By the time you're reading this post Jess and I will have set up camp for a wonderful week at Woodford Folk Festival on the Sunshine Coast of sunny Queensland. Jess has been going since she was a child and I since graduating from high school. I like to think we both know a thing or two about making the experience of camping at a music festival the best it can be. This post contains a few of the tips I think are worth sharing.
As great as the food at Woodford, and other festivals, is if you plan on surviving only on food purchased there then you're going to need a much bigger budget than really necessary. I find that taking an ample supply of slow burning/low-GI foods, that can fit in your bag, is a great way to keep energy levels up and costs down. I'm not saying that you shouldn't buy festival food but you might find your wallet a bit flatter and your stomach a bit rounder if thats all you eat.
Some of my personal favourites to keep in my backpack are dried fruits, nuts and soy crisps (my guilty pleasure). Small pieces of dark chocolate in a mix like this also work well when in a cooler climate.
An essential for any festival, even a one day event, is the carry-all bag. A bag you can chuck over your shoulder and know that it will cater to your every whim for the day. I tend to be a bit of a mum so my bag contains everything from my iPhone and wallet through to bandaids and rain ponchos. The backpack pictured is one that I've used at several other festivals and find it fits everything. Here is a list of my carry-all essentials:
- Personal items e.g. wallet, phone etc.;
- water bottle;
- headphones;
- beauty items e.g. lipbalm, sunscreen, any make-up, compact mirror, hair brush etc.;
- sun hat;
- festival program;
- small torch;
- rain poncho;
- snacks;
- camera (mine is a Fuji Film Instax);
- and something to keep my hair back e.g. head scarves (pictured are vintage).
The last is a trick my cousin taught me on my first year and until now, I've forgotten to action. Showering whilst camping can be a pain for many reasons. Two of those are that efforts to save water and a lack of hot water means speedy shower sessions. There is also often a line to wait for a shower cubicle.
When showering, you need to remember everything you will need before, during and after. Soaps and shampoos, a towel and clothes to put on. It is also best to shower in rubber thongs (flip-flops or sandals to some) to avoid the endless cycle of getting your feet dirty whilst washing them. The trick I learnt is to carry all of these items in a plastic bag to the shower (the plastic will protect everything from potential water splash).
For your toiletry items (shampoo, soap etc.) use a bag you would normally wash delicates in the washing machine. These bags are made to let the water move freely through them, will carry your items and won't take long to dry. I cut a small hole in the top of mine and tied a ribbon around to A) identify it as mine and B) hang it off the shower handles.
I have so many other tips and tricks for going camping at a festival but I think that is enough for now. I am sure I will learn and remember many more in the week to come.
Hope you all had an amazing Christmas!
Erin xx
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