There is nothing worse than forgetting something important at a festival or realising the hard way that you should really have purchased that air bed you saw in the supermarket. Let’s talk about music festival essentials, because nothing kills a vibe faster than realising that once you have got your tent set up, you forgot your sleeping bag (we’ve all been there).
We’ve pulled together the ultimate list of festival essentials so you can stop stressing about what you’ve forgotten and start focusing on what matters: the music, the mates, and staying awake till the sun comes up.
1. Your Festival Ticket
The most important festival essential. It sounds obvious, but no ticket means no entry, no exceptions. The good news is most festivals and events have gone digital these days, so get it added to your phone wallet well before you leave or make sure you open it in your point of purchase app before you get there. We would strongly advise doing it before you get there, as large crowds and rural locations will impact your phone signal and cause potential complications if you are not prepared.
2. Mobile Phone
Obvious, but definitely a music festival essential. You’ll need your mobile phone to access your ticket, contact your mates and keep up to date with what is happening at the festival.
Always download the festival app to save maps and set times before you go, plan out your days and work out where you need to be to see your favourite bands.
3. Tent
Your home for the weekend. Do not forget your tent or you’ll be sharing with a mate. Luckily, if you do manage to forget your tent, most festivals like Download, Bloodstock, Glastonbury and Reading and Leeds all have on-site shops that sell essential items for music festivals where you can buy another one (often a pop-up tent), along with other bits. However, for smaller festivals you can’t rely on these to be available, so trust us, don’t forget your tent.
A few extra Tent tips
Check the waterproofing
Festival weather is always unpredictable; you don’t want to be caught in the rain with a tent that becomes a pond. There is nothing worse than wet clothes and nowhere warm to lie down for the night. We would recommend a minimum of 3,000mm, but here is some extra data:
3,000mm: The reliable baseline for general camping, capable of withstanding steady, moderate rainfall.
5,000mm+: Heavy-duty protection designed for torrential downpours (Drownload proof), severe storms, or extended multi-day exposure.
We highly recommend a black out tent
There is nothing worse than being woken up after a heavy night by the sun rising and cooking you inside your tent and feeling like someone just walked into your room and turned the big light on.
Buy a tent that is big enough for you and your gear
Tent sizes are misleading; make sure you have enough space for you and your gear, especially if you are sharing a tent. 2-man tents are generally too small for the average person to stay in comfortably; we would highly recommend a 4-man tent as a minimum.
Don’t leave your tent behind
Here’s the bit we need to say loud and clear: do not leave your tent behind. Abandoned tents don’t magically disappear; they do not get repurposed; they go straight to landfill, thousands of them, every single festival season. Bring it home, or better yet, buy one built to last more than one trip (not a cheap one from Tesco).
4. Sleeping Bag
You need somewhere to sleep, yes, but you also need something warm to sleep in. Another important thing to bring to a festival is your sleeping bag. Fields get cold at night, even in August. Pack a sleeping bag that is warm and maybe bring an additional blanket; you’ll thank yourself at 3 am.
5. Wallet
Your wallet is one of the most important festival essentials. You need to eat, buy some beers and get that sweet t-shirt you saw at the merch stand. Most festivals are cashless these days, so it’s important to bring your bank card, maybe a small amount of backup cash for anything off-site, but your card will be needed even though your bank balance won’t thank you for it.
6. Drinks
Whatever you’re bringing to toast the weekend, pack it smart. Festivals won’t allow glass bottles, so bring cans and decanted spirits over glass and check your festival’s specific rules on what you’re allowed to bring into the campsite versus the arena.
7. Water Bottles
Non-negotiable. Staying hydrated is the difference between an incredible weekend and a miserable one. Especially now the summers are heating up, bring a large refillable bottle for camp and a smaller one to carry into the arena. All festivals will have free refill points dotted about, so use them to stay hydrated and pace yourself between beers.
8. Food and Cooking Equipment
Not quite a festival essential for everyone, but essential for your wallet. A camping stove, a pan, and a lighter can turn a soggy morning into a proper breakfast. Bring a few basics to cook at camp. Pasta, tins, snacks that don’t need cooking will save your bank balance and your sanity when the food queues stretch on forever.
9. Toiletries
Toiletries should be near the top of any festival packing list. Shower gel, a flannel, loo roll (bring more than you think you need), face wash, and deodorant. You might not shower every day, but you’ll feel infinitely more human if you can at least freshen up. Make sure you bring what you need to stay clean; not only will you feel better, but it will help you prevent getting that festival flu.
Our festival survival kit:
- Toilet roll or wipes
- Body and face wipes
- Deodorant
- Face wash
- Hand soap
- Hairbrush
- Shampoo
- Shower gel
- Towel
- Tissues
- Painkillers/medicine
10. Air Bed
Trust us on this one: you do not want to sleep on anything else, especially an uneven floor. Groundsheets and thin roll mats sound fine in theory, but three nights on hard ground will have you regretting every decision. An air bed is the single upgrade that makes the biggest difference to how you feel each morning and can cost you as little as £20.
11. Car Park Pass
Sorted your ticket, don’t forget this one. Most festivals require a separate car park pass, often bought in advance to park your vehicle on site. Be sure to check before you leave, because turning up without one can mean an expensive surprise or a very long walk.
12. Sun Cream
If you want festival essentials for hot weather, you don’t want to miss this one out. British weather is unpredictable, but festival sunburn is a rite of passage nobody wants. Pack it, use it, reapply it, even under cloud cover. The last thing you want is heat stroke, so pair this with the water bottle and some shade to make sure you keep cool and stay hydrated.
13. Hat
Sun hat for the day, cosy beanie for the night. A hat also does wonders for disguising three days’ unwashed festival hair. But they will also help you stay covered in the sun and keep warm in the night.
14. Sunglasses
Protects your eyes, hides how tired you are, and ensures you can see your favourite bands. Pack a spare pair too; sunglasses have a habit of vanishing in a crowd or getting broken in a mosh pit.
15. Raincoat / Poncho
The one item you’ll need the exact moment you didn’t pack it. UK festivals and rain go together like headliners and pyrotechnics; a proper raincoat or a cheap poncho stuffed in your bag will save your whole weekend if you get caught in a downpour.
16. Eye Mask
Tents are basically greenhouses once the sun comes up. If you don’t have a good blackout tent, an eye mask buys you a few more precious hours of sleep when your neighbours’ 6 am singalong has other plans.
17. Clothes
Be ready for all weather. Layers are your best friend; think warm items for the evening, breathable options for the day, and always, always pack spare socks. Wet feet will ruin a festival faster than anything else on this list.
18. Snacks
Arena food is great, but not at 2 am when you’re back at the tent and starving. Pack snacks that travel well and don’t need a fridge; you’ll be glad of them more than once, especially if you drop your hotdog on the way back to camp.
19. Torch
Finding your tent in a sea of identical tents, in the dark, after a few too many, is a genuine skill not to mention trying to find items in your tent in the middle of the night. A torch makes it infinitely easier and safer.
20. Battery Packs
Your phone is your ticket, your camera, your torch, and your only way of finding your mates when you inevitably lose them. Bring a fully charged battery pack (or two), so you’re never left without charge trying to find your friends in a sea of people.
21. Bag
It’s not a fashion statement; it’s a festival essential. Something small, secure, and close to your body to keep your belongings safe in the pit. A cross-body bag or festival pouch beats digging through a backpack every time you want your phone or water bottle.
Important thing to consider
Pickpockets are targeting festivals throughout the country to steal phones, wallets and other valuable items. We strongly recommend you bring a bag or clothing with zip-up pockets. Nothing will ruin your weekend quicker than realising your phone has been lost, and you are never getting it back.
22. Wellies
Ask anyone who has stood in a field at Download after two days of rain.
UK festivals and mud are practically a genre tradition. Wellies are not optional if the forecast turns, and even if it stays dry, they earn their space in the car the moment the campsite turns to sludge. Break them in before you go. Nobody wants blisters on top of everything else.
Our festival packing list
Key music festival essentials:
- Ticket
- House and car keys
- Wallet
- Car park pass
- Download the festival app
Clothes:
- Socks
- Underwear
- Outfits
- Jumpers
- Shoes
- Poncho or raincoat
- Jeans/shorts/bottoms
- Wellies
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Eye masks
Electronics:
- Chargers
- Battery packs
- Torch
- Phone
- Ear plugs
Food & drink
- Water jug
- Water bottle
- Food and snacks
- Cups
- Drinks
- Plates
- Stove
- Matches/lighter
- Tongs
- Cutlery
- Cooking oil
- Washing up liquid
- Sponge
Festival Camping Essentials:
- Tent
- Sleeping bag
- Chair
- Inflatable mattress
- Pillows
- Blanket
- Bottom sheet
Toiletries
- Shower gel
- Shampoo
- Hairbrush
- Face wash
- Wipes
- Loo roll
- Tissues
- Hand soap
- Flannel
- Painkillers & medication
- Deodorants
- Sun cream
You Now Have Your Festival Essentials
Get these festival essentials sorted before you leave, and the rest of the weekend takes care of itself. Pack smart, stay hydrated, keep your valuables close and don’t forget to take your tent home with you. Now you are ready to go; it’s time to put the playlist on and prepare to see your favourite bands. See you in the field.
Need help working out your journey or checking the weather? Check out our gig and festival journey planner.