Festivals are as much about survival as they are music. Of course, watching bands and soaking up the sights is great… but it’s no fun with an itchy bum and trenchfoot. So how can you make your festival experience that little bit easier? Here’s our suggestions.
1. Toilet Roll - The ubiquitous toilet roll is the staple inclusion in every rucksack on a festival site. Anyone who has attended a festival will know the horrors of the festival toilet, so anything that can speed up the process is a godsend. Of course, the festivals provide your tissue, but by and large, you’ll find it covered in all manner of horrific things… if there is any there in the first place. If you’re lucky enough to find some in your portaloo that is usable, you may well suffer lacerations in places that you really didn’t want lacerations…

2. Bin Bags - Bin bags are another saviour for the humble festival goer. Not only can you throw all your wet things in it over the course of a weekend, but they double up as emergency wellington boots and over coats for those unprepared for rain. Bin bags were pretty much the uniform at Glasto 97.
3. Baby Wipes - The sales of baby wipes must rocket in summer. Thanks to the nature of festivals, you get grubby, but have little access to anything that can get you truly clean… unless you don’t mind sitting under a tap in front of disgruntled mums who are trying to brush their teeth. A quick scrub down in the tent with some baby wipes only partially removes a weekend’s muck.. but jeepers, they aren’t half useful.
4. Crap clothes that you don’t mind getting pinched - Ne’er-do-wells go to festivals and steal your stuff. Taking your bestest clotheses is lunacy as they will inevitably get nabbed. So take gear that you don’t mind getting nicked… but is still cool enough to strut around in.
5. Something to carry water in - Sounds obvious doesn’t it? Well, loads of people forget that you won’t have easy access to a tap. Much like a bizarre warzone, you have to queue for water. So repeated trips are a chore and eat into your band watching time… get a big ol’ bottle and fill it up! It’ll make brushing your teeth, washing your paws etc much easier. Also quenches a hungover thirst when you’re too feeble to move first thing in the morning.
6. Towel(s) - Simple. You WILL get wet. You won’t want to stay a damp squib all weekend.
7. Snacks - Another obvious one. People’s major gripes at festival time is the cost of burgers or whatever… so stock up on crisps and muesli-fruit bars (which are only ever consumed at festivals) to save your pocket from getting a real hammering.
8. Moisturiser - Some of you ladies will be thinking that one should take some half decent sun lotion instead of moisturiser. Well, if you take sun lotion, you will inevitably curse the weather and it will rain like it’s never rained before. Play it safe and suffer a bit of burning… fall on the sword… jump on the grenade… do it for your fellow festival goers. Everyone knows that a person has a direct effect on the weather with their purchases.
9. Change of clothes - Now, by this, I don’t mean some fresh clothes. You will no doubt be heading off on an overly long journey home due to traffic jams and the like… do you want to do it in some clothes that have been living in a bag with your stinky worn socks all weekend? Nope. Get a plastic bag, fill it with an outfit and don it just before you set off home. It is advisable to get changed in the car/on the coach for maximum freshness. Dope!
10. A small bag - Paranoia sets in when at festivals due to the fact you’re living in a little house that someone could easily cut open with a butter knife. So, to remedy your worry, take a small bag to keep all your cash/fags/keys in. Very useful for carrying snacks and water too. Essential to your wellbeing.
That’s our thoughts on festival survival… have you any tips for fellow readers?

Possibly related:

1. 10 things you must live without at a festival

2. Festival News: Big Chill preview, Perry Farrell discusses Lollapalooza, Roisin Murphy to dress real nice at Live At Loch Lomond

3. Will you be ‘Glamping’ over the festival season?

4. The Prodigy live @ Phoenix Festival ‘96

5. Up and Coming Acts - Arborea (Green Man Festival)

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Posted by mofgimmers on Thursday May 24th, 2007 at 2:20 pm