Festival season will soon be upon us. So here is our first set of RoadtripMojo’s Top 20 Festival Survival Tips. With many multi-day fests and destination music events under our belt, some of these you may already know or find completely obvious. Some you may never have thought of. Even for those with fest experience, it’s easy to throw caution to the wind – or just forget the essentials – especially when the indescribable buzz of entering the festival grounds kicks in.
So RoadtripMojo and our resident Hippie Chick have a few tips to share so you won’t be That Guy – or Gal…
1. Sunscreen – Even at northern festivals we get sun, and even in overcast and intermittent rain, sunburn can strike. Protect your skin. A sunburn could ruin the your festival. Besides, you don’t want to look like the Canadian tourists who flock to Florida in the winter. It’s not pretty.
2. Sunglasses – The Wonder Accessory, they cover tired eyes and dark circles and hide the signs of drunkenness and hangovers. Look for polarized and UV protection to reduce harmful rays and shield your wide-as-saucers pupils during over-the-top night-time light shows.
3. Hat – Even if you don’t often wear hats, most peeps will have a hat, a bandanna, or something covering their head during the peak afternoon sun.
4. Mix & Match Your Outfits – Take outfits which can be worn with other things, so you save valuable packing weight and space. It can get hot, so remember light fabric. Plus, don’t forget some form of rain gear.
5. A Fanny Pack or Cargo Pants – People diss both, but they’re invaluable at festivals. You’ll probably need one or the other every day. Practically speaking, your hands are left free to hold your beverage or _____. Backpacks, Camelbacks and fringed handbags for the ladies hold more stuff, but they can be a hassle hanging off your shoulder or digging through when a smaller pack will do.
6. Antibacterial Hand Gel & Baby Wipes – These are priceless, trust me. Port-a-loos are just nasty, and there aren’t many places to wash your hands at festivals. So either live with the germs and grime, or wipe it away. Plus baby wipes are great for the campsite, too.
7. Tissues & Loo Roll – You will need tissues. Trust me on this, too. If the port-a-loos has no toilet roll, you’ll feel like a genius for remember tissues. Just hide them, or every unprepared person in the toilet queue will want to boge your stash. And like the wipes, ample TP is a camper’s best friend.
8. Dry Shampoo – No shower? Greasy hair? Dry shampoo to the rescue. Having no hair to shampoo means I have never tried it, but our cat loves the stuff. Well, maybe not. But you get my drift.
9. Hair Ties – For ladies and long-haired dudes, they will keep your hair neat and out of your face. Plus, they can be used in many camping situations. We keep them on board our trailer. The possibilities are endless…
10. Mouthwash – Brushing your teeth can be hard to do on the run. So mouthwash, chewing gum, even mints, can achieve clean, fresh breath in between brushing.
11. A Flashlight – Try navigating a dark GA field – especially when less than sober – without trampling folk. A flashlight is critical. A headlamp is always a good call, too.
Check back next time as we explore navigating the festival campsite and venue grounds…