first festival, in the deep end... survival tips?

blobby2000

I'm off to reading festival in a few weeks, it's my first ever festival and I'm slightly nervous because everyone says about how big it is. what tips or tricks can I remember that'll help everything go smoothly??

Reply 1

Manitude

Hi there. Heres a few tips I've picked up over the years. First off, these are the things you're really going to want to take:

Tent - It seems obvious, but people always forget.
Sleeping bag
Mattress - I use inflatable ones which also need electric pumps, so don't forget batteries and the adaptor to connect to the mattress. Roll mats will keep you warm, but not comfortable.
Phone power bank type thing - Most phones don't last more than a day and you don't always get access to free charging stations and if you do, they'll be super crowded.
Big bottle of water - I find a 2 L bottle is fine. You can of course refill it, but it's just better to have a decent size bottle in your tent so you're not constantly going to the tap.
Plenty of changes of clothing - Multiple tshirts and jeans aren't critical, but I always try to pack at least one extra set of socks and underwear because it might absolutely tip it down with rain and you'll want to change into something dry.
First aid provisions - you don't need to go overboard, but I usually take a few plasters, painkillers and anti-diarrhoea tablets (you may never need them, but if you do, you will seriously regret not having them).
Torch - It can be hard getting back to your tent at night when it's dark
Warm clothing - although it's summer, the outdoors are much colder than inside at night and being cold when you're trying to sleep/watch bands is really unpleasant.
Snacks - festival food is expensive, so take something to keep hunger at bay, but don't rely on these to feed you all the time. Make sure you actually have proper meals, though!
Booze - if you drink, bringing your own booze to the campsite will save you a small fortune. Be prepared to drink it warm, though. Most festivals I've been to don't allow glass bottles on site at all, so be aware of that.
Sun cream
Hand sanitiser - festival toilets are usually disgusting, so having some hand sanitiser around will help you feel less greb afterwards.
Wet wipes - they're cheaper than a shower and nearly as effective.
Anti-antiperspirant/deodorant
Waterproofs - Check the weather first as it may not be necessary, but being wet and miserable is not fun.
Earplugs - Festivals are loud! Protect your ears. I use these ones https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Go-Travel-Reusable-Filtering-Earplugs/dp/B003FFEHW4/ref=sr_1_17_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1533229136&sr=8-17&keywords=earplugs and I find they don't colour the sound so you can still hear things nice and clearly, it's just not as loud.

Beyond what to bring:

1) Keep your valuables safe. Some festival are particularly bad for theft, but keep your money and phone with you as much as possible. Beware of pickpockets in the crowds. When you're sleeping, keep you valuables close, some people say keep them in your sleeping bag but I personally think that's overkill. I know from experience that I will wake up if someone tries to get my tent. Although that time someone did it to me, I genuinely think they just got the wrong tent rather than they were trying to rob me. It was about 7 am, he was very drunk, and a nearly identical tent was about 5 or 10 metres away.
2) Don't camp near the edges of the camp site, near toilets or near trees. These places will smell of urine very quickly.
3) Don't make noise late at night. Even if you're in the 'party' section of the campsite, people will be wanting to sleep.
4) If other people are making noise nearby when you're trying to sleep. Ask them politely to be quiet first. If they continue THEN you can start shouting and swearing at them. As a very general rule, if it's before 2 am then it's usually fine to make noise. After that it's not unreasonable to want people to be quiet, but different camping areas will vary.
5) Get to know the people camping nearby. They're your neighbours for the next few days so make the most of it. Plus if they know you, they will keep an eye on your tent when you're not on the campsite.
6) Work out when the toilets get cleaned, and use them soon afterwards.
7) Write up a plan of who you want to see, when they are playing and where they are playing. Keep it on you at all times. Beyond knowing where you need to be, it's a good way of bonding with other people over what artists you're interested in.

Hope this is helpful!

(edited 5 years ago)