The Festival season is well and truly upon us. Whether you’re throwing shapes in the muddy fields of England, or on the idyllic beaches of Europe, festivals bring together music and like-minded people from all over the world.
After years of going to festivals we thought it would be quite nice to impart a bit of advice onto the next generation. So here’s our top 5 tips to make your yearly pilgrimage to a muddy field or sunny beach as hassle-free as possible.
Pop-up tent
Regular festival-goers will tell you that there are two parts of the festival weekend which will almost certainly harsh your buzz. The first is the Herculean slog from car to campsite carrying tents, bags and beer when all you crave is that first Foster’s lager- for festivals why not try their new lager Radler, which is cut with lemon. The second is the journey from campsite to car on that final morning when you’re broken and all you want to do is hibernate for a week. The simple answer for these potential woes is a pop-up tent. Fewer pegs and poles means less stuff to lug around, and even if you have zero tent building skills you’ll be setup in no time at all.
Comfy clothes
Chafing is a serious problem for festival-goers so wearing sensible clothes is a must. The key piece of festival fashion advice is not to look like you’ve trying too hard. So dressing up as you favourite comic book hero is a massive no no, save that for Comic-con.
Portable phone charger
It can be tricky making your phone battery last out the length of a festival weekend, especially if you’re going to be filming a lot of acts to make your friends jealous on Facebook. Answer? Portable charger. No, seriously. You can get hold of portable battery packs designed for charging mobile phones at a reasonable price, and they’re compatible with most Blackberrys and iPhones.
Waterproof bag
After last year’s Creamfields washout, rain is a real and present danger for any festival-goer. So if rain is on the cards, get your hands on a waterproof weekend travel bag that will protect your valuables. Something like Overboard’s duffel bag is a fail-safe option for keeping iPods and other electronic items out of harm’s way.
Sunglasses
Last but definitely not least: sunglasses. Aviator and Wayfarer sunglasses will see you through this year’s festival circuit in style, and, next to your ticket, they’re your most important piece of kit. Not to mention the fact that sunglasses are the perfect disguise for your tired eyes the morning after the night before.
