Coachella, Bonnaroo and Camp Bisco may be months away, but it’s never too early to start thinking about what you’ll need to pack. Check out my definitive list of MUST HAVES for all my camping festival adventures:
THINGS WE BROUGHT:
folding tables
folding chairs
tents & canopies
bandanas
trash bags
toilet paper
paper towels
travel size toothpaste
travel size deodorant
cigarettes (great gift items)
bandaids
lanterns
D batteries
AA batteries
lighters (long BBQ lighters are easier to find in the dark)
cheap blankets
battery-powdered fan
LED string lights
string/rope
ziplock baggies
plastic utensils/plates
small bills for showers/ice
alcohol (NO GLASS)
camelpak
several heavy-duty camping lanterns
coolers
car chargers for devices
small travel pillow
old carpet as a tent entry mat to keep out mud
ping pong balls for beer pong
solo cups
scissors
deck of cards
hookah
THINGS WE WISHED WE HAD BROUGHT:
less salty/dry food
colored spray paint
more AA batteries
more heavy duty glowsticks from the camping aisle
sanitizing wipes
more fun hats
flagpole/long piece of PVC
a few more cheap blankets
rechargeable flashlights
DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND…
- Print the lineup while you are at home and stick it in plastic sheet protectors. This will be unbelievably handy for when it’s 11pm at night, everyone’s drunk, it’s dark and no one knows who’s playing when and where. Our printed lineup at last year’s Bonnaroo was literally a ball of wet, grimy paper pulp after 3 days of leaving it outside and lending it to neighbors. Most music festivals release a printable PDF version of their lineup that shows which artists are playing on each stage over the duration of the event. For example, you can check out Bonnaroo’s schedule on their official site: http://lineup.bonnaroo.com/.
- Meet up with the rest of your party before entering the venue. There is no better way to kill the mood than for the group to get split up because your vehicles enter the festival separately. For Bonnaroo in particular, plan ahead and decide which tollbooth (East or West) you will be entering through.
- Check with festival guidelines before bringing in a hitched vehicle. Uhaul trailers are a no-go at Bonnaroo, we learned the hard way.
- Expect your vehicle to be searched at the entrance to the festival. Volunteers will most likely ask to see the contents of your trunk/backseats.
- Either bring an old throw-away carpet or a piece of large cardboard to use as a mat to wipe your feet outside the tent. Tracking dust (and mud, if it rains) on your sleeping bag is a surefire way to ruin your Bonnaroo experience.
