9 Things To Never Go To A Festival Without

Ah, music festivals. They are one of the most beautiful experiences you can give yourself. But you may be wondering how to figure out what exactly you need for one. Whether it is your first festival ever or you are a seasoned festival-goer, we have the ultimate guide of essential items you don’t want to forget when attending a festival.

1. Hydration Pack

Unfortunately, most festivals do not have easily accessible water fountains or inexpensive bottles of water. So, you are better off spending a little extra money and bringing your own hydration pack; check out this one from Vibedration! Not only are hydration packs pretty lightweight, sometimes they have multiple pockets to hold your belongings. Truthfully, you will probably have to empty it before you enter the festival, but once you are in you can fill it up for free. This way, you can dance the night away without having to worry about where your next sip of water is coming from. But if you are the friend that rages too hard to have a backpack on, but still wants to keep their belongings safe, invest in a fanny pack!

     2. Fanny Pack

If you do not want the responsibility of being the hydration pack wearer, consider a fanny pack. There are thousands of options to choose from, from the flatter, more discreet options, to bulkier, but roomier options. Some of our favorites, here at The Festival Voice, come from iHeartRaves! They have tons of different kinds and sizes! Plus, they hold all your important credit cards, ID’s, and chapsticks without being too bulky.

3. Cleansing Wipes

Whether you are at a festival for one day or 4, you will want to clean yourself up a little after the evening, or the evenings, are finished. Especially, if the festival is more than one day, those lines for the showers can get extremely long (if there even are showers at the festival). Cleansing wipes for your face and body are an inexpensive and convenient way to get yourself freshened up, without worrying about having to pack all of your shower gels and shampoos.

4. Comfy/Extra Pair Of Shoes (Especially If You’re Wearing Platforms)

While we all know beauty is pain, if you’re going to a festival, you definitely do not want to be in pain. Yes, platform shoes are all the rage this year, but they are terrible for your feet. One 12 hour day in those, and you are going to be an unhappy camper. You may want to opt for some chic light up, or glittery, sneakers. If you decide to wear platforms, at least maybe bring a change of shoes. There are plenty of light sneakers you can throw in your hydration pack. You can’t dance the night away if your feet are burnin’!

5. Hand Fans

No matter if the festival you are going to is inside or outside, its bound to get hot while you are dancing with thousands of other people. A hand fan will come in extremely handy to create some airflow in a packed dance area. They’re small enough to fit in a backpack or a fanny pack, and they’re fun to use! In our experience, people love being fanned when they’ve been dancing up a sweat. So, you may even make some friends.

6. Portable Charges and Cables

These are key! You and your squad should be having your phones on and with you at a festival. Even though there may not be cell service, having a charged phone is a plus. Whether it is just to document the beautiful experience you are having, or you need to let someone know where you are; it’s comforting knowing your phone is on and charged.

7. Croakies

If you are like me, you HATE losing your sunglasses at festivals. With all the headbanging going on, there is a high risk of it happening. Invest in a pair of Croakies! They come in a variety of colors to match every outfit. If you don’t want to keep buying sunglasses, definitely purchase a pair, or multiple, of these!

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8. Earplugs

Planning on riding the rail? Investigate getting some earplugs. Even if you’re not, earplugs are a great way to not wake up the next day with that classic ringing in your ears. Plus, they help prevent damage further down the line when you’re old!

9. Cash

A lot of festivals are credit/debit card friendly these days, but it can’t hurt to have a little cash on you. Most festivals do not have ATM’s and you do not want to be caught without any cash in case the festival is cash only. So, do yourself a favor and grab some cash before you get to the venue. Their card processing systems may be down, if you’re traveling out of state you may get your card locked and not have enough cell service to sort it out. Cash is always a good safety net. Just be sure to keep it safe in a fanny pack or hydration pack pocket!

Photo Credit: Zoe Hudson for The Festival Voice