One of the things people didn’t miss that much this year was staying indoors. There’s a good reason why that is so. The pandemic struck hard, leaving the whole world (including the music festival industry) speechless. Although some festivals were still held, most were canceled.
As the end of the current year approaches, it might be time to express some feelings and wishes concerning the next one. Going back to the old normal and carelessly hopping from one music festival to another holds a good spot on our collective New Year’s wishlist. That’s why we’ve chosen musical festival camping as today’s main topic. Let’s take a closer look!
Do some research on the festival you’re planning to visit. Check the FAQ most festivals put on their webpage. Pack the essentials: high-quality tent, sleeping bags, folding camping chairs, LED lanterns, and portable chargers. Also, you shouldn’t forget about personal hygiene and clothing items. In case you forget anything, there’s probably a general good store near the campsite.
Now, that was only a neat little summary! Check out the expanded, abundant-in-details version below!
Table of Contents
Why are music festival camping preparations so important?
This is a question only a “newcomer” to the world of music festivals would ask. Why do we say this? Well, if you’ve ever camped at a music festival, you know very well it can be a total nightmare. If you’re unprepared for the things that await you there, that is. In other words: it’s of utmost importance you know what to bring along, and how to organize the journey (including your stay at the campsite).
Luckily, we’re here to show you how to plan and what to pack for the trip. Stay tuned!
How to plan your music festival camping trip?
Start planning on time. Right timing equals good organization.
First things first, you’ll want to get as much info as it’s possible on the festival you’re planning to visit. Thoroughly research the place. See if you can find some reviews (and you’re bound to find them online) and check out what other visitors are saying. Also, by reading this text, you’re already doing yourself a big favor,
You’ll need a good piece of info on the campgrounds themselves. For example, your camping pass might be separate from your festival ticket. Now, that’s the case with Coachella, among others. So, yeah, make sure you seek out all the necessary details concerning your potential stay at the festival.
With a little help from my friends…
Also, got any friends that went to the festival in question during the last couple of years? There isn’t a better way to get firsthand accounts of how everything’s organized. They’ll surely want to share some great stories. Additionally, they might motivate you to relive some of the anecdotes they’re bound to mention.
FAQ (not really)
Lastly, most music festivals have a FAQ page on their website. Make sure you check it out. It will most probably contain a list of things you might want to bring along and the things/services that are free/paid for. Also, check out if there’s a document covering rules and regulations of using the campgrounds.
Once you find out everything there’s to know about the festival (prices, campground regulations, “user reviews”, etc.), it’s time to start packing. Let’s see some music festival camping essentials (and more)!
What to bring along?
A big smile and your best buddies are all that you need. Said no one ever. Although there’s no reason not to feel optimistic, let’s try to be realistic. Camping at a music festival isn’t exactly what you’d call a fairytale (even though it can turn into one).
Alright, let’s get down to business. Now that you know how to (partially) prepare yourself for the trip, let’s see what do you need to bring along. By packing everything you’ll need on the campsite, you’ll save yourself the trouble of feeling lost and inadequately prepared. Here’s a list of music festival camping essentials.
A high-quality tent
This one needs no lengthy explanation, right? A high-quality tent is a must if you’re camping at a music festival. If you’re not going alone, you’ll need a bigger tent. You’ll have to find an appropriately-sized tent depending on how many friends are you taking along with you. For example, a quality 8 dome tent can support up to 8 persons.
A proper sleeping bag
Well, of course. You’re going to need a proper sleeping bag to help you find some rest after a wild night. It’s safe to say we all know how important a good night’s sleep is to festival-goers. Even if you’ve never been one, you can assume a person needs some energy to keep partying a couple of days in a row. So, yeah, obtain a quality sleeping bag.
Optionally, you might want to think about bringing along an air mattress. Most folks will avoid packing it, but still. It’s good we mention it since we were talking about getting a piece of a good night’s sleep, so…
A couple of folding camping chairs
Camping chairs are a great addition to your luggage. Even though it doesn’t exactly fit into a festival-goer’s mindset, you’ll feel good to sit above the ground sometimes. These are super-light and very easy to pack. You won’t break your back because of them, believe us.
As you might know, Coleman is the leader in this branch, so you might want to check out what they have to offer.
A large cooler
It’s safe to say not a single person loves warm beer at a music festival. It doesn’t have to be beer, but you get the point. A large cooler and some ice packs you can obtain on the campsite each morning will make your stay at a music festival more pleasant. Not to mention you can store food inside, also.
A couple of portable chargers
Imagine your favorite band’s about to play a show. Even though you don’t like filming concerts, there’s a song you must record for a special someone. It turns out you don’t have any battery left in your phone. Tough luck.
In order to avoid the aforementioned scenario (or any other in which you’ll need a full phone batter), make sure your gang brings a few portable chargers. Also, getting lost in the festival crowd is way worse when you can’t call anyone. It only amplifies the feeling of being lost and confused.
Camping LED lantern
Afraid of the dark? Whatever’s your answer – you’ll want to pack up an LED lantern to help you find your way to the bathroom at night. These are pretty affordable and an important part of camping inventory for most folks.
Just so we don’t go through every little item one by one, we’ll show you a list of personal hygiene essentials:
- Hand sanitizers. There’s no need to explain this.
- Baby wipes/face wipes. The easiest way to clean oneself after a meal.
- Toothbrush/toothpaste/mouthwash combo. As if you’re going for a sleepover.
- Travel hair/body shampoo. One bottle will do it.
- Razors. If you want to shave at all.
- Hand lotion. Keeps your skin soft.
- Condoms. Remember you’re at a music festival. Stay safe!
- Sunscreen. You don’t want to get sunburns the second day of your stay.
- Paper towels. Spills are a music festival necessity.
Clothing items and gear
We’ll do the same thing here, as we did above. Anyway, here are some clothing items and gear essentials:
- Shoes and sandals. At least one pair of both.
- A raincoat. Also, we forgot to mention you might want to add a pair of rain shoes to the list.
- Socks. To keep your feet warm and cozy.
- Backpack/hydration pack. Every festival-goer must sport these.
- Bathing suit? Well, you might want to skinny dip anyway, so…
- Hats and sunglasses. As we said, sunburns are not what you want.
- Underwear. As if someone needs to tell you.
- A Swiss Army knife. And here’s how to remove scales from it.
One last thing: don’t forget plastic cups and ping-pong balls
We’ll leave it up to you to find out why.
Other camping tips that might come in handy
Okay, we’re nearing the end of this article. We’ve prepared some bonus tips that might come in handy:
- After you set up camp, make sure to take a stroll around the campgrounds. Get to know the place that will serve as your home for the next couple of days.
- Also, make sure you don’t have any prohibited items on you. Double-check the rules.
- In case you’ve forgotten something, don’t worry. There will be a store near the campsite with general goods.
- Have some cash on you. Who knows what might happen?
- Lastly, take advantage of everything the campgrounds have to offer. There will be courses, interactive games, and much more.
The bottom line
Alright, so that’s that. These were some music festival camping essentials you should have in mind when planning the trip. One last tip, though: don’t forget to bring some good vibrations and a big smile. Even though it sounds a bit corny, there’s no substitute for that!
For more camping tips, feel free to visit this page.
