A first timers’ guide to packing for a music festival

I’m sure you would agree that the pure joy of discovering a new band that makes just the kind of music one loves is unparalleled. The heart beats just that little bit faster doesn’t it? Vid and I had a series of such epiphanies when we attended The Wilderness Festival last month.

Come summer, Europe is abuzz with festival calendars, and getaways and itineraries tailored around music festivals. While festivals like Tomorrowland, Benicassim, and Lovebox reign the popularity charts, Vid and I wanted to attend something a bit more laid back. We enjoy alternative, indie, and electronic music, so we knew Wilderness was the one as soon as we saw London Grammar, one of our favourite bands, on the line-up 🙂

The Wilderness Festival takes place deep in the English countryside. Cornbury Park is just 2 hours away from London. This August, we spent 4 perfect days with our best friends camping along with thousands of other wild ones at Wilderness ’14. Lazy days were spent attending forest raves under the glorious full moon, discovering trippy music at the Busking Stage, partaking in neo-pagan rituals, drowning ourselves in feathers and body glitter, attending spiritual workshops, and participating in book clubs. Wilderness Festival is a hedonistic wonderland peppered with fairy dust – highly recommended if you’re a hippie at heart!

If you’re just venturing into the world of camping at music festivals, here’s what you should be packing :-

#1 Camping Gear

The foundation of an amazing camping experience is a weather-resistant tent and warm cushioned sleeping bags. So it’s only fitting that we begin our guide to packing for a music festival with examples of some sturdy camping gear. We researched quite a lot before buying our camping gear. For this we hit Millets, UK’s premier outdoor store – the store has an enviable range of tents and sleeping bags to suit all budgets, so it worked perfectly for us.

We ended up choosing a tent that has received good reviews from the pros. The Vango Beta 350 XL is a spacious tent that is easy to pitch and folds into a compact case in less than 10 minutes. It shielded us from UK’s infamous rain and windstorms on more than one occasion during the 4 days. As for sleeping bags, we opted for Blacks‘ own-brand sleeping bags and they were snuggly as ever.

#2 Cheap and cheerful clothes

You’ll be camping aka roughing it out, so leave your pretties behind. Don’t take anything you might regret losing – branded sunglasses and watches, expensive tablets and laptops, and designer shoes should stay firmly stationed at home.

Instead opt for quirky but reasonable clothes. Rich colours and breezy silhouettes work best. This watermelon tee and these Lennon-esque sunglasses are perfect for the laid-back vibe of music festivals and their affordable price means you won’t think twice before stepping into that mosh pit and enjoying what you’re there for – the music! 🙂

Outfit Details :-

Watermelon t-shirt (nom, nom, nom!) – still available on OASAP

Mirrored round sunglasses – still available on OASAP

Coin necklace – OASAP

#3 Kimonos

Kimonos might be a festival staple for some people but if you’re anything like me, I’m sure you enjoy wearing them on city breaks, beaches, and everything in between. The loose fit of the kimono is perfect for channeling a bohemian vibe, something I just can’t say no to 🙂

Recently I’ve been loving this tie-n-dye number in black and white. It’s perfect for throwing over maxi dresses, playsuits, and loose trousers or wearing as a dress (just belt it up and voilà dress!). The white printed kimono is just tasselled perfection – I’ve been living in it this summer. It’s perfect for prancing around in golden fields while the clouds roll overhead 🙂

Outfit Details

Black tie-dye Kimono –  Rosewe

White printed tasseled kimono – Rosewe (hurrah for free worldwide delivery 🙂 )

#4 Wellies

This one is dedicated to those of you who are planning to attend a music festival in UK. The atmosphere at a music festival might have you dreaming about tropical flowers and palm trees but a downpour is never far away when one is in UK. Make sure you pack waterproof shoes and a rain coat. Millets have a great selection of Wellington Boots, with everything from the iconic Hunter boots to more affordable ones. Vid chose funky Peter Storm wellies, befittingly adorned with vinyl records, while I went for a sedate black pair.

#5 The Crazy Stuff – Flower crowns, moustaches, body glitter 

Aah now comes the fun part. Once the essentials are out of the way, it’s time to go wild (quite literally). Music festivals provide the perfect excuse to play ‘dress up’ with flower crowns, feathered ear cuffs, fake moustaches, body glitter, and body stamps.

All you’re getting ready for are lazy afternoons spent sitting cross-legged on picnic rugs with friends, endless conversations, and night-long concerts. Who can argue with that? 🙂

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PACKING CHECKLIST FOR A MUSIC FESTIVAL

1. 1 sturdy tent
2. 1 pair of Wellies or waterproof walking boots per person
3. 1 waterproof parka/raincoat per person
4. Torchlight – you never know when you might need it
5. 1 secure yet colourful backpack
6. A battery pack for your photo/camera unless you want to opt for a bit of a digital detox like we did
7. Swimwear – you never know when you might be overwhelmed by the need to take a dip in that country-side lake
8. Colourful, bohemian, and quirky clothes – we love kimonos, maxi dresses, and Lennonesque sunglasses
9. Dry shampoo and Hand Sanitizer – you won’t have regular access to running water, so these are a must
10. Wet wipes – let’s just say these are the only things that will help you navigate grubby port-a-loos
11. Flower crowns, moustaches, body glitter – go all out!!
12. First aid kid
13. Your most adventurous and bohemian self – get out there and have a blast without a worry in the world

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If you enjoy bohemian fashion, check out our posts from the time I wore an oriental kimono in Saigon, a maxi kimono in Mauritius (which I still love!), and an eye wateringly bright one in Mui Ne

Do you guys enjoy music festivals? Which is your favourite festival? 🙂

Till later, Happy raving