The Ultimate Festival Survival Guide

Everyone loves a good tune don’t they? 2022 marks a turning point for festivals. Following tentative steps towards normality in 2021 and still under the shade of COVID-19, festivals were back, but not quite at full strength. In an unprecedented move, the king of all festivals, Glastonbury delayed its return and is back and bigger than ever this June. The slew of smaller, more isolated festivals that existed before coronavirus are also back in their hundreds, with nearly every weekend this summer populated by speaker stacks and swathes of tents. Looking further afield, the likes of Coachella have already shown in the US that festival crowds are itching to get back to the fields and let loose.

Whether you’re a seasoned festival attendee with your arm full of wristbands or a camping newbie, there are a few essentials you’ll definitely need. Add to that some other convenient equipment and you’ll soon realise how easy it is to live in comfort when all around you are struggling with damp tents and queues for every essential.

Here are a few essentials we would say are truly needed:

Pack once, pack right: It might sound obvious, but the amount of people who try and traverse a festival, which can sometimes last for up to a week with a simple everyday bag, is amazing. To ensure you can make the festival an enjoyable, pain-free experience, it’s best to invest in something large, sturdy and if you can, weather resistant. After all, who wants to get back to their tent wringing wet and be greeted with damp, cold clothes and sleeping bags? Match your bag to your needs. Taking food and cooking equipment? Then make sure it’s large enough and has enough storage options to cater for your pots, pans, packets of food and more. Is the festival notorious for rain or located far from civilization? Look for backpacks with adaptable features such as rain covers or protective sheets.

Cooking up a storm: Let’s face it, festival food can be a real bind. Thankfully the days of a single burger van serving questionable quality food to an entire field of hungry revellers seems to have been consigned to the past. However, the cavalcade of street food vendors, craft beer tents and other options also means the cost of eating at a festival has got much more expensive and has also created demand that means you’ll be queuing for any sustenance for the duration. Whereas you might not need a full survival kit, a simple stove and perhaps a minipress for that morning caffeine injection can make all the difference. Why not beat the crowds and enjoy your morning brew before you even leave the tent?

Seeing in the dark: There’s nothing worse than tripping over guy ropes on your way back to your tent in the middle of the night, equally, finding the zip on your sleeping back in the dark can be equally challenging. A headlamp can therefore make all the difference. Most festivals will have minimal lighting when it comes to campsites, so anything that helps you find your way can be helpful. Not a fan of strapping a light to your head? Why not invest in a flashlight? More weighty but no less effective, a survival torch could help illuminate your own small section of the campsite too. The summer months boast tons of sunlight but odds are that you’ll need some help finding things, or people, when it’s at its darkest.

Keep it clean: Festivals can be the worst place to try and keep clean. Even with the addition of showers at many gatherings, there’s still a sense of roughing it for many. That said, there’s really no excuse for not at least attempting to remain hygienic. There’s plenty of options available for staying on the right side of ‘festival fresh’. From fast-drying towels, to foldable toothbrushes, and waterless shampoo, there’s ways of maintaining your routine even if those around you are abandoning theirs. Even those who find themselves without a shower block can get washed with a camping shower, there’s really a way to be clean for everyone, even if the facilities aren’t up to scratch.

Always be prepared: At festivals, there’s always that one thing that you leave behind at home that you suddenly find you need on the spot when camping or setting up your immediate social area. It could be scissors to cut a stuck zip, a pair of tweezers for splinters or simply a bottle opener. Having a multi-tool on your side can always help. Rather than carrying a survival knife into a festival, having a multi-tool or pocket tool in your bag or even in your wallet can help immensely. Having multiple functions at your disposal can make what can be a frustrating moment into a stress-free experience in a few seconds.

The main thing to remember is not to overthink your experience, after all you are there to have a good time. Being prepared can mean that you are the hero in your camping group, but also make life easier for yourself. The weather and live music should really be your only concern.

Need a helping hand finding the best festival options? Get in touch with the team via our contact form.