What You Actually Need for a Music Festival

Bass that makes your clothes shake, freestyles that don’t happen on the regular tour, live collabs that don’t happen anywhere else- it’s music festival season once again! If you’re going to your first festival this year you will be overwhelmed and overstimulated by the sights, sounds, and smells of the festi-life, from noon until 3 or 4 am. A little bit of preparation can go a long way. A few sites out there- like Gear Patrol or Cool Material may have a list of “basics” for you, but what if you don’t want to spend over $1000 on shoes, sunglasses, shorts, a shirt, a hat, and a hydration pack? If you’ve been to a festival- whether in a city or camping- you may be wondering if the guys writing these lists have ever actually been to one.

Below I’ve compiled a basic list of items to bring- as someone who has been there. Whether in buckets of sunshine or pouring rain and thunderstorms, you don’t want your $150 (white? really?) sneakers getting trashed while you’re having the time of your life. Before packing anything, ask yourself, “Will I be okay if this gets lost/ruined/stolen?”

First off- ear protection. On night one everything will sound great, but by the end of the evening your ears will be ringing and on subsequent days they will be sensitive. Earplugs are great for the shows and for trying to sleep while your neighbors are raging. A local hardware store or Walgreens will usually have something like this for under $10, or if you’re going with a crew, pick up a big bag like these for under $20.

Sunscreen is absolutely crucial, especially if your festival is in a city park (Lollapalooza) or on a beach (like Hangout Music Fest) where there is little to no shade. Get something sweat-proof and at least 30-50 SPF.

While we’re on the subject of sun protection, grab some sunglasses. Don’t bring your favorite pair, and don’t bring a pair that cost you over $100 (although Ray Bans + Oakleys are great to find as a floor score at the end of the night). My “okay to get wrecked” pair offers UV protection and I picked them up at a grocery store for $15. They have made it through 2 festivals and a 2-month trek through Europe! On the flipside, I have seen brand new Ray Bans fall off of a woman’s head and get stepped on before she realized the glasses were gone. It happened in under three seconds. She cried.

On the subject of hats: don’t buy a new hat. This is the one time I will say- bring your favorite, something that is uniquely you! I have a red Bucky Badger 1994 Rose Bowl hat that I wear to every festival. It is an easy way for my friends to spot me, it’s a good conversation starter and it’s a solid way to find other Badger Alums!

Hydration packs are personal preference- some people like to spend more on a name brand because they are built more durably and I agree- they are. What I would recommend, however, is to find a hydration pack for under $50. The brand doesn’t matter- if you can find a Camelbak on sale, go for it! Just remember- mud, dust, snags, and lit cigarettes can wreak havoc on your bag. A handful of my crew all bought the same, generic pack three or four years ago for $30 apiece and they’ve still got a season or two left on them, but losing or ruining them year one at Bonnaroo would’ve been better than seeing that happen to a pack that cost over $100.

Hip pack OR hydration pack- not both. If you need both, re-evaluate what you’re bringing into the venue and leave some stuff behind. If your hydration pack only has large compartments, plastic zipper bags or small nylon travel bags are good for separating things like chapstick, sunscreen, and extra contacts within your bag.

For an overshirt bring an old flannel, a light zip-up, or an old linen shirt to throw into your pack. Those 80-degree days in the sun can turn into 50-degree nights quickly and being cold is miserable. Shirts are also used as something to sit on, something to wipe sweat off with, and something that soaks up spilled drinks from your leg- do you want that to be your old flannel or your new $165 button-up?

For shorts- athletic shorts or board shorts are the way to go. Period. They’re made for you to sweat in and you already have ‘em. If you need something new, stores like TJ Maxx usually have name-brand, funkily-designed board shorts for a good price. They’re breathable and if a beer gets spilled on you or if afternoon showers make way for clear evening skies, they’ll dry fairly quickly.

Shoes- do not buy new shoes for a music festival! This is akin to a runner buying a new pair of shoes and wearing them for the first time during a marathon. You don’t want blisters and achy feet- wear a broken-in pair of running shoes or slip-ons. Something that you’re comfortable in and that you know you can wear for 14 hours straight.

And... a new camera! Wait, doesn’t your phone have a camera? It’s probably pretty good- at least 8 MP. If you need pictures, take a few, but keep in mind that the pictures won’t ever be able to re-create the experience that you’re having at a specific point in time. Keep the phone in your bag and use it only if you get separated from your friends (or just make new friends for the evening) and live each show through your eyes, not your screen. Follow the festival or your favorite band/dj/rapper on Twitter or Facebook to look at professional photos and videos of the shows and venue when you get back home.

Finally, three essentials: a keychain flashlight, a back-lit watch (preferably digital with a velcro or rubberized band), and a printed list of set times. The flashlight will come in handy when looking for your buddy’s lost wallet/trying to find your tent/figuring out how to unhook your hammock in the dark. The watch & printed list of set times are self-explanatory. For a more complete list of stuff to bring, especially to a camping festival, check out this list for Electric Forest from Raver Rafting. Cheers!