Getting There And Back Again - Festival Camping 101

by Tonya Gleason

There are four things you need to consider when planning to go to festival.
They are: eating, sleeping, packing and downtime.

1. Eating
What kind of food should you bring and how much?
Make sure to pack enough food for the time you plan to be there, plus two additional days. Bring items that are easy to prepare and store.
~ Quick munchies that are great and keep well with little effort:
~ Granola bars, Fruit Snacks, Chips, Fruit, Homemade Goodies
~ Sandwiches make easy meals for lunch or those times you just don’t want to cook.
~ Prepared pastas and sauces or pasta salads like good old macaroni
~ (TD’s note: don’t add mayo unless you can keep it cold, or add it from a fresh container when ready to eat).
Pack a plastic container with:
Meats (fresh or canned), Cheeses, Greens (lettuces, spinach, etc) and those pre-made pasta or potato dishes. Take along those condiments from your fridge or those saved from ordering out. Don’t Forget – SALT and PEPPER!
Pre-cooking whatever you can makes it easy. It also makes dinner time easy and if you are unable to heat anything up, pasta and sauce are also good cold. Packing extra food will insure that you have more than enough to extend your stay and help out friends or other festival goers who may not have planned so well.
Packing and keeping food and drink:
Make sure to pack your food separate from your drinks. Drink coolers get opened more often than food coolers, especially in warmer temperatures. Take plastic juice or soda containers (not milk) and fi ll them with water and freeze. They will keep your food and drinks cold for a long time and they will also be a second supply of good drinking water if you run out or stay longer than planned.
2. Sleeping
What to pack?
Think first about the conditions you will be in. Is it cold? Hot? Will you be sleeping indoors or outdoors?
~ If you are packing for cold weather:
A set of flat sheets are needed. Sheets are woven tight and when placed on top of bedding and a top sheet over the body will help keep the heat in and cold out.
~ If you are sleeping in a tent:
Bring something along to use for padding. Body pillows or an extra thick comforter will work when an air mattress is unavailable. Do not over pack a tent with people or supplies as the tent walls should remain untouched to reduce the amount of moisture that may get in overnight and in the early morning hours.
~ If you need to sleep in your vehicle:
Clean out your vehicle before heading to festival. This way if you can’t sleep in your tent or other sleeping arrangements fall through you can sleep in your vehicle; or, offer it to someone who has no other arrangements.
3. Clothing and Toiletries
What should I pack for clothes?
When packing for festival regardless of weather, pack extra clothes.
~ Even if it’s warm weather bring two pairs of pants, a sweater or sweat shirt. It can still get cold at night especially if it rains.
~ And remember socks, socks, SOCKS. Wet feet can ruin anyone’s good time. (TD’s note: Even in the desert the nights can get VERY cold, so check out the highs and lows for the time of year you are going – and remember LAYERS, you can always take them off.)
What should I pack for toiletries?
Tooth brush/tooth paste, Small bottle of water, in case water is not available, for washing up, Wash cloth and small hand towel (can also double as first aid supplies, if needed), Comb/brush, Hair ties, Bandanas, or hats can come in handy. Always take along a small medicine box filled with: Band-Aids, Aspirin/Tylenol, Ace bandage or triangular bandage, Bug spray, Thread and needle (not for first aid but a safe place to store it).
(TD’s Note: Don’t forget Handwashing gel and Triple antibiotic ointment.)
4. Downtime
It is a good idea to remember that you will have plenty of down time at a festival. Not planning for it can make or break your time there. Regardless of whether or not you are sleeping in a tent, a vehicle or camper of sorts, having space to lounge is important.
~ Shelter
Take along a tarp or large sheet of plastic. It will come in handy for making shade, placing over a hole and filling with water for a cooling area or use for shelter from the rain.
~ Seating
Bring along easy to store folding chairs. Mini-van seats are easy to remove and make great seating and open up the van for sleeping or getting shelter from bad weather. Also you can use your sturdy coolers for seating or simply cop a squat on the ground. There is nothing wrong with a dirty bottom at a festival.
~ Entertainment
If you have a vehicle close by you can use the radio for music, or bring along a battery operated radio. Remember there are many other mini-camps at a festival and your music is meant for your camp. Volume control will make for good neighbors. You can also bring along any instruments that you or you traveling companions may have. Even if you don’t know how to play it, someone there will.
Things to remember:
Don’t forget to bring along these essentials: Can opener, At least one sharp knife, A bowl for mixing, A small cutting board, Aluminum foil, Garbage bags/groceries bags/sandwich bags, Matches, Spatula, A large spoon, A towel and wash cloth/sponge and soap (dish/bar/hand). (TD’s Note: if you bring a camping stove w/ fuel or grill with briquettes or wood - know the local rules)
A small laundry basket makes a great storage container for these and other items, and makes things easy to find.
(TD’s Note: labeling containers will help)
You may not have a need for all these items, but they will be great for bartering for something you may have forgotten. Plus, helping out your neighbor will help you in the long run and Good Karma is Good Karma.
TD’s notes: Travel sized games like Scrabble or Chess can pass the time on the road to and from as well as when you’re taking a break. Do you remember Twister or “Mad
Libs”? Try those when you’ve got a festival head going on – now that’s a good time! Don’t forget to get up and move – a Kush ball or Hula Hoop are great fun and good exercise,
even in a limited space. And, if space isn’t a problem then don’t forget your old pal the Frisbee!