What to bring to a music festival
I have been meaning to write this post for a while now. A handy guide on what to take to a music festival. This article is specifically for a one day music festival, an all day/all night sort of affair.
I’ve had my fair share of music festival experiences over the years – Laneway Festival, Big Day Out, Homebake, Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival, Harvest Festival, Parklife, V Festival, Livid Festival and Fuji Rock Festival – so this list is tried and true!
The Indie Girl’s Music Festival Checklist:
Your Tickets – Obvious, but don’t leave home without them!
Wallet/Coin Purse – Basically a smaller version of your actual wallet, take only the essentials – ID and plenty of cash, because most festivals don’t have ATMs and if they do they’ll be long queues!
Phone – Fully charged! Essential for post-set meet ups and the nowadays all-important ‘check-in’ on Facebook.
Timetable – Either go old school, print it out and highlight the bands you want to see or nowadays most festivals have an app or mobile website where you can save the bands you want to see and create your own timetable – handy!
Sunscreen – Bring it! And then remember to reapply every 3 to 4 hours, even if it’s overcast. Sunburn is not cool kids, not cool.
Hat – Also you (and by “you” I mean me) are not getting any younger. Wear a hat, all the cool kids are doing it! Jenny Lewis loves hats, and if it’s cool by Jenny, it’s cool by me!
Sunglasses – The sun is like bright, enough said.
Tissues – A small pack of travel tissues have saved me many a time, especially when the portaloo inevitably runs out of toilet paper at the end of the night!
(Sweat) Hanky – The sweat towel was pretty popular when I was at (the very hot and humid) Fuji Rock a few years back, the kids wore it around their necks. I’ve adapted this to a sweat hanky, pretty essential for both guys and gals in our hot Australian summers.
Lip balm – I recommend Lucas’ PawPaw Ointment. Four out of five Aussie female festival goers* aged 18-35 can’t be wrong! *Made up but true statistic.
Blanket/Sarong/Cardigan – As I get older, you are less likely to find me staking out a place at the front of festivals^, and more likely sitting my ass down on the grass off to the side/up the back trying to avoid second hand smoke (I have an asthma puffer and I’m not afraid to use it), so a blanket is essential for comfy festival seating. If bag constraints won’t allow a blanket, try a beach sarong, it’s large enough to sit on, and wraps up small, or bring a cardigan – sit on it when its hot during the day, and put it on when it cools (if it eventually cools) at night.
^Did you know I once stood in the same spot on the front barrier for six hours to see PJ Harvey?
Emergency Poncho – So the theory goes, if you pack an emergency poncho, then it won’t rain. If you forget to pack a poncho, it’s gonna pour! Case in point – Harvest Festival last year, I packed three ponchos (one for me, spares for friends) and NO RAIN!
Paper Fan – They are small, light and they don’t take up much room. I seem to have picked up four or five from my Asian travels, pop one in your bag and you are set.
Optional extras:
Deodorant
Insect repellent (depending on remoteness of festival, this may be essential)
Hand sanitiser
I think that’s it! Have I missed anything? Let me know in the comments!
Hopefully you have found this checklist handy! (insert music festival name) here you come!
Posted in Indie, List, Music, Pop
Tags: music festival checklist, what to bring to a music festival
I caught the start of her set, which included the magnificent Blackout. Standing right behind me was EMA! And I also walked past Neil Finn in the crowd!
