2013 Survival Guide

Wanee Music Festival to me is the beginning of music festival season which runs from April to October. With music festival season just getting under way, I’ve decided to put together a survival guide for music festivals both camping and non-camping.

Essentials:

NUMBER 1: DON’T FORGET YOUR TICKETS/ BRACELETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NUMBER 2: BRING A GOOD MOOD! (Your experience will only be as good as you want it to be)

NUMBER 3: Friends (you can go alone but it’s much better with friends)

Toothbrush/ paste

Clothes

Shoes/ sandals

Pillow

Tent

Shade (tarps, canopy, tapestries, pop-up awnings)

Cooler (don’t buy ice at the festival it’s overpriced, get it before hand and keep the lid closed. Consider dry ice as well)

Foods (take some snacks; make sandwiches to keep in the cooler)

Camelbak (you’re going to need water and it gets old carrying a water bottle all the time)

Bug spray

Sunscreen

Head band/ bandana

Water (depending on the time of year I suggest 1 case of water per person per 2 days)

Chairs (to use around the camp)

Radio/ cd player/ ipod player

Jumper cables (you will be the Belle of the Ball if you have these and help people out)

If You Want to be More Comfortable:

Gas powered stove top/ grill

 Food (raw or frozen food like burgers, hot dogs, sausage, bacon)

Blow up mattress/ hammocks/ cots

Beer/ liquor

Sleeping bag/ blankets

Corn hole, ring toss, bocce ball (any type of game)

Full body/ hair wash (for those water bottle showers)

Glow sticks

Sandwich bags to keep stuff dry (cell phones, cameras, money, wallets)

Cell phone charger

Hammer & stakes to hold down tarps & tents

Remember to be flexible. You’ll run into a lot of different types of people and you’ll have all different types of weather. If it rains adapt, if it’s hot, just relax and try to stay cool, if it’s muddy enjoy it. Don’t be embarrassed, you will never see these people again in your life so have the time of your life.

This is a short list of what I think it takes to survive a music festival. The last thing I want to say is for the love of god put down the phones. I know everybody wants pictures of the shows they go to. I’m just as guilty as anyone else, but take your picture and then put the phone/ camera back in your pocket. If I wanted to record/ take pictures of bands all I would do is Google the bands not spend hundreds of dollars on a ticket to see them in person. It’s so frustrating to me to see all these people with their faces buried in their phones instead of meeting new people and enjoying the great music.