you see.
Portable Phone Charger
The battery on your phone will drain quickly after spending the weekend taking calls to find friends and taking Instagram-worthy sunsets. While most festivals now provide a charging station, there are queues, the services may cost money, and cell phones can disappear. Portable chargers are relatively affordable, dependable, and even the cheapest ones frequently store one or two pre-loaded charges that will get you through the weekend.
Earplugs and Eyemask
You’ll need at least one decent night’s sleep to get through four days and nights of strenuous activity. Even if you’re camping some distance from the primary arena, the chances are high that you’ll be with a lot of loud and happy people, and tents are not soundproof. Therefore, if you’re a light sleeper, earplugs are a must. Additionally, since it’s summer, the sun rises insanely early; if you’d like to sleep in, pack an eyemask and get an extra couple of hours of rest.
Clothes Pegs
Grab a few clothes pegs before leaving home and stick them in a rucksack pocket. There’s bound to be a downpour at some time. When the sun eventually comes out, squeeze out your sopping clothes and peg them to your tent or a nearby tree. Socks, in particular, are especially critical as there’s nothing better than a pair of dry socks on day three.
The remainder of my festival kit list:
-Tent (with enough pegs)
-Sleeping bag
-Roll-mat
-Inflatable or regular pillow case (stuff a jumper into it)
-Plastic and bin bags
-Water container
-Blanket
-Clothing for all weathers
-Wellies and long socks
-Shoes
-Hat
-Cash
-Waterproofs
-Sunglasses
-Toilet roll
-Wet wipes
-Paracetamol
-Any medications
-Dry shampoo
-Anti-bacterial hand-wash
-Sun cream
-Toiletries
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