Festival Survival Guide

by REBECCA AUSTIN
Tip: All supplies should fit into your trunk, and if they do not, then you probably packed too many clothes.
Tent- Unless you are a pansy and don’t like dirt and nature
Hammock- The ideal place to nap, sleep, pass-out and get rid of your hangover
Gas cooker- A hangover is always better with coffee and a good breakfast! Plus, your neighbor probably won’t bring one, so you will be known forever as a life saver.
Kettle – Take some tea bags with you if you don’t like the jitters of coffee and want something to warm you up and settle your head and stomach.
Sleeping bag , blankets & pil ows- Because after dancing your ass off, it will feel good to lay down for a few hours or until the next band plays.
Some beer- When I say “some” I mean more than you think you need. Running out is no fun!
Hat -You never know what the weather will turn into, and the last thing you want is a burned head the first day. Sunscreen is a must, too!
Lots of toilet paper- No one likes to use the port-a-potty after the first day, so make it easier on yourself and just go in the woods–if there aren’t real bathrooms. And even those may run out of paper.
Toothbrush & toothpaste – A commonly forgotten thing, probably because of all the times our mothers told us to pack them.
Banjo- If you must play your own music rather than listening to the music you paid to hear, remember that banjos are way cooler than guitars.
Water Jug – You can buy these lifesavers at the Dollar Store. Plus, you won’t want to be a litterbug with all your water bottles on top of all your beer cans.
Festival Ticket – Forgetting this is a common mistake that will make you feel really dumb.
Sunglasses – Day or night, they will be both a sun and hater blocker.
Sandals and Slip -ons- I have found flipflops that people have forgotten or lost every time I go to festivals. Slip-on shoes are comfortable after walking all day and easiest to sleep in if you pass out. I often have gone barefoot and regretted it after the second day.
First Aid – As a nurse’s daughter, I have learned you never know what is going to happen where you are, especially if you are somewhere you have never been before and plan on being a wild child in nature. Take differently sized bandages and cotton pads, plus bug spray, peroxide and antibiotic ointment. Ibuprofen or another analgesic is good, too.
Clothes – Make sure to check the weather the day before, so you pack the right rags.
Cash- I cannot stress how important this is. You will need it at some point for things you forgot and things you want. Don’t bring big bills but have an assortment with you, and don’t keep it in the tent. It’s safest in your car.
ID- Even if you don’t look like a youngin, it’s wise to carry.
Food- There will be food on-site, but seeing as not everyone can live off festival food like grilled cheese and gyros, take a few things that are easy to cook up.
Raincoat – They may not give out free ponchos when it’s raining. Trash bags are versatile for this, too.
Waterproof, disposable cameras – The last thing you want to do is lose your nice camera with all those memories. I have learned this the hard way. Plus, film gives the pictures a wholesome feeling.
More Beer (& other things of that nature)- If you’re going to indulge, you should procure what you want in advance. Intoxicants can be scarce, and it would sure suck to buy the wrong thing from the wrong person.
Paint & Gliter- Nothing is better than having a paint party and throwing glitter in the air. It isn’t just because I’m a girl, either. I have gone to festivals hardly knowing anyone, but once we brought out the paint and started painting each other, we instantly all became friends and shared a beautiful moment creating art on one another.
String- For towels and banners–add some string to tie up between trees, and you have yourself some walls for privacy. It’s easy to decorate your campsite with your Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin banners while drying your towels; genius, I know.