How to Prepare Your Luggage to Attend a Festival

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

The best way to really relax and enjoy the spirit of a festival is to take a lot of time and effort to make sure you have everything you might need in advance. Obviously, "everything" must be balanced, since then you have to drag your luggage from the car to the camping area, and this in practice means that there is no space for anything useless!

Although this article assumes you are traveling by car, most of the things to pack are valid for any type of transport you take to reach the festival, to ensure a pleasant, safe and comfortable experience.

Steps

Step 1. Choose suitable bags to put all your stuff in

Consider how you will have to move around the festival area, and the distance from the car to the area where you intend to camp or sit. In most cases, hiking backpacks are the best choice, and the simplest. Suitcases are difficult to carry over long distances and tend to be bulky when passing through crowds. Forget about anything that has wheels - they could easily get bogged down and won't spin on the ground.

• A trolley or wheelbarrow can be useful if you have the space to carry them, but only use something sturdy and with large wheels, especially if mud is expected.
• Along with a large backpack, consider bringing a smaller one in which you can carry things during the day as you move around the festival. Either that, or get some clothes with very large pockets, as long as there is no problem with pickpockets, in which case keep all valuables safe.
• CamelBak® backpacks (found at Decathlon) are great for festivals, because their water bags allow you to carry liquids that you can drink thanks to a built-in tube.

Step 2. Choose suitable sleeping equipment

Of course you will need a tent and a sleeping bag. There are several very light mats nowadays, try to get one that does not need a pump to be inflated, to make life easier and reduce the amount of objects you have to carry around. The lighter option is to sleep on your clothes. Pillows can be luxury items, but they make camping a better experience and you can place them between your backpack and your back to carry with you. Or look for a camping pillow that can be crumpled during transport and inflated before use.

Step 3. Wear the right clothes

Festival clothing should be extravagant and fun, anything goes! However, you also need to consider the weather and be prepared for any kind of eventuality. Even though it is guaranteed it won't rain, avoid wearing jeans, as they get caked in mud and are horrible to wear when they are soaked. Instead, wear shorts (or short skirts with leggings / socks and rubber boots), or those light trousers usually used for hiking and cycling (choose a pair that wash and dry quickly).

• Sandals are not recommended if you intend to approach the stage, they could step on your toes! Wear shoes or boots that protect your precious little feet, in case someone wants to jump on them. However, bring sandals or flip-flops for the shower (if any), because you shouldn't do it barefoot.
• Bringing a waxed / raincoat / poncho or other rain cover is a good idea if you know there will be bad weather. Otherwise you can make your own on the spot with a trash bag, so be sure to bring some just in case.
• A bandana is a versatile accessory. It can be worn wet to keep you cool, and if impregnated with some repellent substance, it can even keep bugs out. Plus it doesn't let the hair go over the eyes and gives a very cool look.

Step 4. Pack something to carry the water

Your best bet would be to bring a resealable container, but a large plastic bottle will do as well. If the bottle doesn't have a carrying mechanism, get one or build it so you don't have to hold it all day. If you hang it on you it won't bother you.

Step 5. Be prepared for different ways of eating

You will need to eat. The amount of food to take with you and what to buy on the spot depend on (a) how much money you have with you, (b) how close the tent is to the stage, (c) how willing you are to drag yourself along. Here are some ideas for being self-reliant:

• If you plan to cook, you will need to bring along a compact camping stove with fuel, a frying pan and some lightweight plastic dishes. Another option is to bring a flask and buy boiled water at some stalls to be able to use it for cooking (noodles and other precooked foods can be cooked simply by adding hot water to a bowl). It can be useful to have a can opener handy (but a Swiss army knife is enough).

  

• Rice, pasta, ramen and couscous are often found precooked, and it is only necessary to add hot water. Try to get the kind that you can eat straight out of the package, so you don't have to carry too many dishes with you. Instant noodles and pre-cooked soups are fine.

  

• Other foods that do not go bad and do not require cooking are: sausages, tuna cans, dried meat, wurstel, cheese, yogurt to drink, dried fruit, unleavened wraps (pita or carasau bread), muesli, cereal bars, chocolate / chocolate bars and of course the Pringles (the tube protects them and can be used as an emergency chamber pot!

  

• If you want hot drinks, consider packing tea bags, coffee (packaged in self-sealing plastic bags), hot chocolate, powdered milk and sweeteners.

  

Step 6. Don't carry glass with you

Festivals wouldn't be festivals without hundreds of spirits. As with food, they can often be found directly there, but if you decide to bring them from home, here's how: Not carry glass bottles with you. If they find them they will be confiscated from you due to the potential danger of broken glass. Bring some beer or cider in cans, wine in bags, and spirits in plastic bottles. If you are not fussy about flavor, you can reduce the weight of your luggage by bringing pre-mixed drinks, such as rum and coke or gin / vodka lemon.

• Remember to pack an empty bottle to mix the drinks.
• You may need some energy drink or some vitamin supplement.
• Find out in advance if the festival is allowed to bring alcoholic beverages from outside.

Step 7. Bring the bare essentials for your personal hygiene

Everyone starts to smell the same at festivals, so there's no need to fret unnecessarily. Bring a toothbrush, toothpaste, comb or brush, deodorant, and, for women, tampons or sanitary pads as needed. These should be all the items you should need, leave your night creams and aftershaves at home. A small towel that dries quickly is great if you're planning on showering at the festival.

• Bring sunscreen and insect repellent. Sunscreen can melt in the heat, so wrap it in newsprint and keep it in the shade. Some festivals offer sunscreens or supply them on tap to avoid problems in case of spillage.

  

• Wet wipes will help you stay clean and clean the dishes. Try to carry things that you can use for different purposes.

  

• Pack patches (especially useful if you get blisters on your feet), headache pills, and throat lozenges, along with any other medicine you might need.

  

• Earplugs may be useful, both for groups that play too loudly and for peaceful sleep.

  

Step 8. Pack a small arsenal of useful tools

A simple kit can help you repair or replace broken or forgotten items. Bring electrical tape, safety pins, laces, rubber bands, and a roll of thick garbage bags. The latter have many uses: you can sit upstairs, use them as a raincoat, line your shoes if they break, and keep dirty clothes separate from clean ones.

Other items you might need include: a roll of toilet paper, a Swiss army knife, lighter, flashlight (hand cranked ones are great), portable phone charger (solar is perfect), self-sealing pouches (for holding the phone and other things dry in case of rain), camera (with memory card and spare batteries), and small bills (exchanging very large bills is difficult at a festival)

Step 9. If you have the space and you are interested, you can bring other items

Depending on the festival, you may want to bring one or more of these things:

• Flags or placards.
• Extravagant clothes, face paint, armrests, jewelry, makeup, henna tattoos, etc.
• A magazine or a book, a deck of cards, games.
• Luminous bars.
• Binoculars.
• A picnic basket.
• Umbrella.
• Watermelon or orange vodka.
• Cigarettes (or take the opportunity to quit!).
• Condoms.
• Portable barbecue.
• Cool bag.
• Addresses of friends to send postcards from the festival.

Step 10. Help the children pack if they are coming too

Kids in general love festivals, but it takes a little more preparation to make sure they are happy and safe. Bike trolleys are ideal for transporting them along with all their belongings, but be sure to bring a lock, or some drunk passerby could steal it! Use a marker to write your cell phone number on their arms, clothes, and earmuffs for when they get sleepy or get lost. Make sure you explain to them what they should do and where they should go if they get lost. Setting rules about wandering is always better than guessing in hindsight.

• Bring something to keep them busy that doesn't make too much noise, doesn't need batteries, and isn't made up of many parts. Things like soap bubbles, stilts, and streamers are a lot of fun.
• Make sure they have their own camera, even if they are disposable, their favorite stuffed animal (with name, phone number and email in case it gets lost!) And an extravagant costume.
• Bring some sweets or some other delicacy all for them.

Step 11. Prepare for the journey to the festival

You will need: tickets, precise address of the place, a map / sat nav, roadside assistance number (check if your roadside assistance covers the outward journey, some may just take you home if you have a breakdown). If your car is small, you may want to invest in real roof racks or roof racks. You may also need bungee cords to hold curtains and other things on the roof of the car.

• Remember to bring sunglasses, car charger for your phone, and CDs from the bands playing at the festival to get in the mood.
• Collect packs of salt / pepper / cream for coffee and other condiments from roadside gas stations.
• When you arrive, mark the place where you parked your car on your phone, because you may forget it after a few days!

Step 12. When you get back to the car after the festival, you will probably be exhausted, hungry, cold and probably drenched

Leave a bag with warm, dry clothes, soft socks, a drink, snacks, a towel and some relaxing music in the car. This way you will make the return trip much more enjoyable, and it can be a comforting thought during the festival, especially when it is too cold or too hot!