Summer festivals are about music, new experiences, and the opportunity to spend a few days away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. To make sure nothing distracts you from enjoying the festival, you should think through all the details of the trip in advance: from clothing and essentials to navigation tools, tickets, and mobile internet access.
For example, many travelers activate an eSIM from eSIM Plus in advance to use maps, instant messengers, and other online services as soon as they arrive. With that taken care of, preparing for the festival is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.
Let’s look at how to prepare for such an event so your experience is enjoyable, rather than stressful.
Before You Leave Home
Below are some general tips that will be useful to you at any event, no matter how many hours or days it lasts.
1. Prepare for both rain and direct sunlight. Be prepared to protect yourself from both: a light raincoat, a hat, and, if necessary, sunscreen — choose what you need based on the weather forecast.
2. Stay hydrated. Bring some with you, if the rules of the event allow, or buy it at the venue. In the heat, this is crucial.
3. Wear closed-toe shoes to protect your feet.
4. Choose versatile clothing so that it’s not hot during the day and not cold in the evening. For example, a T-shirt and shorts (or a dress), and for the evening — a long-sleeve shirt or a light jacket.
5. Check the rules for the event beforehand. Find out where the toilets, food courts, parking, and first-aid station will be located. Check whether you can bring food and drinks with you (and which ones) — the organizers of each event set their own rules on this.
6. It is best to print out the tickets — this way you will get through security faster.
Packing for a City Festival
Let’s start with the simplest scenario: you’re attending an open-air concert in your city. You won’t have to spend the night in a tent and cook your own food — which certainly makes things easier.
The fewer things you take with you, the easier it will be, because you will have to carry them with you all the time. It is better to keep your documents and money in an inside pocket, and one that you won’t remove and accidentally leave somewhere. Put the rest in a small backpack that won’t get in your way or anyone else’s.
Don’t forget to check your phone’s battery life — it’s probably worth grabbing a power bank.
It will probably be impossible to enter the venue with your own food and drinks — it is better to check this on the official website of the event. In any case, there are food courts at major city festivals.
Camping Festival Checklist
If you plan to attend a festival that lasts several days, then you will need to prepare more thoroughly. A tent, a sleeping bag and a gas burner are the first and most important things to take care of.
The gear you choose will depend on how you’re traveling. Driving to the festival makes packing much easier: the amount and weight of luggage are limited only by the volume of the trunk. Therefore, you can afford an air mattress, clothes for all occasions, a wide range of food, and a portable cooler. If you don’t have a tent, then you can sleep in the car.
If you’re traveling on foot, then your back will feel every kilogram, and very soon you will want to start shedding unnecessary weight. Therefore, the tent should be lighter, the sleeping bag smaller, and the clothes as versatile as possible. Sharing gear with friends is a great solution. If your company has at least someone with a car, then you can leave the extra gear in their car, and travel light.
Be sure to think about what you’ll eat throughout the festival. A food court is a good option, but, firstly, it will be expensive, and secondly, there are usually long queues. If you are ready for this, then take a small supply of food that will keep you going when the food court is closed or you don’t want to go there at all.
If you have a gas burner with you, you can provide yourself with a simple, but hot, filling, and affordable meal. You should not rely on campfires: it is simply forbidden to light campfires at many festivals. If they are allowed, then you will have to bring firewood with you — with so many people, it is unlikely that you will find any firewood, it will run out very quickly within a couple of kilometers of the campsite.
Be sure to bring insect repellent with you, and anti-itch cream from insect bites will not hurt. Just in case, you also need a first aid kit with a basic set: antiseptic, bandage, adhesive bandages, pain relievers and fever reducers.
Choose clothing that you have options for hot weather, and for a cool evening, and in case of rain. Shorts (skirt, dress) are optimal during the day. For the evening — long pants, they will protect both from the cold and from mosquitoes. In the rain, you should wear waterproof boots to walk through puddles in comfort. If you are someone who gets cold easily, then at night you will need thermal underwear or a soft suit in which it will be comfortable to sleep.
In heavy rain, jeans will do you a disservice — they quickly absorb water and get heavier, and then dry for a very long time. If the weather forecast looks bad, think about clothes made from fabrics that will dry faster. Fleece is a great option — it keeps you warm even when wet.
Going to a Festival with Kids
You’re brave, and for taking children to a festival. Having children with you will require you to concentrate much more, but in general, parents are used to it — after all. To begin with, there are a few general rules that apply to children of any age.
1. Make sure your children have access to shade. Set up your spot that they can easily hide from the sun. Hats and sunscreen are required — children overheat much faster than adults. It is worth adding after-sun lotion or aloe vera gel to the first-aid kit in case of sunburn.
2. Every child should have their own clearly labeled water bottle. With the wide variety of drinks that are available at festivals, this is especially important: a child should drink only from their own bottle or mug, so as not to take a sip of someone else’s drink.
3. At least one adult should always stay with the children. Don’t assume that they will just sit where you say and wait for your return.
4. Put a bright highly visible marker near your tent so that it can be seen from afar. For example, set a large flag.
5. Make sure that children wash their hands regularly, so as not to avoid picking up a stomach bug.
In any case, when traveling with children, avoid making rigid plans and high expectations. Children may get bored, they may not like music, and at night it may get hot, cold, scary, or cramped in the tent (take your pick or add your own version). This is all perfectly normal — improvise depending on the situation. Finally, be ready to quickly pack up and head home in the event that things don’t go as planned. Sometimes that’s just the way it goes.
Conclusion
The open-air festival will be an amazing opportunity for you to relax with friends, make new acquaintances, and listen to good music. The main thing is to prepare well before you leave and handle unexpected situations with a sense of humor. After all, unexpected moments are part of almost every great festival experience.
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