The Ultimate Music Festival Packing List
You found it! What follows is the Ultimate Music Festival Packing list! These are the essentials for any camping festival but this list will also come in handy for any other music festival.
This list of what to bring to a music festival is from years and years of attending music festivals of all types and refining our list every time. We believe that being prepared for anything at a music festival is one of the best ways to ensure you have a good time.
Knowing that you have everything you will need is a great way to fully enjoy your festival experience and lose yourself in the weekend of good jams, good vibes, and good company.
If there is anything you think we are missing from the list feel free to tweet us @festsurvival or hit us up on Facebook with your suggestions!
Camping Supplies
Your camp is your home for the duration of your festival experience. If you have ever been camping before you know that forgetting just one little item can ruin your weekend… toilet paper, am I right? This list of music festival camping supplies is one that we consider pretty much complete and if you remember each of these items you are sure to see camp envy in the eyes of your neighbors.
- Tent – This Coleman Camping Tent rocks!
- Sleeping bag – Here is the perfect sleeping bag to keep you snug while camping.
- Extra blankets are a must!
- Pillows
- Air mattress (if you pack this also include a pump or extra batteries for the pump, a patch kit for repairs, and sheets to cover it with)
- Headlamps
- Lantern
- Tarp
- Keep everything charged with a Goal Zero Yeti
- Hammer
- Pocket knife
- Extra toilet paper
- Bath towels, at least one per person and an extra
- Chairs
- Coolers (it’s a good idea to pack a large for drinks and to use as a table and a smaller one for food
- Febreeze for the tent
- Lysol spray for the tent
- Cleaning spray (Windex, etc.)
- Jugs of water
- Stereo or music player (also include extra batteries, CD’s or whatever you need for this)
- Car inverter for electronics
- Jumper cables
- Tent locks
- Extra car keys (if you are camping with friends you may want to give them extra car keys or keyless entry devices so they can store valuables in the car and have access to it if you get separated)
- Hand warmers, hot hands
- Flag or tiki torches (to mark your campsite so you can find it easily)
- Optional items like a fold-out table (regulation beer pong size or otherwise), or a rug
- Hammock
- Shade Awning – Small shade tents, large umbrellas, and Sunbrellas can be helpful to block out sun and rain during the shows if the festival allows them in the venue
- Tapestries to hang up for decoration
- Ashtrays
- Trash bags
- Dry bags
Food & Cooking Supplies
As far as food goes it’s up to you what to bring but we try and pack things that are easy to snack on as well as meals that can be easily prepared in the dark or with limited supplies. We always pack lots of chips, sandwiches, and granola bars because those seem to be the things we eat the most. Grilled cheese and soups are also good, especially when it‘s cold outside.
- Camping stove
- Extra gas canisters
- Biodegradable dish soap
- Hand sanitizer
- Pots, pans, pot holders, spatulas, silverware, plates, napkins (a good rule of thumb is to figure out what kind of food you are bringing and make sure you have the necessary equipment to prepare it)
- Cups
- Straws
- Ice (fit as much as you can into the coolers, making sure to keep half a bag in the plastic to use for drinks. Ice will be sold on the festival grounds but it will be twice as expensive as in the real world so stock up as much as possible before entering)
- Condiments (butter, ketchup, mustard, etc.)
- Shot glasses
- Flasks (often no glass bottles are allowed inside so put your liquor in big flasks when possible)
- French press for coffee
- Coffee or instant hot chocolate and cider, and don’t forget cream and sugar
- Lots of bottled water
We put together another great list of food to pack for a music festival weekend of awesomeness here that includes some of our favorite recipes.
Staying healthy for the festival is essential and food certainly plays a role in that, so we put together some tips on how to stay healthy at a festival as well.
Toiletries & Personal Items
You want to stay clean right? If not for you, at least do it for your friends and fellow festival fans. The items on this packing list are often some of the most overlooked and forgotten items amongst even the seasoned vets. Be sure to check all of these items off your list before heading out.
- Travel shampoo/conditioner
- Solar Shower
- Face wipes
- Baby wipes (there are not always convenient showers available so if you refill jugs of water you can use these to brush your teeth and hair. Baby wipes can help you stay clean throughout the day) *please do NOT dispose of these in porta potties!
- Toothpaste/toothbrushMouthwash (this is convenient when you are getting ready to go to sleep and you’re too blotto to deal with toothbrushes and water)
- First aid kit (Band-Aids, Neosporin, etc.)
- Pain medicine
- Pepto and antacids. Any medications you are taking (birth control, anti-anxiety pills, motion sickness meds, etc.)
- Cold medicine
- Vitamins
- Emergen-c or airborne
- Cotton swabs
- Sunscreen
- Lotion
- Razors or shaving kit
- Condoms (if you don’t mind dirty festival sex)
- Hairbrush, clips, ties, bobby pins, headbands
Clothes & Gear
As far as festival outfits go it’s up to you what to pack. My only suggestions are to bring things you don’t mind getting messed up because you will be outside partying all weekend and things can get pretty dirty. Especially if there is any chance of rain, make sure to pack extras of everything so that you can put on dry clothes whenever you want to. Also, make sure to bring some long sleeves even if it is a summer festival because if you get a little sunburned it can be chilly once the sun goes down.
- Shoes (pack at least one pair of walking shoes as well as flip flops and sandals)
- Rain shoes or crocs
- Socks
- Skirts, jeans, shorts
- Tanks, t-shirts, hoodies, jacket
- Sleeping clothes, sweat pantsBathing suit
- Bandanas (these can be wildly handy for many reasons as well as for fashion)
- Hats
- Sunglasses
- Belts
- Undies and bras
- Scarves, gloves, skull caps
- Raincoat
- Jewelry
- Backpacks or Camelbak
These are the essentials but you should also think about fun stuff to do at the campsite like hula hoops, glow sticks, Frisbees, soccer balls, playing cards, and anything else you like to do. I also like to bring a book in case I need a few quiet minutes away from the madness. Also, a paper and pen can always be good to have around. People often also wear crazy costumes and things like that so go nuts. And don’t forget your camera!
If you and your friends play music, bringing instruments can also make the camp hangouts a hell of a lot more fun. Typically an acoustic guitar and a djembe or if you are so inclined you could learn to play ukulele and wow your friends with some singalongs!
We hope this list helps you be more prepared for your upcoming music festival adventure! If you want a handy checklist to download to make sure you never forget anything when packing for a music festival again, we put together a free downloadable checklist here.
As always, get out there and have a blast, and if there is anything you think we forgot please feel free to reach out.