As festival season approaches, many of us are preparing for adventures that combine our love for music, community and culture. Whether you’re an experienced festival-goer or a first-time camper, ensuring you have all the essentials is crucial for an enjoyable experience.
In this guide, we’ll delve into the must-have items for festival camping, from practical gear to those special touches that keep your spirit alive even in the great outdoors.
1) Camping Gear
First, we will cover the basics:
- You will need a tent. Probably. Small inexpensive ones will do for a festival weekend, for easy setup I suggest getting a pop-up tent, but if you are feeling fancy and want to protect yourself a little more from the heat, you can use a blackout tent.
- small rubber mallet or something similar for tent pegs
- Sleeping pad or air mattress
- Sleeping bag
- WARM blanket (it will often get very cold at night!)
- Pillow (or stuff sack/pillowcase filled with clothes), there are even small inflatable ones for camping.
2) Cooking Supplies
- camping stove (or powerstation + immersion heater/ electric kettle/ hotplate)
- camping cookware set + eating utensils (deep plate that works as both plate and bowl, cup, cutlery)
- water canister/ water bags (foldable ones to save space)
- lighter
- dish soap (for washing hands and dishes)
3) Food Ideas
- instant noodles
- canned foods (beans, lentils, chickpeas, corn, meat or veggies, soup, fruits)
- tortellini or other pasta, tomato sauce, instant rice (most microwave rice dishes can also be fried, read the labels!), dry soup, instant porridge, instant mashed potatoes, pickles
- bouillon powder/ -cubes are a lifesaver!
- ready to eat snacks (cookies, small raisin/ chocolate breads, tea-cakes, crackers, bake rolls, nuts, dried fruits, granola bars, protein bars, rice waffles, … preferably something without chocolate/ that doesn’t melt)
- toast, crispbread (like wasa bread), canned bread
- processed cheese
- peanut butter
- hazelnut spread
- jelly
- instant coffee or tea, iced tea bags for cold tea
- spice or seasoning mixes or sauce mix, instant soup packs (use as seasoning for food, they don’t need to be made like the instructions say on the package)
- stock cubes
4) Clothing and Other Essentials
- first aid kit including some basic travel medications
- prescription medication (birth control, allergy pills, diabetic kit,…)
- sunscreen and bug spray
- toiletries, skin care, feminine hygiene products (travel sizes)
- towel and bathing suit/bikini if you want to
- small mirror and makeup if you are a makeup person (plan ahead and bring only what you need, you don’t need 5 palletes, 3 liners and 20 brushes)
- phone charger and power bank
- earplugs (!!!)
- sleep mask, especially if you don’t have a blackout tent
- hat/bandana/thin scarf for sun protection
- flip-flops to wear on the campground
- paper towels and wet wipes
- foldable cup or water bag to bring to the infield
- rain cape + rain boots (check weather forecast)
- winter coat or warm sweater for cold nights
- a small purse or backpack to take to the infield
- trash bags (we will not leave a trace!)
5) Optional Things
- Handcart (foldable or sturdy, unless you plan to go in with a backpack and a tent I would highly recommend investing in a good quality one)
- some sort of garden tent if you’re a large group (preferably a folding gazebo) or a beach tent or a big parasol (if they are allowed)
- cooler box (helps to insulate drinks)
- camp shower (showering, washing hands, dishes etc)
- picnic blanket
- camping chair and table (or use something else, eg. cooling box)
- small light for your tent
- duct tape, extra rope, sewing kit, scissors (all helpful but I don’t bring them usually)
- hot water bottle (for cold nights)
6) General Tips
- for anything you bring, aim for small, foldable, lightweight (preferably trekking optimized) stuff and buy travel sizes
- be realistic, bring the essentials and don’t overpack on outfits or things you don’t really need and can somehow live without for a couple of days
- especially for outfits, use stuff sacks/ packing cubes or small bags to save space and keep your tent organized
- learn to ranger roll your clothes, it will save even more space
- read and follow campground and infield rules (they can be very different from each other, some events won’t even allow camping stoves or simple items like parasols!)
In the end, see for yourself what you need from this list and what things you can live without. And remember, even if you end up forgetting something, the festival community will be there to support you!
Just ask some of your neighbors, I am sure they are more than happy to help!
If you want to add to this list, just leave a comment down below! I am more than happy to include your suggestions!
And don’t forget to check out these 10 Festival packing hacks & essentials as well!
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