Packing for a Festival - Guest Post

We will be heading off to the Just So Festival later this month and cannot wait as summer to us really is not summer without going to a festival or two. Mr A is now an old hand at camping and festivals but it will be baby A's first one and at 6 months means we will be packing a few extras this year which will be interesting. So when the lovely Fiona, a travel writer for Hipmunk got in touch to do a guest post all about festival packing I thought it would be great to share.

We really enjoyed Beyond the Border festival last year

Chronic over-packers and space savers often run into trouble when packing for a music festival. Unpredictable weather, the need for basic creature comforts and the overwhelming desire to show off your carefully curated festival wardrobe may tempt you to pack everything under the sun. Pay attention to the following tips to pare down your packing to a carry-on size bag without leaving your signature Pharaoh headdress at home.

It’s Not Much, But It’s Home

At day festivals such as Lovebox in the capital or Ultra in Florida, you will likely stay in a hotel in Miami or London, which means you’ve already freed up a lot of space you may have otherwise used for camping gear. But like most festival in the UK they span over the weekend which means camping and that brings on a whole other dilemma. Luckily, you’ve got options. Many festivals offer glamping options for weekend festival goers. You can also coordinate with others in your group and divvy out communal items to make sure you have the essentials.

Mr A in our glamping Bell Tent

Clothing & Other Accessories

Seasoned festival goers know that getting into the festival feel and fashion can be as important as the acts themselves and you wouldn’t want you to miss out on rocking your look due to a lack of space in your bag. The key to fitting all of your flair into a carry-on bag is organization. Packing cubes can be an absolute lifesaver. Roll your clothes to save space, and group like items into the same cube.

Staying Clean

Camping in a field, music, late night food and all the things that go along with a festival often mean you may not be as spotless as usual but thats okay, it's only for the weekend so let your hair down, well to some extent anyway. You may not have room to pack a solar shower but with three lightweight hygiene must-haves - dryer sheets, plastic bags and baby wipes. Tuck the dryer sheets into your bag to keep unused outfits odor free. Use plastic bags to separate dirty laundry from unworn items. And in a pinch, baby wipes are the perfect on-the-go “shower.”

Food & Other Essentials

Making a run to a local grocery store at the beginning of the weekend not only saves you space, but money as well. Stock up on snacks such as granola bars, fruit and nuts to help keep you going in between meal times. You may also want to grab alcohol and mixers for when your relaxing in your tent as drinks inside the venue are usually bought at a premium. If you’re camping, you might also want to pick up paper towels, trash bags and other items for your campsite. Sunscreen is also a huge must-have as sunburn is no fun at all.

Keep Your Cool

Not every festival-goer is lucky enough to have access to a fridge. But investing in a decent cooler box or collapsible cooler that can easily fit in your bag is a must as it will help keep your food and drinks cool and by a 2L milk and placing it at the bottom of the cooler will help keep the temperature down.

While you’re sitting in your apartment, surrounded by a pile of your belongings and wondering if you really can fit everything into a carry-on, remember what music festivals are really about. You’re chasing the sense of freedom that comes along with utterly uninhibited fun. Extra baggage will only weigh you down.

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