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Ah, festival season. The joys of live music, late nights, electric crowds and truck food are second to none. As one of life’s most hedonistic experiences, festivals embody so much of what we enjoy most about travelling. But, to get the most out of a festival involves a lot of planning – even seasoned festival-goers can get it seriously wrong without a decent dose of forward-thinking and prep. Below, we gathered tops and tricks from our well-versed team of festival lovers at Condé Nast Traveller.
Put your phone away
Festivals are wonderful memory-making trips, and getting photos and videos is part of that. But remember that your fellow festival goers are also there to make memories, and they’ve paid lots of money to do so. Be considerate when you’re snapping away – people have come to see the act and listen to the music, so if you’re too far away to capture anything but a fuzzy picture, stop ruining the view for those behind you.
Layers, layers and more layers
Packing for a festival is hard – particularly in the UK, where the weather is so changeable. Bring lots of light layers with you, so you always have the option to pile them on or strip them off. Start with oversized, loose-fitting T-shirts – these are great for comfort but also essential if you happen to get sunburnt shoulders and then have to hoist your backpack all the way home. Pack some lighter jumpers or cardigans, and then extra layers like a fleece (Uniqlo has some great throw-on zip-up options like this long-sleeved jacket) or a raincoat (this A-Line waterproof jacket from Rains is as stylish as it is practical).
No queue jumping
The cardinal sin of festivals is queue jumping. People have been on their feet all day, most likely feeling a little worse for wear from the night before, and desperate for some sustenance. Even if you have friends in the queue ahead, do the decent thing and join the back. Same applies to toilet and shower queues.
Protect yourself from the sun
Dehydration is a big problem at summer festivals. Between dancing, walking, drinking alcohol and singing, your body will be in serious need of constant hydration – particularly when it’s sunny. Pack a water bottle to carry around with you (and a temperature-controlled one for your tent, there’s nothing worse than waking up parched and only having warm water to drink). And bring more suncream than you’d think – it often gets shared around the group and you don’t want to be stuck in 30 degree heat without any protection. A hat is also a good idea. Check out our guide to the best face suncream to wear this summer.
Always pack loo roll
Speaking of toilets, you really, really don’t want to get caught out without loo roll. At some festivals, there is limited stock in the stalls, but it’s always best to carry your own (it’s more reliable and definitely cleaner). Keep some in your tent and carry plenty with you when you leave for the day.
Don’t forget hand sanitiser
It goes without saying, but festivals are filthy businesses. Bring plenty of hand sanitiser with you (one to keep at the campsite and one to take with you while you’re out and about), and pack lots of wet wipes. The Neal's Yard Organic Defence Hand Spray is a must-have – it keeps your hands clean without drying out your skin, and smells super fresh.
Pack an eye mask and ear plugs
If you know you get grouchy after a poor night’s sleep, you’ll need to remember to pack the essentials. A comfy pillow, ear plugs to drown out the late-night / early-morning acts (and the inebriated singing/snoring from people camping nearby), and an eye mask to block out the morning light. These Loop Dream earplugs are brilliant when you just want a bit of peace and quiet before you fall asleep (and help you stay asleep, too), and our editors swear by Drowsy eye masks, which keep out all light without pressing too hard into your skin or moving around during the night. What little sleep you do get is precious at festivals, so do your best to maximise the time you have!
No pushing
Giant crowds can be seriously overwhelming, and quite scary at times. If you’re desperate to see an act, arrive early to make sure you get a good space – do not push your way to the front. It’s frustrating for those who planned their time effectively, not to mention rude and can frighten people who may already be nervous. If you’re worried about losing your group, decide on a meeting point beyond the stage to meet at after the act is finished, so you don’t get even more tangled up in the crowd.
Bring bin bags
The host grounds are often left looking significantly worse-for-wear post-festival. Do the decent thing and pick up your own litter, and never – never – abandon your tent for someone else to deal with. Plus, bin bags are useful to use as waterproof picnic blankets if it’s muddy.
Quit moaning
It is exceedingly foolish to attend a festival and not anticipate mucky toilets. It’s part of the experience. It’s an ordeal, but everyone is going through it together, so try not to make a spectacle. Hold your nose, get in, get out, and move on.
Don’t jam-pack your itinerary
When the line-ups get announced, it’s tempting to overload your schedule and try to fit in as many different acts as possible. Obviously, watching music is the reason people go to festivals, but remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint – leave yourself lots of time in between acts, otherwise you'll just spend every minute marching between stages and no time to soak up the pre-gig atmosphere. Some larger festivals have an app you can download (like the Glastonbury app), where you can plug in all the acts you're interested in seeing so you don't miss your favourites.
Take slip-on shoes
Take it from us, there is nothing worse than waking up in a hungover haze, desperate for the loo, and fumbling around to try and put on shoes while you crouch in a tent in the dark. Do yourself a favour and pack a pair of slip-ons (just make sure they’re sturdy enough to withstand a bit of mud or slippery cubicle floors). These Asos EVA Birkenstocks are comfy and have a slight platform, to keep you away from the grimy toilet floors.
Don't make the group wait
Wrangling the entire group to get ready and head out for the day is like herding cats, and while it can be tempting to try and nip to the toilet as you pass by, more often than not it ends up irritating people and making everyone late for the act they really want to see. Wait until you’ve all found a spot and make sure everyone is planning to stay put, then head to the toilet.
Remember to explore
So many festivals, particularly the longer, multi-day ones, have so much to offer beyond the musical acts themselves. Take the time to get your bearings, and you might just stumble upon some fun things you didn’t realise existed. At Glastonbury, for example, you might find a secret set from a band you didn’t realise would play, or a free yoga class, or a pop-up arts and crafts area to get creative.
Don’t try and text people
At big festivals, signal is never guaranteed. Unless you’re sure the people you are messaging have signal and enough battery to receive your texts, don’t bother – they’ll either miss it and you’ll waste your time waiting for a response, or they’ll receive it hours after you’ve left where you said you were. If you are going to text, add a timestamp so if it goes through later, they’ll know it was an old text.
Don't mess with glitter
This one is less of a hard-and-fast rule, but more often than not, glitter is never as fun as it seems. It might seem like a good idea at the time when you’re getting all dressed up, but you'll be picking it out of your scalp for weeks.
Take note of your surroundings
It’s easy to get lost at the larger festival sites, so its key to commit certain indicators to memory so you can easily find your way back to your campsite. Take note of any identifiable flags near your tent, or any specific food stalls or signposts that might help you on your way. Similarly, at the main stages, select an easy-to-recognise meeting point and agree to head there if anyone gets separated.