Our UK Summer sure has crept up quickly and that of course means only one thing…festivals!
Yes plenty of indoor UK festivals and all-day gigs are cropping up left right and centre but the ones you really have to prepare for are those outdoor-weekenders – after all you could be spending up to 5 days away from home and in a (potentially) muddy field.
If you’re a festival first-timer, you’re going to need a bit of a briefing! Of course, UK festivals are all about fun, but packing up some essential gear can make all the difference between having fun and having a really miserable weekend – it’s your holiday after all!
Most things are available for you to purchase on your travels or when you get to the festival grounds, but there are a few of the essentials that money can’t necessarily buy – we’ve compiled a list of those all-important valuables or essentials that you can’t leave the house without – so take note festival first-timers!
Directions:
First things first, you need to get there! It’s best to always have a printed copy of your directions, train times, bus transfers etc just in case there is any trouble with mobile devices and connectivity. The same goes for addresses or postcodes if you have a GPS device complete with a designated driver!
Festival grounds can sometimes be tricky to find too – the festival organisers will usually sign-post the roads nearby to steer you in the right direction. Local landmarks should be included in the website directions, so make sure to hold on to these.
Line-up:
Avoid the nightmare of missing your favourite bands by printing the line-up times or saving a copy to your phone before you go. You can always buy programmes when you get there but just be aware that they’re not a bargain.
Ticket:
Obviously! But it’s so easily done! Don’t forget you tickets!
Money:
To avoid hefty charges at the festival cash-points, take some money with you. Limit the number of cards you take, but do take them in case of emergencies – make sure they are kept in a secure place like a festival locker. Keep a bit of your money about your person but avoid taking it all into arenas with you so that if it goes missing or gets stolen, you still have a back-up.
Keys:
Your house and car keys will need to be put away in festival lockers too. Avoid taking them out with you – you shouldn’t need them much unless you need to make a couple of trips back to the carpark. If you are going to a festival with your house-mates, make sure you take more than one set of keys with you in case of an emergency.
ID:
If you plan to buy alcohol on your travels or at the festival, make sure you have the correct ID – a driver’s license or passport. Otherwise you’ll be in for a pretty dry weekend!
These are just the basic essentials for a typical UK festival – it’s always well worth doing a bit of research for your particular festival whether indoor or outdoor, one day or 5! Get prepared to ensure you have the best festival experience possible.