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The Ultimate Music Festival Checklist: Essential List of What to Pack for Festival Camping

A Complete Checklist for Music Festival Packing

The Ultimate Music Festival Checklist is your go-to list of what to pack for Festival Camping this summer and covers all the essential items you should remember to take with you. Even if you have been to a dozen festivals in the past it is still a good idea to use a checklist to make sure you don’t forget anything important. This list of things to take to a festival is based on your average 3 – 4 day Weekend Festival, however, can be adjusted in the clothes and food / drink department for shorter or longer festival checklists.

This Ultimate Music Festival Checklist of essentials is only a guide but if you have never been to a music festival before and are unsure of what to take then you won’t be able to fully anticipate what you are in for. You are going to get dirty, smelly, tired and probably hung over but the good news is… So is everybody else! You don’t need 3 changes of clothes per day, just take items that you really need and if possible, reuse things wherever possible. Carrying all your gear miles through a packed campsite is not fun or even necessary, pack wisely and make do with what you take.

Ultimate Music Festival Checklist Essentials

Cash – Cash is king at a festival but be sure to take plenty as festival cashpoints are expensive and unreliable.

– Cash is king at a festival but be sure to take plenty as festival cashpoints are expensive and unreliable. Tickets / ID/ Credit Cards – Obviously your tickets are the most important thing to take to a music festival but your id and credit cards should all be kept together in a safe and secure place on your person.

– Obviously your tickets are the most important thing to take to a music festival but your id and credit cards should all be kept together in a safe and secure place on your person. Mobile Phone – I don’t recommend taking an expensive smartphone but if you must then make sure it is fully charged and the apps are disabled to save power. Instead of risk losing or damaging your smartphone take a cheap cell phone which doesn’t matter if you lose it.

– I don’t recommend taking an expensive smartphone but if you must then make sure it is fully charged and the apps are disabled to save power. Instead of risk losing or damaging your smartphone take a cheap cell phone which doesn’t matter if you lose it. Power Bank – How to recharge your phone at a festival? A modern day essential for festival goers with technology. Phones, Cameras, Speakers and MP3’s will all need charging at some point and a basic power bank will easily keep your gadgets charged at a festival.

– How to recharge your phone at a festival? A modern day essential for festival goers with technology. Phones, Cameras, Speakers and MP3’s will all need charging at some point and a basic power bank will easily keep your gadgets charged at a festival. Head Torch and spare Batteries – Forget the handheld torch, head torches keep your hands free and can be easily attached to the roof of your tent. No Ultimate Music Festival Checklist would be complete without some spare batteries.

Camping Gear for Weekend Festivals

Tent – You might want your own tent and privacy and that’s fine, just make sure you don’t go bigger than a 2 man tent or people will want to bunk with which kind of defeats the point. If you prefer to share with friends then always get a tent large enough for everybody’s gear and a large porch area is a massive bonus for night time chilling. Check out these for 6 people.

– You might want your own tent and privacy and that’s fine, just make sure you don’t go bigger than a 2 man tent or people will want to bunk with which kind of defeats the point. If you prefer to share with friends then always get a tent large enough for everybody’s gear and a large porch area is a massive bonus for night time chilling. Check out these for 6 people. Sleeping Bag – Don’t get the cheapest sleeping bag you can find, instead get something that will actually keep you warm on a night. At the same time, you don’t want a winter sleeping bag for a summer music festival as a rising sun will boil you in the bag.

– Don’t get the cheapest sleeping bag you can find, instead get something that will actually keep you warm on a night. At the same time, you don’t want a winter sleeping bag for a summer music festival as a rising sun will boil you in the bag. Sleeping Mat – Always, always, always take a sleeping mat. One of the most overlooked items to take to a festival is a sleeping mat. Even the cheapest sleeping mat will raise you off the ground and stop you losing all your body heat but also give you at least some comfort on often uneven ground.

– Always, always, always take a sleeping mat. One of the most overlooked items to take to a festival is a sleeping mat. Even the cheapest sleeping mat will raise you off the ground and stop you losing all your body heat but also give you at least some comfort on often uneven ground. Pillow Case – A good way to separate your clothes from your other outdoor gear, you can also use it as a pillow with your softer clothes on a night.

Clothing Guide for Music Festivals

Most music festivals are held from late spring through until late summer so you should be expecting (hoping for) some nice weather, things don’t always turn out that way. As the saying goes, “hope for the best but plan for the worst”, which is why this Ultimate Music Festival Checklist should be looked at before every big event. Even if you don’t think it will rain, a disposable rain poncho costs about a dollar and takes up next to no space in your pack so just take one for the hell of it.

Food and Drink Ideas for Music Festivals

In this Ultimate Music Festival Checklist, I personally recommend taking minimal food and trying out as many of the food vendors as possible for 3 solid meals a day plus some fruit and snacks back at the tent. I used to take lots of food but found myself buying the festival food anyway and wasting a lot of the stuff I took. Now I just take a few bits that I know I will eat.

Fruit – Melons, Oranges, Apples, Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Grapes and Limes (for drinks).

– Melons, Oranges, Apples, Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Grapes and Limes (for drinks). Cereal Bars – The kind with peanuts and yogurt are my favorite.

– The kind with peanuts and yogurt are my favorite. Chocolate – For midnight cravings or group treats.

– For midnight cravings or group treats. Nuts – Perfect for snacking and a great energy source.

– Perfect for snacking and a great energy source. Peanut Butter – Because it’s nice on everything.

– Because it’s nice on everything. Orange Juice Boxes – For morning refreshment and for mixing drinks.

– For morning refreshment and for mixing drinks. Ginger Beer – The perfect mixer for any spirit (along with orange juice)

– The perfect mixer for any spirit (along with orange juice) Cordial – Sometimes the water at festivals can taste chemically and cordial is the easiest way to hide it.

– Sometimes the water at festivals can taste chemically and cordial is the easiest way to hide it. Spirits – Rum is my choice but Vodka, Gin, Whiskey or other liquor should be decanted into a plastic container so it doesn’t get confiscated at the gate. Mix your spirit of choice with 1 part alcohol to 3 parts ginger beer and 1 art orange juice for a festive cocktail. Try it if you haven’t already.

– Rum is my choice but Vodka, Gin, Whiskey or other liquor should be decanted into a plastic container so it doesn’t get confiscated at the gate. Mix your spirit of choice with 1 part alcohol to 3 parts ginger beer and 1 art orange juice for a festive cocktail. Try it if you haven’t already. Beer – A mix lager and ale works best for me.

– A mix lager and ale works best for me. Cider – Cider can be a refreshing change from warm lager.

– Cider can be a refreshing change from warm lager. Wine – A box of wine is a wise investment and tends to stay quite cool in those foil bags.

*This Ultimate Music Festival Checklist recommends that you always drink responsibly.

Toiletries

Suncream – If the sun is out there are often very little places to hide. Tents tend to get very hot and stuffy in the sun and unless you cover yourself in sun cream you run the risk of getting very burnt.

– If the sun is out there are often very little places to hide. Tents tend to get very hot and stuffy in the sun and unless you cover yourself in sun cream you run the risk of getting very burnt. Hand Sanitizer – Don’t rely on the event to provide consistent facilities to clean your hands after using festival toilets.

– Don’t rely on the event to provide consistent facilities to clean your hands after using festival toilets. Ear Plugs – These will be a lifesaver to anyone who values their sleep and block out those annoying snorers, party animals, and early risers.

– These will be a lifesaver to anyone who values their sleep and block out those annoying snorers, party animals, and early risers. Toothbrush and Toothpaste – Cleaning your teeth on a morning can help you feel human again.

– Cleaning your teeth on a morning can help you feel human again. Baby Wipes – Or as they are known on this Ultimate Music Festival Checklist, “a festival shower”.

– Or as they are known on this Ultimate Music Festival Checklist, “a festival shower”. Deodorant – Again another alternative to showers when you have no other options.

– Again another alternative to showers when you have no other options. Micro Towel – Just in case there are showers or you clumsy friend spills a beer inside your tent.

– Just in case there are showers or you clumsy friend spills a beer inside your tent. Prescription Medicine – You know what’s going on but tell a good friend in case of an emergency.

– You know what’s going on but tell a good friend in case of an emergency. Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Rennie etc…

Toilet Paper –

Contraception – Fingers crossed.

Festival Checklist for Girls

Dry Shampoo – Taking a shower is not always possible and dry shampoo is a great alternative.

– Taking a shower is not always possible and dry shampoo is a great alternative. Tampons / Pads / Diva Cup – Along with all your regular feminine products.

– Along with all your regular feminine products. 2 x Bras – 1 regular bra and 1 sports bra is a good combination.

– 1 regular bra and 1 sports bra is a good combination. Swimsuit – Can be used as extra underwear or bra if not for swimming or getting wet.

– Can be used as extra underwear or bra if not for swimming or getting wet. Bandanna – Can be worn as a fashion accessory or to keep your hair up.

– Can be worn as a fashion accessory or to keep your hair up. Leggings

2 x Skirts – Take instead of pants if you like your skirts and summer dresses.

Optional Extras

Camping Chair – If the ground gets wet or you spend a lot of time at camp then a chair is just what you need.

– If the ground gets wet or you spend a lot of time at camp then a chair is just what you need. Duct Tape

Lighter – A good thing to have even if you don’t smoke.

– A good thing to have even if you don’t smoke. Pocket Knife or Multitool – Cut fruit and complete other odd tasks you get asked to complete at a festival.

– Cut fruit and complete other odd tasks you get asked to complete at a festival. Bin Liners – For camp litter and emergency waterproofing.

– For camp litter and emergency waterproofing. Umbrella – While umbrellas can be annoying for the people behind you in an audience, they have their place at a music festival

– While umbrellas can be annoying for the people behind you in an audience, they have their place at a music festival Flag – Find your tent in a field full of tents or find your friends in a crowd of people when you need to find a toilet.

– Find your tent in a field full of tents or find your friends in a crowd of people when you need to find a toilet. Music and Speakers – Unless the music goes on all night you will be glad you took these.

– Unless the music goes on all night you will be glad you took these. Cooking Stove, Fuel, and Cutlery – While a great way to save money, you add a lot of hassle and extra weight when you add a stove and the rest of the gear to your pack load.

Thanks for reading the Ultimate Music Festival Checklist of Essentials and be sure to share it with all your friends before you go.