Summer is almost here, which means a whole slew of festivals await partygoers of all ages and backgrounds. While festivals vary widely depending on music, activities, and themes, one very common thread among them all is camping and enjoying the great outdoors. With that core concept in mind, here are 5 festival camping essentials that will help you enjoy your summer of fun in safety and comfort.
1. The Right Tent
Festivals tend to bring out the whimsy in people, which means costumes, fuzzy blankets, hula hoops, and other gear you probably wouldn’t take on an ordinary camping trip. For this factor alone, you’ll want to make sure you bring a tent that will accommodate your bedding and whatever extras you want to have for the festival, which can typically be done by upping the tent capacity by one. However, where camping space will be limited, don’t bring an 8-person tent just for yourself — unless of course, you plan on sharing with new festival friends!
2. Portable Lighting
Although there will likely be good lighting around the stages and main areas, there may not be so much in the camping areas, and there will be tons of foreign objects for you to trip over, like guy lines, camp furniture, and probably a few people. Make sure to bring a headlamp, flashlight, or keychain light so that you can navigate your way around in the dark when overhead lighting is scarce.
3. Fluids
One of the biggest mistakes people make when going to festivals is assuming there will be adequate vending. While food and drink vendors are typically an integral part of a good festival, there is always a chance that supplies could run short. Make sure you have plenty of fluids in the way of water, juices, energy drinks, and electrolyte drinks in your tent so you can replenish at any time. Festivals have a tendency to really sap your energy and resources without you noticing too much because you’re having fun, so don’t forget to hydrate whenever you can!
4. Power Source
Many festivals these days have power stations where you can get a little juice for your electronics, but these are often very popular and can have long wait times. While it’s best to conserve your battery as much as possible so you can stay in contact with friends and the people you’re traveling with, consider getting a solar charging kit. They are getting more inexpensive all the time as more manufacturers produce their own models, and can really save the day when you need to make that call or send a message.
5. Earplugs
If you’re new to festival camping, it is wise not to have any illusions of the campground being quiet when you’re ready to go to bed. It will be noisy away from the stages and main grounds, likely even more so, and there is no real curfew for festival campgrounds. Once everyone gets back to their camp, they will be riled up from having a great day and will be ready to party. Although they will not completely silence the noise around you, a good pair of earplugs is definitely one of the festival camping essentials. Another great option is an audio player and a set of earphones, so you can drift off into a blissful slumber marching to the beat of your own favorite drummer — not the bongo players next door.
Related articles: 3 Tips for Camping at Summer Meltdown Festival & Tips for Camping at the Big Up Festival
Featured Image from Joey Thompson/Unsplash
