What to Take to a Camping Festival
Photo Credit: Parallax/USC Events
Music festivals are constantly trying to innovate and give their attendees the most out of their experience. There are many festivals that take place across multiple days. Not only do these have stacked lineups, but they may also offer a camping experience.
There are a lot of benefits that come with camping festivals that make them worth going to! When you get a camping pass to a festival you get to avoid the awful traffic/parking fiasco that happens before and after the event, you never have to stop the party, and you have a ton of camping activities/amenities that the festival offers.
Once you make it inside the campgrounds, leaving is the last thing that you want to do! Make sure that you have absolutely everything you’ll need before checking into your campsite. If you are new to this experience, take a look at these "10 Festival Camping Tips" to get a better idea of what to expect!
Here are some of the most essential items that you should consider when packing for your camping festival! (Each festival may have different guidelines, make sure to check their website to see what items are allowed/prohibited)
Festival Essentials
Food / Drinks
Toiletries
- Soap / Shampoo / Conditioner
- Towel
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray
- Makeup
- Toothbrush & Toothpaste
- Contact Case & Contact Solution
- Tampons / Pads
- Toilet Paper
- Wet Wipes
- Hand Sanitizer
Festival Essentials
Ticket / Camping Pass
This is the most important item that you’ll need to bring. If you forget this, then nothing else on this list will matter since you won’t be able to get in! Make sure you register your wristband and check the official festival guidelines for specific instructions about admission.
@wub.alien in the Cyber Sweetie Halter Top
Secret Garden Marabou Hand Fan
Tent
Bring a tent that will accommodate everyone comfortable while staying within your campsite. Make sure you have the stakes, poles, and everything else necessary for you to set your tent up! Nothing’s worse than trying to set up your tent and you’re missing some ingredients.
Canopy
This may not always be necessary, but it sure helps when you’re at a sunny festival. When the sun is at its peak, the heat can be pretty harsh. Having shade at your campsite is super important so you’re not baking in the sun or sweating while you’re getting ready! Make sure you stake this down in case there are strong winds.
Sleeping Bags
When you’re not in the comfort of your home, you’ll remember just how cold it can get during the night. Sleeping bags are the best for keeping your body heat insulated in the night. Bring an air mattress/sleeping pad and pillow if you want to be extra comfy!
Tapestries & Pashminas
These are perfect for both style and function. Customize your campsite with these decorations to create your own atmosphere. If you brought a canopy, you can tie the tapestry it to give your campsite some extra shade. Pashminas are a great way to protect yourself from the sun with a funky and cozy piece of fabric that can even keep you warm at night!
Foldable Chairs
Definitely try to bring foldable chairs if you can! These are great for hanging out before and after the festival. Store these in your car or locked up in your tent when you take off!
Flashlight
When you’re not in the city, there are no street lights for you to see where you’re going. Bring a flashlight so you can navigate through during the night to the restrooms or another campsite!
Earplugs
These are a must at any festival, not just at camping festivals! Protect your hearing and get some better sleep with earplugs that you can wear all night and day. Trust us, these are a life saver!
Extra Pasties
If you use pasties you know that it's always a good idea to have an extra pair around! Lucky for you, iHeartRaves has tons of cute pasties to stock up on before ur next camping fest!
Outfits
After all the planning you did, your outfits are something that you don’t want to forget! Make sure you have all your festival clothes and accessories organized so it makes it easier to get ready.
You won’t always want to be wearing your festival outfit all day long, so bring a change of clothes that you can lounge in at the campsite.
Food / Drinks
Food
Although there are tons of food vendor options, you may want to bring some food and snacks that are easy to eat at your campsite. It’s also nice to save as much as you can since meals can get a bit pricey!
Bring some food that's quick and easy like pb&j’s and fresh fruit. Some people go all out with their campsite cuisine and bring portable stoves to cook meat, eggs, or veggies. Check with the camping guidelines to be certain what you can and cannot bring.
Water
Don’t forget to bring this and make sure you bring lots of it! Bring a couple of gallon jugs for your campsite and you should be good. If you run out of water, camping festivals usually have free water refill stations.
Drinks
Whether it’s alcoholic or not, don’t bring any glass containers so they don’t get confiscated when you’re checking in. You also don’t want to be responsible for breaking any glass where people are walking around barefoot. Try and bring some drinks like Gatorade, Pedialyte, or Brawndo that are rich with electrolytes!
Cooler / Ice
In case you weren’t sure.. there are no refrigerators out in the wild. Bring a cooler and ice to keep your perishables good and beverages cold.
Vitamins
You’re going to be burning through all your body’s resources and it’s super important to refresh yourself with all the nutrients you need! Especially if you plan on drinking, you’re going to want to bring some vitamins so you can keep partying through the weekend.
Paper Towels
These are always smart to have for a bunch of different reasons! Whether you need to wipe up a quick spill or use them as heavier-duty napkins, bring a roll or two with you for your campsite. Be considerate of your other festival-goers and make sure not to litter the campground with used paper towels!
Trash Bags
Please be considerate of the campgrounds and those around you by picking up after yourself and keeping your campsite clean. Try and keep your waste and recyclables in separate bags so you can dispose of each one the right way to help the planet!
Toiletries
Soap / Shampoo / Conditioner
When you’re dancing all weekend long, you’re bound to get a little grimy. It feels amazing to freshen up before going to sleep or before you get ready for the festival! Some festivals have their own showers, but you can create your own with a little creativity so you can skip those long lines.
Towel
As we mentioned above, you’ll probably want to shower. You can always try to use the air-dry method, but having a towel is for sure the way to go! If you have spare room, pack an extra just in case for emergencies.
Sunscreen
The sun can be pretty unforgiving and pretty difficult to get away from when your camping at a festival. Protect your skin from those harmful UV rays and avoid getting sunburnt with some sunscreen. Without sunscreen you’re sure to feel the burn, but not in a good way.
Bug Spray
If you’re at a camping festival that’s near a lake, it’s best to play it safe and bring some bug repellant. Lakes usually mean there are gonna be a ton of mosquitos at night, so prepare for the worst because you don’t want to wake up the next day covered in bug bits!
Makeup
One of the best parts of going to music festivals is being able to get dolled up! You can go all out and not worry about being too extra. Get glamorous and add some more sparkle to your look with body glitter and face gems. Don’t forget makeup wipes so you can go to sleep with a fresh face.
Toothbrush & Toothpaste
Whether you’re camping or at home, you should be brushing your teeth each morning and night! You don’t want to have to worry about having bad breath when meeting new people!
Contact Case & Solution
For those who wear contact lenses, make sure to bring your case filled with solution everywhere you. Getting dust or debris can get pretty painful, but likely to happen when you’re camping. Don’t forget these essentials so you can take care of your eyes in case of an emergency!
Tampons / Pads
Mother Nature can strike at any time, so it’s always best to prepare for that time of the month. Even if you’re not expecting it to happen, it doesn’t hurt to pack some for an emergency since they don’t take up much space in your bags!
Toilet Paper
Whenever you’re camping, you should always have a roll of toilet paper on deck. It’s guaranteed to come in handy at some point during the weekend. You don’t want to have to rely on the porta potties to have the good stuff, or even any at all!
Wet Wipes
There are tons of reasons to pack baby wipes for your next camping festival. These are essential for both inside and outside the festival. These are great for using before you eat, after using the restroom, and even wiping down your body after a long day of partying outdoors!
Hand Sanitizer
If you don’t have wet wipes with you, then hand sanitizer is the next best thing! Hand sanitizer is perfect for fighting any nasty bacteria that you might come into contact with from the thousands of people that you run into!
Final Thoughts
When you’re planning on attending a camping festival, there are a ton of essential items that you’ll either need or use for a better overall experience. Create a packing list with everyone you’re going with and assign items so everyone knows what they’re responsible to bring.
Published by Leonard Pulig
Last Updated: 2/4/22
