Packing for a festival

Packing the right stuff can make the difference between festival heaven and becoming a soggy, sunburned, stolen-from mess.

"That should be enough tribal tops."

How much should I take?

Only pack what you can carry. Car parks and camp sites are usually about two million miles apart. You don’t want to spend half a day lugging things around. And anyway, you can always pick up a lot of the stuff you need from the site shops – although be warned it will cost you more.

Should I take valuables to a festival?

Don’t bring anything of value to a festival – that means leaving all your favourite jewellery and your new tablet at home. Many festivals have property lock-ups – useful if you buy something you don’t want nicked or you fear your unsteady hands may accidentally drop your camera into the loos after too much beer.

Festival day trippers

If you’re just down for the day you still need to be prepared. Look to bring:

• Money – Most sites have cash machines (with huge queues) but take enough cash to at least cover the essentials. Keep it in separate pockets or places in your bag to minimise the damage if anything’s nicked.
• Water bottle – Refill it at the water points as and when the need arises.
• Sun block – See The Mix’s sun safety info.
• Raincoat – Or a wearable bin liner, whatever takes your fancy.
• Sensible shoes – Flip flops or high heels may be your style, but it won’t be much use in six inches of mud. Solid trainers or boots are a must and wellies are usually a very good idea.
• Warm jacket or sweatshirt – It may be summer, but it is Britain.
• Phone – Reception willing, you’ll be able to find your friends.
• Camera – Just don’t lose it.

Camping fever

Overnighters need to be doubly prepared. As well as the above stuff they should also remember:

• Tent – Unless you’re a bit of an exhibitionist. Even if you’re not planning on sleeping it’s nice to have the option.
• Torch – Night-time toilet trips made much easier.
• Sleeping bag – Not a posh one, you’ll weep if it’s nicked.
• Knife/Can opener – If you plan to cook your own food.
• Bog Roll – One roll should do it.
• Matches/Lighter/sticks to rub together – Fire = warmth.
• Enough clothes for three days – Wet clothes aren’t nice. In a word: chaffing.
• Soap, deodorant, etc – Just because it’s a festival doesn’t mean you should stink.
• Wet wipes – A festival essential – the best way to stay clean-ish without leaving your tent.
• Condoms – See The Mix’s safe sex info.
• Booze, fags etc – Whatever your poison may be, but remember there will be police, probably with their trusty sniffer dogs (UK drug laws still exist within the perimeter fence) and you usually aren’t allowed glass bottles.
• Socks – lots of them, to keep your feet warm toasty and not gangrene-y.
• Bin liners – they have so many uses, you can sit on them, wear them, put dirty clothes in them – just don’t confuse your dirty festival gear with a bag of rubbish.

Festival first aid

Take some basic first aid with you, just in case:

• Plasters – they keep festival grime out of those tender nicks and cuts and are priceless when blisters set in. Haemostatic plasters contain seaweed to help blood clot quickly.
• Diarrhoea treatment – For this you have several options. Tablets help clear up diarrhoea when your insides seem to be running away from you. If you’ve got severe food poisoning, visit the festival medical centre. Oral rehydration sachets replace fluid lost by sickness, diarrhoea or a hangover.
• Eye drops – to soothe tired, morning-after peepers, but make sure you’ve bought a safe brand if you wear contact lenses.
• Contraception – If you’re on any medication, including the contraceptive pill, take enough with you to last through your time away. And chuck in a few condoms, just in case, even if you end up ‘lending’ them to your mates.

Festival luxury!

We know of a couple who took a futon mattress, posh linen, a fruit bowl and an espresso pot with them to Glastonbury one year. All very nice, but hardly essential. Those with extravagant camping tastes may go for:

• Mattress – Remember what we said about carrying stuff?
• Camp stove – If the festival’s regulations allow it and you can carry it, the camp stove can cut your food costs right down.
• Pillow – Some might call this an essential, but bunched up clothes work just as well.
• Portable hair drier and straighteners – Oh dear. Why are you at a festival? Go home.