Top Festival tips

It has been months since I have been to a festival, but I have been meaning to publish a ‘tips for festival goers’ for some time now. So here it is;

1. Take wellies and knee high socks!

Regardless of the time of year please remember, we are still in Britain and the weather can change at the drop of a hat. Wellies really are the best for tackling deep, slippy mud and uneven terrain. And don’t forget the socks. There were far too many boys walking around with huge raw lines on the back of their legs – ouch! Don’t spoil your fun over the price of a pair of socks. Or if you have big calves like me, try and find a pair of ankle height wellies – yes they do exist! They are lighter to walk in and don’t rub your cakes raw, but they don’t offer as much waterproof protection.

2. Get a two ply tent

Our first trip to a festival was Download festival at Donington park. This festival takes place in June which makes it one of the warmer festivals. However, our 1 ply pop up tent left us freezing all night long and gasping for breath in the early hours of the morning – literally from one extreme to the other. It also gave us a nasty shock when ice cold condensation dripped on our heads at 3am -BRRR! And if you plan to go to a festival like Leeds or Glastonbury then a 1 ply tent will not protect you from the rain.
Yes you can get two ply POP UP tents so there is no excuse not to get one! We bought a 4 person, 2 ply, Halfords own brand pop up tent on half price offer for £40.

3. The rule of half

Make sure, if your sharing your tent, that there is enough room. Tent guides usually over-estimate, so try the rule of half. If the tent says it fits 2, it normally means it will fit 1. If it says it will fit 4, then it will fit 2, and so on. The most important thing is to have plenty of room either by your feet or by your sides. You will need enough space for a crate of beer, muddy wellies and damp clothes. You don’t want to roll over onto any if those in the middle of the night. And room to keep your wood logs over night if you decide to buy any wood for a fire.

4. Plan ahead and split up

If there are a lot of you going to a festival together then buy 1 or 2 info packs between you and plan what bands you would like to see. If they’re mostly the same then great! But if not then don’t waste your time and your ticket money seeing bands you don’t want to see. Pick a band buddy, split up and get to see as many bands as you can. But please make sure there are at least 2 of you – don’t go out alone. You can always plan to meet up with your friends afterwards or plan to watch the headliners together.

5. Just the two of us

If you are going to a festival as a couple then try and make a mini break out of it. Take a picnic blanket to sit out when the sun is shining. Buy logs at the festival and sit up all night in front of the fire. Take a bottle of wine, but tip it into a plastic bottle – not quite as romantic but you get the idea.

6. Pully poncho

Ponchos are great! They are light weight, compact, waterproof and transparent – so you can still see your well picked festival outfit underneath. But unfortunately they do come with problems. Most ponchos sold at festivals have hoods but with no draw string So try and pick up some ponchos before you go. Ours were only £2 each from ASDA. The drawstring makes a huge difference; it stops the wind blowing your hood off every 5 seconds, which can get very irritating very fast! Also, make sure you wear a scarf underneath as the occasional drip can get through.

These are just a few tips that I hope will make your festival a lot easier. Rock On!

October 15, 2011. Mind Spill.