It’s finally here – the year long wait is over and summer has begun! Along with the arrival of long sun-drenched days, nights spent sipping icy cocktails on rooftop bars and escaping to the nearest beach on the weekends, so too does the infamous music festival season kick off.
I’ve only just returned from my first festival of the summer where I spent 3-days camping in a field surrounded by tents and the ever-present hum of music in the distance. As a self-proclaimed veteran of the music festival scene, I thought I would share my top five foolproof tips on how to survive camping at music festivals.
Pack Wisely
It is much better to be over-prepared than to rock up to your campsite realizing you have forgotten to pack something incredibly important. A couple of days before you set off, write a comprehensive list of all the things you will need and tick them off as you pack your bag. Along with what you would normally pack (clothes, shoes, toiletries), my extra essentials include: a rainproof jacket, sunscreen, insect repellent, a torch, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, sleeping eye-mask and basic first-aid items. Don’t pack things that you would be devastated to lose, and don’t even bother with things like hair-dryers and straighteners as music festivals are all about embracing the all-natural look!
Pitch Perfect
Firstly, when buying a tent, the rule is to always upgrade and purchase it a size bigger. So, if you are on your own, instead of getting a one-man tent, go for a two person tent and if you are in a couple, I would highly recommend buying a 4 person tent. At the campsite, try to pitch your tent far enough away from the stages that the music won’t deprive you of sleep and preferably not too close to the toilet blocks – for obvious reasons! I would also highly recommend trying to pitch near some trees under the shade to stop the morning sun from waking you up at a horrific hour. Finally, chances are all tents will probably look the same when you are walking back to the campsite after a few drinks, so use a flag or some colorful bunting to make your tent stand out and therefore much easier to find.
Safety First
It is more than likely that your phone battery will die within the first day or two so if you are in a large group, use the buddy system and try to stick close to at least one other person during the festival. Also, identifying a meeting place when you first venture through the gates is a brilliant idea so that if one person gets lost, you all know where to meet back up again. Put your most valuable items in a locker, including your passport, car keys, etc. and take a photo of the locker number and password on everyone’s phone in case you lose the slip of paper.
Keep Hydrated and Nourished
Water is absolutely your best friend at a music festival. It is so important to keep yourself well hydrated as you are bound to get hot and sweaty tearing up the dance floors or fist-pumping in the middle of a mosh-pit. Most festivals will give out free water at the bars but it’s also good to come prepared with your own reusable water bottle. At the same time, don’t completely neglect your daily intake of vitamins and minerals. Stock up on fruit and veggies before the festival and make sure you eat well throughout to keep your energy levels up and yourself relatively healthy – your body will thank you for it by the time the last day rolls around.
Step out of your Comfort Zone
Lastly, have fun! Let your hair down, bust your craziest dance moves and try new things. One of the best things about camping at music festivals is that everyone is in the same sweaty, grubby boat as you are so it’s the perfect opportunity to throw caution to the wind and try something new. Whether it’s belting out your favorite song at the karaoke stage, chatting to new people or sampling some unusual cuisines, make the absolute most out of the experience as you will have incredible memories to reminisce on when you are back home wallowing in the post-festival blues.
This is a guest post by Maria Fedele.
Maria is a 28 year old hailing from beautiful South Australia. She is a free-spirited adventurous traveler who loves nothing more than purchasing a one-way ticket and seeing where life takes her. From living in Australia to Paris and now London, Maria has also backpacked her way through Europe, volunteered in Nepal and spent days surfing in Morocco. Perpetually in search of sun, surf and sand, she can’t help but feel a little restless when she isn’t planning her next holiday.
