What to take (Checklist)

Items for ALL festival goers, whether they are camping or just Day ticket holders;

Festival Ticket/Early Entry Ticket - You’d be amazed how many people actually have forgotten theirs in the past.

Money

A cash/debit/credit card

ID (if over 18) – Make sure this complies with the ID rules that Festival Republic have set. They do have the right to refuse some forms of ID.

Train ticket/Bus ticket/Plane ticket etc.

Mobile phone – I suggest buying a cheap one with a new sim card. Only import the numbers of those you may need to call whilst at the festival such as friends you are going with, your Mum etc.

Wallet - Please only leave essential stuff in your wallet.

Keys – but make sure you can attach them to yourself so you don’t lose them.

A camera

Batteries

A lighter – Even if you are a non-smoker, a lighter can come in handy. Just don’t mess around with it.

Scarf – Spray it with deodorant and tie on your face if the smell of the toilets really is too much for you to bear!

Camping Essentials

The Basic Stuff; everything you need to survive the weekend!

Tent – Yes, it doesn’t matter if you think it’ll be “cool” to not take one, they are essential. If it starts to rain, you don’t want to be stuck sleeping outside.

A sleeping bag – There is nothing nicer than getting into your sleeping bag after a long day of drinking.

A blanket – Some wouldn’t consider it essential, but it makes camping on hard ground far nicer.

A torch – This is an absolute God-send at times. It can be used for so many things, from making sure you can see in the dark, to shining against tents so you and your friends can make your own shadow puppet show.

A mallet – you could use something else, like a tin, but it’s so much easier to put up a tent with a mallet.

Bucket – For liquids such as water, pee, sick… the list goes on. Also, can come in handy for carrying things to and from the festival grounds.

Clothes – It’s bad enough that you can’t shower for a week, so ensure that you take enough spare clothes to see you through

Trousers

Shorts

T-shirts

A jumper/hoody – These four things are ESSENTIAL.

Plenty of pairs of socks and underwear (I suggest take more than you need)

2 pairs of shoes/trainers.

A sun hat/cap and a woollen hat

A coat or rain mac - Umbrellas can be a real inconvenience to others when in the Arena.

Sunglasses

Flip flops/wellies - These aren’t really essential but can make the experience nicer.

Toiletries – They make up for not showering, and while some are considered essential by seasoned festival goers, many are down to personal preference.

Wet wipes – Using these in the morning is like having a shower out of a packet!

Deodorant/Body spray – To make you smell nice.

Toothbrush and toothpaste – There is nothing worse than having that disgusting feeling of a furry hangover mouth.

Condoms – May sound really obvious, but you DO NOT know the people you may meet at the festival. They may lie and so it’s always better to play it safe.

Plasters – These are bound to come in handy at some point over the festival. Blisters are a major problem for a lot of people, so even if you don’t need them you are bound to be somebody’s saving grace!

A mirror – If you have contact lenses or you are one of the vain girls who needs to put makeup on.

Make up – For the above vain girls. Although to be honest, this is FAR from essential. Most people don’t care what you look like, and aren’t interested. Part of the fun of the festival is being able to let loose, and forget about the constraints of day-to-day life.

Hairbrush/comb

Shampoo/conditioner – Not essential for all but I personally like to wash my hair at least once while there.

Sun cream – It can get very very hot in the middle of August, and many people have burnt their skin before. Take sun cream as a precaution, and if the sun does make an appearance, be sure to use it.

Painkillers

Loo roll/tissues – Trust me, you need it.

Food and Drink – Because everybody needs to eat. Whilst there are many varieties of food available on site, not everybody will want to eat there.

Tin opener – If you forget to bring on, you can pretty much bet that you will never find one. Neighbours will probably end up borrowing yours.

Saucepan – For cooking things like beans etc.

Camping Stove/Kettle – Not essential. You can cook on a fire, but most people aren’t Neanderthals and so won’t. If you do want to cook on a fire, go to one of the local supermarkets and pinch a shopping basket. Turn it upside down over your camp fire and you’ve made yourself a BBQ.

Bottle Opener – So that the drinks can flow easily!

Cereal bars/boxes of cereal/tins of beans etc – Easy food to eat at a festival, especially first thing in the morning.

Other – Some other items that may come in handy while camping

Gaffe Tape

Bin bags

An empty plastic bottle – to fill up with water from the taps.

Credit to Zee of ORF and aurehsalla of RFO for compiling the original lists used to create this list. Many of the ideas were theirs; I have simply edited their original lists and added my own points.