What should I bring to a music festival?
Festivals are really special when it comes to attending a concert.
Often in the open air, with a lot of people, concerts follow one another on several stages at the same time.
Some have a theme, others are more open.
There is really something for all tastes and all budgets.
With this article, I’ll help you prepare as best as possible to get the most out of your live experience!
Table of Contents
What should I bring to a music festival? Introduction
There are now so many festivals all over the world that it is sometimes difficult to find your way around.
If you are a beginner, I advise you to first choose a festival in your budget.
It should be easily accessible for you geographically with artists familiar to you.
Usually festivals take place in summer (although you can find them all year round).
This is a good time to try an adventure: with a little luck, you will avoid the rain.
The days are longer, the temperature is great and you will not have to wear too many clothes.
What should I bring to a music festival? Clothes, shoes and tools
I recommend that you wear good shoes and comfortable clothes.
It seems obvious, but you might be surprised by some people’s outfits.
Take a backpack with you (or one for two that you will take turns carrying) and:
- A backup battery / power bank for your phone
- A jacket for the evening and/or to protect you from the rain
- Hearing protection
- Sunglasses
- A supply of Camelbak-type water and cereal bars
- A padlock for peace of mind
- A scarf or hat that will protect you from dust and sun
- Drinking cup
- Sunscreen
You will be able to find many of these items directly on site.
You will pay a high price there, so you might as well plan ahead.
The level of security has increased significantly for concerts in the last decade.
Consult the festival’s website and look for a section detailing prohibited items.
There may be lockers available.
Accommodation
There are really two thoughts on the subject.
But real festival-goers swear by camping.
You are in the heart of the festival, you live the experience until the end.
It’s cheaper too.
You will have to bring all your equipment (tent, sleeping bags, a comfortable camping lounge chair, mattress… quite a load).
For specific recommendations on camping chairs, check our other post best big and tall camping chairs for heavy people.
You should also pray for good weather (at best you’ll get dust, at worst, rain).
And you have to realize that you’re going to be crammed together.
You’ll have to queue for a shower and let’s be honest: you’re not going to sleep.
Once the last concert is over, the party starts.
If you’re tired from 10 hours of standing and listening to live music, you’ll quickly get annoyed.
My tip: Bring hearing protection and an effective sleep mask and sleep the day away from the festival.
If you have a car, you can also book a hotel around the festival.
This is more expensive, but if you go with a group and plan ahead, you can find good rates.
Don’t forget that festivals are often quite isolated from the big cities.
You can usually find very nice small hotels for less money around 20 minutes’ away
You will be able to enjoy a good night’s sleep, a shower, electrical outlets to recharge your appliances and often a good breakfast.
You will always eat better and cheaper at a hotel than at a festival.
As a festival attracts tens of thousands of people, remember to book your hotel early to ensure a place.
For camping, festivals usually offer a specific section on their website (as well as lockers to store your stuff).
For hotels, you can use booking sites like hotels.com, booking.com and airbnb.com.
What should I bring to a music festival? Conclusion
You can go two ways.
The absolute experience means no creature comforts and even less sleep.
Finding alternative accommodation nearby means a more comfortable experience involving some traveling.
Make sure you book well in advance, and check to see what everyone else wants too.
Related posts: