After two long years (though it seemed like more), festivals across the United Kingdom are finally back. And now more than ever, people are packing their bags and hitting the road with their friends to head to their favorite music festivals around the country.
While these are incredibly fun events where you can catch your favorite bands and make lifetime memories with your friends, it also means long lines, waiting times, and a whole lot of people.
So, there needs to be quite a bit of preparation before you and your friends go to a music festival. That way, you have everything you need while at the festival so you can make your experience as enjoyable and as convenient as possible.
In this article, we will share with you 5 great tips for preparing for a festival in 2022.
Do the Research
Firstly, it’s important to do the research. You have to make sure that you’re familiar with all the rules and regulations of the festival and the venue itself. That way, you know what you can or cannot bring. Remember, you might be refused entry if you bring something in that’s not allowed, so it’s best to know the rules.
On top of making sure to research the festival and the venue rules, at times, festivals may have extra rules that the venue may not have and vice versa. This can be confusing, but as a festival-goer, you must make sure you’re familiar with the rules.
That way, you know whether or not to book a hotel in the area or camp on the grounds, the general energy of the festival, and any rules to keep in mind while at the festival.
Pack Well
Another thing you need to make sure of when going to a music festival is packing enough supplies to last you and your mates for the whole trip. That said, you don’t want to be lugging around a heavy bag packed with unnecessary gear. So, it’s important to pack light but pack enough for the trip.
Ideally, you want to bring your clothes in one bag and your supplies in a day bag. Your day bag should have all your necessities like your phone, bag, wallet, keys, sunglasses, and anything else you might need. Make sure to bring a secure and theft-proof day bag as well so you don’t put yourself at unnecessary risk.
When you’re at the festival itself, you want to carry as few things with you as possible. Remember, you’re going to be standing and walking most of the time, so carrying a heavy bag may be less than ideal. Some of our recommendations include a secure belt bag or a comfortable pouch.
Look Up the Weather Forecast
You can never tell what the weather is going to be like at a music festival. While most productions make sure to schedule the festival during the summer or during the dryer months of the year, forces out of our control may cause rain, snow, and other unpleasant weather conditions during the festival.
That said, just because it isn’t sunny doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time. There have been many legendary rainy music festivals where the weather added an extra touch of fun to the overall festival experience. However, you can prevent yourself from getting sick and feeling uncomfortable by wearing the right clothes for the weather.
Ideally, you want to bring layers that you can easily remove as needed. Even if it’s sunny during the day, it’s probably going to get much colder in the evening, so bringing a jacket would never hurt.
If it’s supposed to rain that day, then you definitely want to be in boots and wear a raincoat. You can also bring an umbrella, but it can be a real hassle to hold an umbrella up for hours on end while watching your favorite bands.
If you want to be in weather-appropriate clothes, then you have to look up the weather forecast before you depart. That way, you know exactly what to pack and will be prepared for all scenarios.
Get Some Rest!
Music festivals can be really tiring, especially if they last for a few days and you plan on being there for the full thing. While they are a whole lot of fun, you can imagine how drained you’ll feel after walking around in the sun for hours on end and dancing to your favorite acts. So, it’s best to go to the festival well-rested so that you have the energy to enjoy the event itself to the fullest.
And if you’re in the middle of a multi-day festival, then make sure to sleep in between. We understand that you don’t want to miss out on any of the fun at the festival. But trust us, getting some rest to give you energy for the rest of the day is much better than staying awake every single minute but being too tired to enjoy it.
Split the Payments Between Your Friends With Ease
On top of paying for the actual festival itself, you and your friends are most likely going to do a whole lot of shopping while at the event. From drinks to merchandise – the costs can quickly add up. And since nobody really wants to foot the bill, whether during or after the festival, you and your friends will inevitably have to split the costs and pay each other whatever is due. That process alone can be an absolute nightmare.
From lost receipts to not sure who you’ve bought drinks for, and how much everything was, you or one of your friends may have to end up paying more than they planned.
This is why one of our recommendations is bringing cash. Or, you can have one person cover different expenses while at the festival and just pay them back after. After all, many festivals offer discounts for group purchases for food, tickets, drinks, and more, so it might even be a more budget-friendly idea.
If you don’t want to deal with cash (as is the case with most young people nowadays), you should use tapeeno. With tapeeno, one person can cover all the payments, then the rest of the group can pay the person back with their cards or mobile phones contactless. All the recipient needs to do is input what is owed to them on the phone, and everyone else can simply tap their card (or phone) to make the payment.
Not only will this make it easier to split payments at a festival, but it also allows you to spend more fun listening to and dancing to your favorite bands rather than figuring out the maths after every transaction.
Conclusion
With more and more music festivals being announced this year, there’s a high chance you’ll find yourself at one soon enough. And while they can be fun, you need to learn the basics and how to prepare for a festival in 2022. So, make sure to take this guide to heart the next time you pack and prepare for a music festival so you have all the information you need to be fully prepared to have the time of your life.
