New to music festivals camping? Check out our recommendations on essentials and a few tips for surviving your next camping festival.
Festival season is always in full swing year round, and it’s the perfect time for music lovers across all genres to come together for a few days to enjoy their favorite artists. Some festivals offer camping on festival grounds, which means the majority of avid festival-goers camp on the grounds of the event to enjoy the full music festival experience. After attending my first camping festival at Bonnaroo (and loving it), I wanted to highlight some of the things that made my camping experience enjoyable, and what I’m planning on bringing to my next festival.
Since this was my first time camping at a festival, I decided against car camping and decided to invest in the souvenir tent option. This way, the festival has a tent set up for you and you just have to set up your canopy and anything else you want outside of your tent. I chose this option mostly because I didn’t want to be under-prepared. I’d watched a lot of YouTube videos and read a lot of Reddit threads preparing for the weekend, and afterwards, I can confidently say that with a little bit of planning, car camping wouldn’t have been as daunting as I convinced myself it would’ve been. For a first time experience, it was really cool to keep the tent and the air mattresses & sleeping bags. However, I will definitely be taking the car camping (or even renting an RV for the weekend) for the next festival I decide to camp at. It’s a much cheaper alternative, and it allows for a little more freedom when setting up camp.
There were a few things we brought that made life so much easier, and for a first time experience, I didn’t feel under-prepared at all. Some of the ABSOLUTE must-haves were as follows; an EZ up canopy tent, tapestries for the “walls”, a tarp, a small camping stove, a folding water cube (ours was about 5 gallons), a solar shower (can’t emphasize how important this one was), a camping stove (ours was propane), a lock for our things, and LOTS of binder clips!! The weather got up into the triple digits, so it was also essential for us to pack cooling towels, fans, Liquid IV packets, and sunscreen. We also brought portable chargers and earplugs so we could charge our phones and get some much-needed rest at night.
I wanted the weekend to be cute but casual, and I think for a camping festival, the best way to go is to pack lightweight outfits (sets, swimsuits, overalls, etc.) and two pairs of shoes– a neutral pair of sneakers that matches most of your outfits, and a pair of sandals to walk around in to get water, run to the restroom, etc. I’m definitely a fan of function when it comes to putting outfits together, but by packing cute swimsuits, fun jewelry, and outfit options that can be paired in multiple different ways, it’s possible to enjoy the weekend without feeling too overpacked. Something else that proved to be a lifesaver was having lots of beachy cover ups and things that could be thrown over an outfit for when it inevitably gets cool at night. The most important aspect of the outfit options had to have been versatility for me! In our fanny pack we also brought little trinkets (or we just wore kandi) to trade with other people around the campsite and in the festival!
All in all, I had a relatively easy weekend, but there are definitely some things I’d do differently and a few things I’d bring more (or less) of. As far as camping goes, I’ll stick with a regular car camping pass and bring more bedsheets and tapestries to create more shade. I’ll also try to pack (or budget for) more ice so I could bring eggs (one of the most versatile protein choices) and cold brew coffee. As far as sleeping goes, I’ll probably consider bringing a cot next time to try it out because many of the more experienced festival goers have recommended them. I also ended up running out of liquid IV packets, so I’ll probably bring at least a bag or two more than I think I’ll need. I’m also going to invest in inflatable couches! There are two kinds I’ll be bringing with me– the nice outdoor kind that requires a pump, and the loungers that can be taken inside the festival and inflated with a fan or the air.
I'm a third year student studying Entertainment & Media, Film, and New Media at the University of Georgia! I work as a Resident Assistant for the University, as well as a freelance photographer & videographer. I'm also a videographer for a fashion magazine and my sorority. When I'm not studying or working, I love to read and go to workout classes.
