FESTIVALS. Don’t you love them? It’s quite a must if you’re a music + people + travel lover that you take yourself to a music festival. Europe does music festivals really well, and there’s always one going on during every weekend in Summer. My main music festival experience has been Glastonbury 2011. I’ve also been to other, smaller festivals. Fun times.
I actually don’t think I’m up for going to another major festival like Glasto – it was so tiring and overwhelming and dirty. Even though I saw amazing acts and drank all the delicious cider of Somerset, I had quite a few miserable moments. BUT, I would heartily recommend going to a festival, and I’ve decided to compile a little guide to help you survive your music festival experience (including a few things you should definitely take along). Mainly: enjoy yourself and always remember where you’ve pitched your tent.
- Hygiene is important – take wet wipes, hand sanitizer, tissues, deodorant.
- Wellies – my boyfriend thinks that hiking boots are a better option, but I still think wellies are the way to go. They’ll keep your legs (up till your knees, at least) free from that awful mud, and even though your wellies will start weighing a tonne as soon as they become caked in mud, it’s better than having your feet soaked in the aforementioned mud.
- A drawstring bag – light, and necessary.
- A water bottle (refill often).
- A small purse for money.
- If you’re camping, then don’t forget the obvious: tent, sleeping bag, pillow(!), etc.
- Consider taking/buying a fold-up chair for surprisingly welcome comfort.
- Get ready to stand or trudge through mud for a hell of a long amount of time
- Let go. Once you’re at a festival, you’re not going to be showering often, you’re going to need to be laid back: enjoy the music, the sights, the food…
- Don’t eat or drink too much. That would keep bathroom visits to a minimum.
- But do try out a few “stranger” things that can be found at music festivals. Ostrich burgers, amazing cider, South African delicacies… so many options!
- Take an extra mobile phone battery. There will be charging stations, but they will have a ridiculously long queue.
- Take a flag or two. You’ll find your tent easier, and have something to wave.
- Sunscreen. Lots of it. Even if it’s cloudy.
- Take some food. Cereal bars, beef jerky, crisps, nuts, biscuits.
- Prepare for all sorts of weather. Take wind cheaters, rain coats, (plastic) hats, sunglasses, scarves.
- Dry shampoo.
- A little mirror (optional, but useful when you need to check up on your face-paint or any mosquito bites on the face area – ick).
- A map of the festival grounds/surrounding areas.
- Embrace the hippie in you: paint flowers on your face, dance with people who are probably so high they can’t be pinned down, drink crazy-organic/vegan/raw/whatever juice,
- Maybe buy a really cheap phone to use for the duration of the festival. And a disposable camera. It won’t be pleasant if you lose/damage/get robbed of your smartphone or DSLR camera, right?
- A roll of toilet paper will be useful. And some more tissues while you’re at it.
- Clothes that you won’t mind getting destroyed by the mud/crazy jumping around/elements.
- Some sort of jacket/coat which you’re comfortable in, will keep you warm and dry, and has pockets. Maybe this shouldn’t be your favourite coat. And add a plastic raincoat to your list. You might need it.
So those are my top tips for surviving music festivals. Let me know if you’d like any other information, and enjoy your music festival experience.
Tags: camping, cider, festivals, glastonbury, music festival, wellies
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