HOW . . O T
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r u o y e v i v r Su First
Planning your days at a festival can be quite a challenge, usually somewhere within the campsite will be a time schedule or lanyards to buy with stage times on. It’s important to get one of these or one member of your group at least as they’re quite pricey but very handy. Making sure you can get the times right can make or break your festival experience. Two of your favourite acts could be on at the same time so you will have to decide if you want to see one or the other or half of each! Another thing to take note of is that a festival arena can be massive so getting from one stage the other may take more time than you expect! If you find that there aren’t any bands on that you particulary want to see, have a look round at some new bands and experience some new music. Or you could head back to your tent & top up your cider!
festival
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Claim your territory
If you’re going with a big group of friends, use what I like to call the ‘compound technique’. Make sure all the tents have the doors facing inwards with a space in the middle for a camp fire, chairs and drinking games. Pitch up some sort of identifying flag or banner, you could even paint something obscene on your tent. Anything that will identify your tent when you’re stumbling around at 5am. Try and arrive early to get a great camping space, study the campsite map before you get there so you can plan in advance whereabouts you want to camp. Near enough to the toilets so you can get there quickly, but far enough away so you can’t smell them. You want to be maybe one or two tents deep from the main walkway so you aren’t the first tent that people find when they’re on the way back from the arena, but close enough so you don’t fall over too many guideropes on your own way back. If you’re lucky enough to have good weather, find a tree so you have a little bit of shade. If you’re not so lucky with the weather make sure you aren’t at the bottom of a hill!
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! sh e r f Fake
Yes, there will be shower blocks Yes, the water is freezing. And yes, it will be a long walk away! It’s very probable that you’ll go with the intention of showering onsite but are you going to want to traipse across a campsite when you are hungover?! It’s highly unlikely! One of the most important items to take to a festival is dry shampoo, it can save anyones hair from looking like a greasy, dirty mess! There are plenty of brands, styles and prices to choose from. Any supermarket or healthstore will stock dry shampoo, our recommended brand is Batiste, with a variety of sizes & fragrances you can’t go wrong. Another essential item that will keep you feeling fresh and clean is baby wipes, think of it as a wet wipe shower! Cheap ones will do, own brands are fine as long as they’ve got some moisture on them! You will also need plenty of toilet roll, the toilets at a festival are not to be messed with. Just get in and get out!
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Features
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stival life! embrace Forfe one week of your life you are dropped in a field with a group of
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Fashion at a festival can be a tough one, you want to look nice but at the same time you’d rather not ruin your Sunday best. If you’re worried about the clothes you have getting trashed, head down to primark and grab some cheap gear that you aren’t bothered about. You can’t wrong with a pair of old denim shorts, a vest top and hoody. Chances are it will be raining so you need to be prepared for the elements even if says on the 5 day forecast its blazing sunshine everyday! Always take a rain coat and wellies, even it’s hot, wellies are the best footwear to have. All that mud, wet or dry, is going to be uncomfortable to walk on all day. A pair of cheap sunglasses is always essential, rain or shine. Whatever the weather, the key is to keep as warm & dry as you possibly can!
your mates, your favourite bands will be playing & hopefully you’ll get some decent weather! Some key items to take a festival include neon paints, plenty of booze and a relaxed state of mind. Along with some wellies and rain coat of course. If you go to a festival thinking you’re going to have a miserable time, you probably will. Make your camp your own as much as you can, you are living there for a week after all! Decorate your face, tent or body with some paint or a pen. At a festival it’s the normal thing to do and don’t worry about feeling out of place, you will see weirder things!
HAve fun!
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The most important thing to do at a festival is have fun! You’ve paid to see all your favourite bands with your friends, there is no point not enjoying it and getting involved in all the other activities available. Nearly every music festival has a set time that the bands have to stop playing but that doesn’t stop you from partying on into the night. With campsite DJ’s, fun fair rides and a comedy tent there is nothing stopping you from letting your hair down and having the best time of your life! Be sure to stay with your friends, make sure you know exactly where your tent is and have an agreed meeting point if any of you get lost so you can easily find each other again.
! e ot n e k a t ps i Safety T Take Cash!
don’t lock the tent!
Drink Water!
Although cash points are available at most festivals, they are usually a drunken walk away with a mile long queue & are more than likely to charge you for the privilege.
As silly as this sounds, don’t risk a lock on your tent. As soon as someone see’s that you’ve put the effort into locking up your tent, they will think that there’s something inside worth that effort. Don’t leave anything in your tent that you can’t afford to lose!
No, it’s not vodka flavoured but it is good for you. Drinking beer & cider all day can leave you really dehydrated, especially if it’s a hot summer. Take it easy during the day and save yourself for the evening.
Food & drink can be extremely over priced, the recommended amount of cash you take is around £100 for a 5 day festival. It may seem like a lot but it’s better to have some extra just in case you lose train tickets home or need an extra few ciders!
If you want to make sure that your valuables are safe then it’s best to take them everywhere you go. Have a bag with secure zips and pockets to put money, phone, keys etc in.
Every festival will have some water fountains that you can fill up bottles with. Drinking some water before going to sleep will save you a hangover and make you more prepared for the next days session!