Festival Packing List: 10 Essential Items to Remember
Festival season is just around the corner, and with it comes music, celebration, and unforgettable experiences. Along with the fun, camping out in a tent under sometimes dubious conditions comes with its own set of challenges. So, before you head out to enjoy the festival scene, it’s wise to make sure you’ve prepped by packing the right stuff.
But what exactly do you need in your backpack to make your festival experience optimal? We’ve compiled a list of 10 indispensable items that you’ll be glad you packed. If you follow our advice, you'll be prepared for the worst-case scenarios and can focus on enjoying the music, friends, and fantastic vibes.
Table of contents
1. Sleeping Bag
This might seem obvious, but it’s surprising how many people forget a sleeping bag. A sleeping bag is as essential as a tent and a sleeping pad/air mattress. While a lot of focus goes to the tent (which is obviously important), never overlook the sleeping bag.
Even if you think you can manage with a duvet, you'll likely be grateful for a sleeping bag. Made to withstand cold nights—and with the unpredictable summer weather—you're far from guaranteed tropical nights just because you're at an outdoor festival. Plus, a sleeping bag takes up little space, and with all the other gear you want to bring, you'll appreciate the compact, lightweight comfort it offers. A sleeping bag might just be your best guarantee for a good night's sleep, and you’ll definitely be thankful for having it when you’ve been out in the sun and enjoying concerts from dawn till dusk!
2. Intimate glide – extra fun without the bacteria
Now for something a bit more intimate, but no less important. Festivals are crowded, and for singles (and couples, for that matter), they're a veritable playground for hook-ups. That’s why you’ll be glad you thought about your intimate hygiene. Intim Glide helps prevent itching, burning, and dryness during and after sex, and it also manages unwanted odors. All in all, it’s a lifesaver when on day four, you want to bring someone back to your tent, and it’s not exactly smelling like roses down there.
Hygiene isn’t always top-notch at festivals, making it even more crucial to do what you can to keep bacteria away from your intimate areas, especially when you don’t have easy access to a shower every day. You’ll thank yourself for packing Intim Glide – both for your hook-up’s sake and your own.
3. Intimate soap
When you do get a chance to shower, you should make sure to wash your nether regions. Therefore, packing intimate soap is a wise choice to keep yourself relatively fresh and clean. Contrary to old beliefs, the vagina isn’t self-cleaning, and with all the bacteria, dust, and other particles floating around, it’s crucial to take care of your intimate areas when you can.
Keeping your intimate regions in good condition prevents odors, dryness, itching, and general intimate discomfort – and honestly, who wants to worry about that at a festival? If you can’t shower often, it’s also a good idea to pack some intimate wipes specifically designed for that purpose, which you can use between washes.
Tip! If you want to look your best at the festival, give yourself a shave before you head out – because you probably won’t have a real chance to do so while you’re there. To avoid razor bumps and ingrown hairs, use various intimate shaving products so you can stay neat and trimmed throughout the festival – without the red bumps and itching.
4. Toothbrush and toothpaste
Like the sleeping bag, this might seem like a no-brainer, but many still decide to leave their toothbrush and toothpaste at home – who cares when you’re living under such basic conditions, right? We strongly recommend you pack your toothbrush because when you wake up in a baking tent with a pounding hangover, it will feel absolutely amazing to be able to brush your teeth and freshen up. And of course, you should always take care of your teeth – even when at a festival.
And if you plan to bring someone back to your tent, trust me, bad breath is not charming.
5. Wet wipes, cleansing wipes, and toilet paper
Wet wipes, cleansing wipes, and toilet paper are undoubtedly essentials. When a shower isn’t within easy reach, wet wipes can be the next best thing. Even if it’s just a “trucker’s wash,” it can still give you a sense of freshness and cleanliness when you can swipe a wet wipe under your arms or remove dust and makeup from your face with a cleansing wipe. Do it right before you go to sleep and first thing when you wake up in the morning, so you’re ready to tackle another day.
Festival toilets often have toilet paper during the day – but come nightfall, you might find they’ve run out. If you want to avoid the risk of finding no toilet paper after queuing for ages, it’s wise to bring your own toilet paper or wet wipes.
6. Sunscreen
Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! It’s vital to use sunscreen at a festival. Whether the sun is shining or not, you can still get burned, and that can really ruin your festival experience. Plus, we're pretty sure you’re not keen on wrinkles or, worse, skin cancer, so make sure to pack that sunscreen. If you do get burned, all you can do is apply something cooling. So, if you want to avoid painful nights, peeling skin, and health risks, for heaven's sake, remember the sunscreen. In Denmark, the UV index may be relatively low, but many Danes have fair and sensitive skin. It's recommended to use at least SPF 20, which blocks about 93 percent of UV rays. If you're very fair-skinned and burn easily, opt for SPF 30 or 50. It's also a good idea to use a higher SPF on your face.
7. Practical and comfortable clothing
This is where many people get stuck and end up packing a lot of clothes they never wear. So what should you pack? First, leave all uncomfortable and inappropriate attire at home. That includes uncomfortable jeans, tight dresses, and the banana costume. Instead, bring lightweight clothing that allows you to move freely—something you'll be thankful for when you're dancing away at a sweaty concert or busting moves in front of the main stage speaker.
It's a smart move to check the weather forecast before you head out. If it's going to be cold, perhaps bring a cozy sweater (and maybe leave the shorts and mini dresses at home), and if rain is expected, don't forget a rain jacket. But maybe not the thickest sweater you own. Good festival clothing is all about layers. That way, you can adjust your outfit depending on the temperature. If you get sweaty at a concert, you can easily shed a layer and tie it around your waist, and add more layers as it cools down at night.
8. Good shoes
While rubber boots are indispensable for keeping your feet dry, it’s a relief to switch to lighter shoes like sandals. At a festival, you’re in shoes all the time, and occasionally your feet just need some air, so it’s always a good idea to have a pair of comfortable sandals with you. When your feet are enclosed, they can easily become sweaty and moist, which can actually lead to athlete's foot.
Also, consider that while rubber boots are great in the rain, they offer almost no support for your feet. This can be a problem at a festival where you’re walking a lot. Therefore, it’s wise to bring along a pair of practical sneakers that are comfortable for walking around the site or standing for long periods during concerts.
9. Earplugs
As much fun as it is to have booming speakers all around the festival grounds, it can be quite disruptive when you're trying to sleep. Concert speakers are designed to reach even those at the back of a 50,000-person crowd. You'll be incredibly grateful you packed earplugs. While some people can sleep through anything, most of us need a little quiet when it’s time to rest. Plus, wearing earplugs at a concert where you're up front can ensure you go home with your hearing intact.
You can usually buy earplugs on-site at most festivals, but it’s still a good idea to bring some from home.
10. Powerbank
Even if you’re not glued to your phone at a festival, it's really handy to be able to call home, snap a few photos of your friends, and get in touch with them if (or when) you get separated. Although many festivals offer charging stations, it’s smart to bring your own powerbank. This way, you can easily charge your phone a bit back at your camp or while you sleep. A powerbank that allows for a few charges is always a good idea—but remember to fully charge your phone before you leave regardless.
Things NOT to bring to a festival
Some items might seem essential but are actually hopelessly unnecessary. For example, it might seem like a good idea to bring an umbrella, but it's nothing short of foolish to struggle with one at a concert where it’s just impractical and in the way. Here's a list of things you should not bring to a festival:
- An umbrella
- Valuables
- An expensive camera
- Glass (including alcohol bottles—transfer it to a plastic bottle instead)
- Junk food/perishable snacks—instead, bring nuts, muesli bars, or similar
- Too much clothing—think carefully when packing, you’ll probably end up wearing the same outfits anyway
- A rigid daily plan - it's fine to prioritize some concerts, but come with an open mind!
