Take a pop up tent and as little stuff as possible. Drink all the beer, take all the drugs and leave tent etc behind when you leave.

Don't break your collarbone.

Baby wipes

Buy wellies now, not a week before the festival.
Eat the bare minimum you can because you don't want to use the loos after day one.
Get there early so you can get a spot for your tent away from the main walk ways.
Take wet wipes to clean armpits/groin.
Don't use the showers, being properly clean just means you can smell everyone else.
If they don't allow alcohol in the main arena mix it before you go in and keep it looking like soft drink, for example JD and Coke in a Coke bottle.

Take nothing glass.

Take nothing you wouldn't be happy to lose.

Take zip lock bags.

Sleep well before you go.

Take at least one day off work the week after the festival.

DON'T TAKE A TENT YOU'VE NEVER PUT UP BEFORE.

Pitch your tent with the door facing down hill.
If it rains really heavily and your tent is facing up hill it will fill with water.

I agree with taking a small tent but don't leave it there. It adds to the clean up costs/time and is unenvironmental. Many festivals now have donation points where you can donate your unwanted equipment to charity. So don't be a lazy twat

I used to take food to save on costs but if you can just buy food in the arena, too much food is a ball ache to carry when you get there.

Drink loads of water so you don't get dehydrated (I take a bottle to refill in the arena), take sun screen so you don't burn. Baby wipes and deodorant so you're not a total crusty.

Forget using your phone, or just take spare batteries if you really must use it. The recharge points are an expensive waste of time and money.

I'm no longer the former but am the latter. Apart from the recapturing part. Fuck going to a festival these days. I like sleep.

Oh or a "muso." Went to reading with a guy who had planned a, to the minute, trip around the stages to see his "best bands". Even getting into "well, if we leave here 5 minutes early we'll get to this place to catch the last half of these guys and it'll be okay because they'll have played X anyway." He was insufferable and I am not friends with him anymore.

Even Poetishead isn't a big enough draw to make go to Lattitude this year. I'd do a day, tops now.

Try to relax and have fun. That's my tip. If it's a big festival and there's an artist you really want to see on a main stage then you'll have to get there early. I got to the main stage at Coachella 5 hours before Radiohead were on to make sure I was at the front. I probably didn't need to wait that long but it was worth it. Plus The Shins and Bon Iver were playing before them so that helped.

If you're going with a group and are camping try to get a large chunk for all your tents with a space in the middle to sit and relax, it's great to have somewhere you can go to chill between bands. Depending on what you can and can't take in, take heaps of water, snacks that don't melt (is it warm over there at the moment?) and esky full of ice, boooooze to last, and cash. Like others have said take clothes you don't mind getting dirty/losing, especially shoes.

Genuine advice from Shabby and I'd emphasise - this is not a place for fashion.

I love festivals Worst thing in the world is being ill at a festival though, there was one a few years ago I still don't remember huge chunks from because I was so ill and out of it.

Aaroncupboard wrote:

Shoes that are comfortable as you may be standing/walking a lot. I went to a metal featival in Germany last year. You camped next to your car and were all neatly directed into rows so you had plenty of space. German efficiency at its finest.

That sounds brillo

Glasto 2007.



My Wellies rubbed the skin off the back of my legs. I didn't notice until day 4.

Fun.