Summer Music festival time is fast approaching, whether you’re heading to Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Bottlerock, Glastonbury or Reading/Leeds, make sure you’re well prepared for a hot weekend in the sun.
First & foremost you want to remember your ticket!
If you’re planning on not spending a lot during the festival try & bring enough food to see you through. You can bring your own beer or other alcohol in plastic bottles but keeping it cool isn’t easy so a cool bag or box is probably a good idea.
You’ll probably want to buy something hot once a day but it can quickly get expensive buying food & drinks (soft drinks & alcoholic beverages I’m talking about) over 2-3 days. For example for 1 person to buy something like a hotdog or burger for lunch & a pint of beer, you’re looking at £10. A proper meal like a curry or fish & chips with peas & a nice cold pint will set you back around £15.
Next thing you’ll need to remember is to NOT bring anything glass (Mirrors, Perfume bottles, Wine, Spirits bottles etc) with you & definitely don’t bring any weapons as you will be searched. It’s also a good idea not to bring any Drones or Sound systems as they will likely be confiscated.
Sun Protection (Yes Mum!)
Goes without saying really, we all know the dangers of being out in the sun for hours. You don’t need sun factor 100 as research has shown anything over factor 50 is overkill unless you’ve got super sensitive skin. Just remember to re-apply every 2-3 hours if you’ve been sweating. Here’s a link to some Sun Protection
As well as sun cream a hat is a good idea if it’s particularly hot as the top of your head can easily burn.
Water & Drink Containers
Downsides to buying a crate of bottled water is you’ll have to carry it at various points & you’ll need somewhere to store it & you’ll have to find a bin to put all the empty bottles in. On the other hand you could buy a reusable or collapsible water/drinks bottle to fill up from the free taps on the festival site. Comes in handy for beer & other drinks as well so it’s a win win.
Camping Options
If you’re camping onsite you’re going to need a tent to sleep in obviously. It doesn’t need to be expensive & if you’re not the camping type it needs to be easily erected. If you’re worried about the security of your possessions while you’re away from your tent, don’t leave anything valuable in there! Most festivals prefer if you don’t bring gazebos as they take up valuable tent space & usually get left behind which is an annoyance for the cleanup team.
Pop up tents are the most convenient & a lot easier to pack away when it comes time to leave. You’ll likely be shattered & all you’ll want to do is go home so you can sleep for the next week.
If you’re comfortable sleeping just in a sleeping bag then just do that but if you’re a person of creature comforts you’re going to want something comfortable to lay on. Like a self-inflating mattress. Some come with pillows attached which is a good way to kill 2 birds with 1 stone.
Phone Charging & Protection
Most festivals allow the recording of video on mobile phones for PERSONAL USE so having a phone that has enough power to see you through the day or a couple of days is handy. While many festivals have charging stations (goCharge, Charge Candy), you’ll either have to be without your phone for a while or take time out from the festival to go find one & wait while it’s charging & no doubt you’ll be paying for the privilege. This is far from ideal & should only really be a backup option in an emergency.
How long does your phone last when in use? probably 3-5 hours if you’re lucky. Most people have power banks these days but if you don’t they are cheap & will keep you topped up all weekend long. The benefits of this are obvious as you can carry on using your mobile while it’s charging.
Of the available power bank options on the market this one inparticular which has 3 LED lights & 3 charging ports & also a solar charger is highly reccommended & at 25000mAh capacity should see a couple of people’s mobiles last the duration. Just don’t forget your charging cable!
Protecting your Mobile Phone from water etc
If you aren’t lucky enough to own a mobile which is already waterproof (even if you do you may wish to keep your phone safe & spotless!). There are a couple of things you can do. You can buy a protective housing which will protect your phone from damage should you drop it or you can buy a waterproof phone pouch which usually comes with a shoulder or wrist strap.
That’s about it! hope you stay safe & have a great time at whichever festival(s) you attend this year.
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