Festival essentials checklist

festival essentials checklist

Festival season approaches! Whether you’re attending your first festival or a festival veteran, this comprehensive list of Essential Festival Things just may come in handy…

Festival essentials

Tent? Check! How about tent pegs? You’d be surprised how quickly they can disappear – take more than you need. Pack a mallet with your sleeping bag. You’ve almost certainly planned on packing clothes, food and (most likely) booze. Now it’s time to make sure you have everything you could possibly need to have a safe, comfortable and fun festival experience!

festival essentials checklist

Wind up phone charger/portable power pack – Don’t waste your time and money queuing to charge your phone at the festivals facilities. Take a wind-up or rechargeable phone charger so you can charge on the go while exploring. I’d recommend taking a cheap pay as you go phone with you, but if you must hashtag everything you see, make sure that you’ve packed my next essential…

festival essentials checklist

A Bum Bag – An easy and fairly secure way to carry your phone, money and some wet wipes! Make sure that the fastener is nice and secure. For the fashion conscious, many high street retailers sell some super cute ones in the summer.

Disposable Camera – If your phone dies or you’re sensible and you choose not to take your smart phone, capture your memories in the old-fashioned way.

Snacks – Crisps and nuts are a great snack for festivals. not only do they require no cooking but they actually replace some of the salt that your body loses when drinking. Of course, pack some healthy snacks like fresh fruit. Make sure that you eat those before they go off! Take to the supermarkets for some of your favourite foods that will last the weekend and take plastic cups to mix drinks (and for soft drinks).

festival essentials checklist

Toothbrush and toothpaste – Such an easy thing to forget. If you’re worried about your toothpaste leaking in your bag, Lush Cosmetics sell toothy tabs which taste great and they’re adorable! I tend to keep some plastic cups separately from the others in my tent so that I can put water in them to brush my teeth and rinse off my toothbrush.

festival essentials checklist

Waterproofs – Remember your wellies (or any sturdy waterproof footwear) and a waterproof coat. Don’t, as my mother would say, catch your death. Waterproof ponchos are a cheap, space-conserving and easy-to-carry alternative to a raincoat.

Sleepwear – Pyjamas might not seem like the coolest thing to take with you, but what of it? On a cold night when you’re craving some home comforts they might be just the thing you need. Pack something warm and easy to stick on in a tiny tent – like a onesie.

Gaffa Tape – Is there anything it can’t repair? Don’t get caught in the rain with a hole in your tent. I speak from experience. It can help to patch up ripped or torn waterproofs, too.

A HUGE bottle of water – Be responsible after a heavy night and drink lots of water. A 5L bottle might just be a godsend when you wake up to find it at the end of your tent. It’s also good for a quick military wash.

Air beds – OK, so this one is a bit of a luxury item! It’s better than sleeping on a hard floor and will give you a good night or morning’s sleep.

Bin bags – Leave the festival grounds as you found them. Many festivals have schemes where an initial deposit included in your ticket price will be refunded if you clear up your area and trade a full bin bag for your cash back. Handy for breakfast money on the day you leave!

Berocca – You, but on a really good day. You’ve seen the adverts. “If getting drunk was how people forgot they were mortal, then hangovers were how they remembered” is a quote by UK author Matt Haig that some of us will relate to. Not only will it help you to rehydrate, its B Vitamins are amazing for getting impurities out of your system.

Wet Wipes – Useful for so many reasons, but you’ll be most thankful for them when the toilet paper you packed runs out or the mud gets into cracks you didn’t even know you had.

Dry Shampoo – Talcum powder can do the trick but dry shampoo is much easier to use on the go. If dry shampoo tends to make your hair feel brittle you can buy brands that are more gentle on your hair. Last year I also discovered that you can also buy waterless body wash!

festival essentials checklist

REMEMBER:

Programme – Buy a festival programme. They might be extortionately priced, but you’ll be kicking yourself when you miss your favourite band.

Locate – Your nearest water points, toilets, the welfare or first aid tent and the festival’s information point.

Map – If you’re at a large festival, on your first day (and subsequent intoxicated days) a map will come in handy. Also, you’re an explorer. Explorers have maps.

Transport – Make sure that you’ve planned your journey there and your journey home. Don’t risk being stranded in a field on Monday morning. If you have a designated driver, make sure they stick to a strict no-drinking rule the day before your drive home. Make sure they don’t get themselves into too much of a state on Saturday!

Festival safety – take care of yourself and friends

The most important thing of all is to make sure that you and your friends are all safe and having a good time. Like Jane Austen professed, it’s sense and sensibility! Make sure that nobody gets left behind at any point and that everybody feels safe and well at all times.

If anybody is feeling a little worse for wear, peer pressure can make their situation so much worse than it could be. Buddy up with a friend and go for a nap. If they feel very unwell, the festival will have a welfare/first aid tent which should be marked clearly on your map. Make sure that you eat enough and drink enough water, be respectful of your surroundings and fellow festival-goers, give yourself breaks from drinking and above all – have a great weekend!

Have we missed anything? See more festival tips on Mookychick (come on, any excuse for walkie talkies). Comment on Facebook or tweet us @Mookychick and tell us your festival tips.