The countdown is finally at zero, the time has come: you are going to the music festival you have been waiting for months.
In the last few weeks you haven’t stopped talking about it with everyone who was willing to listen to you, and with those who weren’t, and the ideas about what to wear and what not to wear have flown through your mind.
You may already be an expert on the subject and have established your own survival kit for a festival, but whether you go to LeturAlma or Los Alamos Beach, there’s always something super necessary that you forget about year after year.
And of course, then you have to spend those uncomfortable minutes of your life trying to get some stranger from the campsite to take pity on you and leave you with what you didn’t bring with you. Before, the strongest friendships were made in the military, now in the festivals.
But we are not always lucky and that’s why, to avoid you these hardships, from Entradas.com we have made a small list with those essential ones that you always have to bring to a music festival, no matter if your thing is indie, mainstream or pure rock.
Tickets or subscriptions
It seems so obvious, but sometimes it happens. It’s been months since you bought your tickets for the festival, at a time when the cold made you believe that there would never be summer again but it has arrived, just like your festival and you won’t be able to get into it unless you bring your tickets.
So print them, download them to your mobile or go and pick them up, but keep them as close to your heart as possible in a place where they are always available or in the tickets.com app (available for IOS and Android).
Festival planning
It will depend a lot on which music festival you wanted to go to, but usually there are several stages and many artists to see and hear.
If you haven’t yet acquired the superpower of multiplying yourself, it’s best to make a plan with dates and times so you can see what you really want to see.
Remember to calculate the time it takes to go from one stage to another among the pile of festival-goers who are just like you, as well as to check every day if the schedules and artists are maintained, as it is very normal for some to suffer variations.
Tent
If you’re new to the world of festivals you might think you can stay awake for three or more days, either by listening to all the bands playing or staying up late with your friends. But we all know that’s not true.
After spending all day under the sun, jumping and screaming at your favorite concerts, you need to sleep and for that you need a place to take shelter: tents are always the best option, plus you can share them with whoever you want.
And within this section there are many other essential ones:
- Tools to set up the tent: keep the instructions that come with the tent and make sure you have everything you need to set it up, such as a small hammer to secure it to the floor if necessary.
- A lock: you’ll probably spend more time outside the tent than inside, so when you’re not keeping it securely closed, nothing may happen, or it may. It’s best not to take any chances.
- An inflatable mattress: just because the festival is on the beach or in the middle of the countryside does not mean that we have to live without certain comforts. Sleeping on the ground is a horror, not only because of the many bugs that can end up all over your body, but because our backs need to be on a soft surface. Inflatable mattresses are the best option, but if you’re in economy mode ON, beach mattresses help too. Don’t forget the classic blanket or sleeping bag, it may look like you’re in the Sahara in the morning, but at night it’s even cooler in the desert.
To show off you do NOT have to suffer: Comfortable clothes and shoes
Yes, it’s true, festivals have a lot of posture and of course you’re going to have to upload a picture with a divine outfit of death for all your followers to see. But being always divine, never undivided, doesn’t have to be at odds with comfort.
Among the main tips, the less clothing the better, in fact, swimsuits and bikinis are a very good joker for when you find yourself in the middle of a crowd and don’t know what to take off anymore.
Remember your grandmother’s advice and always put on a “chubby” jacket, because at night it cools down, a sweatshirt that you no longer wear is also good, and just in case, some easy-to-fold raincoat that summer storms are very treacherous.
“Don’t step on me, I’m wearing flip-flops”: Shoes without are better closed, yes, festivals are usually in summer and the temptation of sandals is always there, but bear in mind that sand turns very quickly to mud and you’re going to have to use portable toilets that have to be shared with everyone, also with so many people, a stomp that another one always takes.
Last but not least, choose an eye-catching garment that identifies you, best of all, a handkerchief in a bright colour that you can wear on your head for when your friends lose you and there is no coverage. Also take advantage of the cameras pointing at the public to make some sign that you all recognize.
Sun Kit
Even if the festival is not in summer, strictly speaking, the sun will always hit you in the head as they are not usually held in closed areas.
Sun cream for the face and body that you can always carry in your bag and that you remember to spread at least every couple of hours.
It may seem uncomfortable, but more uncomfortable is to get burned on the first day and spend the remaining days of the festival with your shoulders burned.
Sunglasses and a cap are essential so that your eyes and head don’t hurt after hours of exposure to the weather. The cap can be replaced by a cool scarf or used as a signaling element.
Ibuprofen and paracetamol, are two of the medicines that should not be missing from our medicine cabinet, headaches or muscle aches at festivals are more common than you think and it is unlikely to find a quiet place to rest so that they will pass. They should always be taken with caution and away from alcoholic drinks.
Personal hygiene kit
Another obvious one that seems to be forgotten by more than one. Yes, it’s hard to shower in the community baths, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done.
Besides, after a whole day surrounded by people and dust, it is always nice to take a good shower almost for relaxation.
So don’t forget a travel shampoo and gel, as well as a couple of towels that you don’t have to share with your friends, flip-flops and, of course, deodorant.
Toothbrush and toothpaste are essential, as well as some good rolls of toilet paper and wet wipes. You never know when you will run out of this precious paper in the community bathrooms and it is always better to have reserves of your own.
Hydration first and foremost
In addition to annoying headaches or skin burns, the sun is prone to leave us without a milliliter of water in our body, so it is very important to stay hydrated.
Your first impulse may be to fill your portable cooler, a must at any festival, with drinks with some kind of alcoholic content, but remember that, in the long run, these types of drinks make you much thirstier than the sun.
To avoid this, try to find some mineral water in between the bottles, which will always come in handy to refresh us, either through the gullet or by pouring it over our heads at some high-intensity moment in one of the concerts.
If you can, try every morning to make a little getaway to the nearest town to stock up on drinks, but also on ice to keep the fridge cool.