Bogged down by camping

When attending a music festival weekend, it should all be about embracing the music, and enjoying yourself without having to worry about packing up loads of things to take with you for the weekend.

The most essential item is a tent, just a small one is sufficient as all you need it for it to sleep in to protect you from the elements. Some people arrive with tents that are more like small houses, which are great for a week’s camping holiday with the family, but not necessary for this kind of event. If you arrive in a car and you don’t have a tent, there is nothing to stop you from sleeping in your car if you can rough it for a couple of nights. You won’t have the added hassle of putting a tent up, so from the minute you arrive at the festival, you can start enjoying yourself and go straight to the music tents or arenas to watch the bands or singers.

Whether you do take a tent or not, a sleeping bag or duvet is the most important item as it is pretty hard to sleep anywhere if you are cold, and even the hardest party goers will appreciate a couple of hours sleep at least, wrapped up in a sleeping bag or duvet of some kind. The next most important item is a warm outdoor jacket like the Berghaus jackets.

Anything else is really a luxury, and if you want to embrace the whole experience of a music festival, don’t get bogged down by worrying about what you have or haven’t got with you. Enjoy the music and the atmosphere. Buy food and drink while you are there as there are normally plenty of food stands, and bars to buy alcohol and soft drinks. This means you don’t have to bother spending time cooking on a gas stove, when you could be enjoying your favourite bands. A rucksack with plenty of water and a few snacks should see you through the weekend and the rest can be bought on site for convenience. Water is essential though as dehydration can make you very ill and will ruin the whole experience, so make sure you stock up, and locate the nearest drinking water tap when you get there.

Most people attend these events purely for the music and the whole atmosphere, and want to get the most out of their weekend by seeing as many bands and singers as possible and then the parties continue normally well into the early hours of the morning, so sleep is often very low on the agenda for a lot of people. They are prepared to be tired for a couple of days, so comfort and luxuries go out of the window, as it is a small price to pay to have a fun weekend with friends, watching some of the finest music. An opportunity that may only come along once in a while for many.

You may not have the luxury that you have at home, or would experience in a hotel or bed and breakfast, but if you attend these sorts of events, then luxury is way down the list of priorities.  You may not have the facilities to have a proper wash, or eat proper meals like you would do at home, but for a weekend away at this kind of event, this is something to be expected and part of the fun, roughing it for a few days. It really makes you realise that humans can do without many of the items we use in our everyday lives.

If you really feel like you have forgotten something that would make your weekend more enjoyable, there are usually stalls which sell camping equipment too but my advice is to enjoy the live music experience and don’t worry about anything else.