Music festivals are a lot of fun. They offer people the opportunity to meet new friends, enjoy delicious food and drinks, and dance all night long.Music festivals are a lot of fun.But before you can fully enjoy your music festival experience.Here’s 20 things to pack for a music festival.
But before you can fully enjoy your music festival experience, you need to make sure that you’ve packed everything that will make it more enjoyable for everyone involved. 
Music Festival Packing List
- A tent – if there is inclement weather or if the event sells out
- Sleeping bag or air mattress – unless you plan on buying one at the event
- Festival backpack
- A small fanny pack or waist wallet
- Toilet paper
- Trash bags
- Hand sanitizer
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Wet wipes
- A battery-powered fan – especially during summer music festivals
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Feminine products
- A collapsible plastic cup/mug
- Light breakfast food like granola bars
- Deodorant
- A bandana
- A reusable water bottle
- Personal alarm
- A printed copy of your festival ticket or confirmation number
1) A tent:
Music festivals are often overnight events, and the weather frequently changes during the night.
If you don’t have a tent or if it rains, you will end up sleeping on wet ground or in mud.
2) A sleeping bag:
Also, a good idea if there is inclement weather at your music festival; whatever you do, make sure that it is warm enough to keep you comfortable through the night.
Some people may find an air mattress or yoga mat to be more comfortable than camping out on the cold grass with only a sleeping bag as protection. For more helpful tips and information, explore the Backpack Guide USA site.
3) A festival backpack (hydration pack):
Water is crucial at music festivals, and having access to it on your back will make your life a lot easier.
You’ll be able to carry everything you need (and don’t need) when you have a good water bladder on your back. So invest in a good festival backpack.
4) A small fanny pack or waist wallet:
You can easily fit many of your essential festival items into a fanny pack, especially if you have a smaller one that is minimalist in design.
It’s not going to be the most fashionable thing in the world, but it’ll allow you to stay hands-free and have quick access to your things.
5) Toilet paper:
A must-have for your trip to the porta-potty or bathroom. Don’t forget it, because you’ll be happy you brought it when nature calls at 3 am.
If the toilets are out of toilet paper (which happens more often than one may think), then bring some extra for those ’emergencies.’
6) Trash bags:
Music festivals have an array of perks and benefits, including the opportunity to meet new people, eat delicious food, and drink good alcohol.
The downside is that these things produce trash that can turn into a hazard if not properly disposed of. Bringing along some trash bags will help alleviate this issue by providing a way to dispose of waste from your camping or a dinner table.
7) Hand sanitizer:
Wipes are actually best, but they can be cumbersome for something you only need in emergencies when all the bathrooms are out of toilet paper or soap.
Wipes don’t take up much space and work better than just lathering your hands with alcohol-based sanitizer anyway.
8) Sunscreen:
It may seem unnecessary to bring sunscreen to an outdoor music festival, as most people assume that there will be plenty of sunshine throughout the day.
There is no guarantee though that you’ll get enough UV rays from the sun, so bring your own sunscreen to prevent yourself from getting a nasty sunburn.
9) Bug spray:
You may not have problems with insects when you’re in an open field or at a festival that’s near water.
But if there is a high population of bugs where the music festival is located (which will be very annoying), you will want to be prepared for it.
10) Wet wipes:
If you use toilet paper, then wet wipes are a must. They can help keep the area around your toilet clean and smelling better than if you used paper towels or toilet paper alone.
You can also use them to wipe down your campsite before leaving for the next morning, which will prevent you from having to do a deep clean of everything when you return.
11) A battery-powered fan:
I haven’t been to many festivals over the summertime, but I’ve been to a few that happened during the spring and fall seasons and one thing is certain: the weather is almost never perfect. There will never be a sunny day without some showers in the afternoon or evening.
So it’s best to come prepared with your own portable fan for both keeping yourself cool and keeping your electronics charged. They are lightweight, convenient and easy to travel with.
12) Shampoo and conditioner:
Most music festivals won’t allow you to bring in liquids, so make sure that anything you wish to use comes in a solid form.
A little bottle of shampoo and conditioner will go a long way for keeping your hair clean and smelling fresh.
13) Feminine products:
Tampons and sanitary pads can be very hard to find in certain places, so if you are going on a music festival tour, it’s best to bring your own.
They’re necessary and won’t weigh down your bag or get you into trouble at the security checkpoint.
14) A collapsible plastic cup/mug:
If you don’t want to have to drink beer out of a can or cup, you may also bring along your own collapsible plastic cup.
Plastic cups are allowed at most festivals, so there’s no need to worry about what you’ll use them for. Music festivals may prohibit the use of containers, so be sure to check before arriving.
15) A reusable water bottle:
Bringing a reusable water bottle is yet another way to ensure that you are making smart decisions while trying not to pollute the environment.
It’s always important to stay hydrated, and using a reusable bottle will let you do just that.
16) Easy snack food like granola bars or nuts:
I suggest bringing along something that’s easy to eat because you never know how long it’ll take for you to find a place that serves food somewhere within the festival grounds.
Having your own quick meal in between sets will save you time and money from having to buy expensive food inside the venue.
17) Deodorant:
Whether you smell or not is a matter of perspective, but I suggest bringing along some anyway.
Music festivals get very humid and even if you shower all day long on the festival day, you’re going to be breathing in the funk of everyone else around you until that sweat dries, so it’s nice to have something handy for freshening up.
18) A bandana:
They’re not just for cowboys, but your hair can get pretty unruly if you bring yours down on a day where there is plenty of wind or rain.
Not to mention that sometimes the music festival grounds will make you remove your hat if they don’t want it blocking their view of the stage. A bandana can help keep you cool and avoid getting into trouble.
19) Personal alarm:
Not everyone will agree with me, but I recommend bringing along a personal alarm in case you ever find yourself stuck in a crowded place and need to get away.
As long as you don’t use it maliciously (and who would?), then they are generally accepted by security staff.
20) A printed copy of your festival ticket or confirmation number:
If you’ve purchased tickets online, then make sure that you print out a hard copy of your confirmation page in case one is ever needed.
It’s not going to be the most fun experience trying to get into a festival without proper identification.
Last Few Words…
It’s important to make sure that you are properly prepared before heading out on your journey to a music festival. It’s a good idea to take advantage of all the available resources and do some research before deciding where you want to go and what kind of experience you want to have.
Parties are fun, but there is so much more to a music festival other than the party. It’s more of a spiritual journey that will help you experience yourself in new & exciting ways while making some cool memories to last a lifetime. If you’re traveling across the country or just around town, make sure that you’ve got everything ready and set before heading off on your trip.
Thanks for stopping by and reading this article. I truly hope that you found something useful within my list of music festival tips and tricks. If you have a suggestion or know of something important that should be on the list, then please leave some feedback in the comment section below.
