Embarking on a festival adventure brings a whirlwind of excitement, but it can also spark a frenzy of packing chaos. Mastering the art of packing is essential for a seamless and unforgettable experience. But fear not! From ingenious packing hacks to must-have essentials, I have curated a list of 10 tips to ensure you’re fully equipped to dance the days away and make memories that last a lifetime.
Please note that while for this guide I’m assuming you’re staying at a hotel, I’m also working on a guide specifically for festival camping, which will be out soon as well!
So, let’s start from the beginning!
1) Make a plan
Start making a list for your must-see bands as well as a packing list as early as possible. The most important part of preparation is planning your entire looks for each day – from clothes and accessories to makeup (if you’re into more creative makeup looks like me). I plan according to the weather forecast and the kind of bands I am going to see each day. Since I’m an industrial dancer, I will choose a comfy outfit to dance in, for the days on which I’m going to see bands from that genre. The big fancy dresses I’ll save for days where I am most likely not moving as much.
And unless you’re the kind of person that will go with a random band shirt and pants, I highly recommend not to just throw some clothes and accessories you like into your suitcase because you’ll “put an outfit together spontaneously when you’re there”. I did this when I went to my first festival and let me just say… it will save you a lot of time and nerves to have everything planned out (and on top of that will keep you from overpacking).
2) Optimal use of space
Rolling your clothes (if possible) will take up less space than folding them. There are plenty of great tutorials on how to “Ranger Roll” your clothes on YouTube! Don’t worry, it’s actually pretty easy.
In General, just try to use all the space you have, put your socks and underwear in your shoes, and so on.
3) Organize
Prevent chaos by packing your outfits and accessories for each day in small plastic bags (like the ones you often get from online shopping) or packing cubes. I also like to pack them into my suitcase in order, the first day goes on top, the clothes I wear for traveling home at the bottom. That way you can just pick the first one from the top and get ready much faster each day. Also if you’re staying at a hostel and/or use a shared bathroom, you can grab the bag and take it to the shower with you and get dressed and ready immediately.
4) Keep your things from breaking
Save some bubble wrap or similar packaging to wrap up headpieces and other things that might break easily. You can also thread your necklaces through straws to keep them from tangling and use tiny boxes (like a mint tin box or pill case), or small makeup bags to store smaller jewelry like rings and earrings.
5) Don’t overpack
Just bring what you’re really going to wear. Think about what you always pack for traveling, but end up never using. Don’t bring clothes you didn’t plan on wearing “just in case”. (Those 5 extra pairs of socks and underwear or the extra set of pajamas you always pack but never need, trust me, you won’t be magically needing them this time either.)
Also if you travel with your partner or a friend, you can coordinate with them and share some items (especially toiletries.)
6) Travel size items
Speaking of toiletries: most of them also come in small travel sizes, from toothpaste to shampoo or hairspray bottles. You can usually refill those after use, or directly buy a set of empty containers from a drug store of your choice.
I even bought a tiny travel size hair straightener last year. It was incredibly cheap (under 10€) but works perfectly fine!
Investing in travel size items is definitely the one thing that saves me the most space and weight in my suitcase!
And in case you don’t have anything to safely store your toiletries in and are afraid of them leaking, just remove the caps, put some cling wrap over the top and put the cap back on. This will seal the bottle and keep it from spilling.
7) Shoes
I know, I know.
Especially us girls are trying to look our best when attending events like this. However, do yourself a favor and leave those high heels at home. Compromise between comfort and fashion, and, if you’re unable to, always pick comfort over fashion when it comes to shoes. You will be walking, jumping, dancing,… A lot. For multiple days in a row. And if you end up with blisters on day 1, you will regret it.
8) Food
Now this comes down to personal preference (and money), some people like to only pack snacks, others like to eat breakfast at the hotel and eat out during the day, and some also pack everything from breakfast to full meals for when they return to the hotel. I’m one of the latter, mainly since I can’t afford eating out everyday.
Either way, I can highly recommend to at least pack some snacks and something to have for breakfast (or booking it at your hotel.) It will save you a ton of time in the mornings!
Another thing to consider is, depending on the event you’re at, you might not be able to easily get food late at night. Or early in the morning. Or you might notice all stores being closed on Sundays (like here in Germany), or even come to an event during a bank holiday (at the WGT, Monday is always a bank holiday!)
Conclusion: I bring my own breakfast and dinner and only eat something small during the day when I get hungry at the event and have no options to access my own food.
9) Shopping
Save some space in your suitcase and/or bring an extra tote bag in case you are buying some new things at the event. Even if you aren’t planning to, you most likely will…
10) Don’t forget the essentials
- first aid kit including bandaids, wound spray/antiseptic (I use Rivanol on literally anything, wounds, allergic rashes, insect bites,…), painkillers, blister plasters, cold medicine (like Aspirin complex), Elotrans or something similar, sunburn gel (Aloe Vera) – the one time I desperately needed a first aid kit was the one time I forgot to bring one!
- prescription medication (birth control, allergy pills, diabetic kit,…)
- toiletries, skin care, feminine hygiene products
- makeup
- phone charger and power bank
- earplugs
- foldable cup
- umbrella
- sunscreen
- coat for cold nights
- towel and pillowcase (I prefer bringing my own when staying in hotels)
- a small handbag/backpack to not get in trouble with security
While these are my personal strategies, hacks and essentials for traveling specifically to festivals, I am curious to know how you go about festival packing and preparation. Do you just throw half your closet into your suitcase and arrive at the hotel with like 100 extra bags? Do you plan everything out just to change it all over again at the last minute? Let me and the other readers know in the comment section!
Hopefully you’re well prepared now!
And a little less stressed as you gear up for your next festival adventure.
Remember it’s not the end of the world if you forget something. Most people you will meet at events are super nice and will help you out!
And I’m not gonna lie, none of these hacks will probably keep you from turning your room into a battle scene either…
So, have fun dancing ’til dawn, enjoying your favorite bands together, making new friends, and embracing the spirit of festivity wherever your journey takes you. See you at the next festival!
This was super helpful for my first time at the wgt!!
Happy to hear that! 🦇