We’re approaching the end of summer and it’s almost time for some of the biggest festivals of the season, with V Festival, Reading & Leeds and Bestival all on the horizon.
There’s a period previous to attending a festival that’s simultaneously the most exciting and soul destroying time of your summer: festival preparation. We at See like to think there are 10 crucial stages to festival prep that most people go through, so take a load off and relate:
Weather forecasting
This is the crucial first step to any outdoor festival prep. The weather forecast in turn affects stages two and five, and if not properly noted could be to the detriment of your festival experience. The more devil-may-care of us check the forecast maybe a week or two in advance or even not at all. For those of us who pride ourselves on being super organised, we might use the extended weather forecasting websites to check what the situation will be as far as a month or two in advance. Obviously this forecast changes frequently. But if you’re that excited, there’s no harm in checking every week or so for an update. You don’t want to be caught out, after all...
List making
Next comes the list making. Again, this probably applies to the more organised festival goers. There’s just nothing worse than arriving to a festival and realising you’ve forgotten your baby wipes or tent pegs! Making a list might drive you slowly insane as you begin to realise just how much stuff you will have to drag with you to camp, but it’s a sure fire way to ensure that you won’t forget a thing.
Survival shopping
To Lidl we go! On the aforementioned lists, you might have written down your meals for the weekend which mostly consists of sausage rolls, pork pies, crisps and water. You’ll need something to sustain you in that field for three days, after all. Also included in your festival shop might be toiletries, fold away chairs, alcohol, tents, sleeping bags – all of the necessities, all on a budget! Which leads me to my next point...
Beverage transfers
Festivals have a strict no glass policy, so if you’ve got any bottled drinks, you’d better be prepared to make the exchange. Often a messy affair that severely challenges your perception of alcohol to mixer ratios, the beverage transfer from glass to plastic is key in ensuring that you’re not breaking any rules in entering the campsite and that we all have a jolly good time. Smashing (no pun intended).
And don’t forget to drink responsibly!
Outfit choices
Given you’ve checked the forecast in stage one, you’ll know whether to pack your poncho or your sun cream. If you’re a guy, chances are when it comes to clothes you’ll pack two t-shirts, a pair of jeans and a couple pairs of boxers. Lucky. While some girls might adopt the same tactic, there’s just too much choice when it comes to attire and you’ll spend hours deliberating on what to wear. Shorts, jeans, skirts, dresses, t-shirts, tank tops, jumpers, cardigans, SHOES, ACCESSORIES. It’s just too much...
Packing
So, you’ve finally made it this far. The festival is looming and it’s time to tackle the packing. You’ve been shopping for food and camping equipment, your outfits are picked and you’ve double checked your list a thousand times. The next painful stage will truly test your patience as you try to cram as much as you can into as few bags as possible so you can competently carry them to camp. Prepare for a lot of cursing, crying and brute strength. May the force be with you.
Repacking
You forgot something. Sigh. As hard as you try, the last item you forgot to pack into your precisely laid out bag just won’t co-operate and you’ll have to unload the lot and start again. Just breathe. It’ll all be okay.
The ticket check (and double, triple, quadruple check)
Forgetting your tickets is the absolute worst case scenario, so make sure you don’t! Pack them in plenty of time, check your bag regularly, double check on the morning of departure and just generally don’t take your eyes off them until they’re taken out of your hands at the festival gate. You don’t want to be the one driving home as your friends are off to enjoy the weekend, all silently judging you for being an absolute plonker.
The car loading
Time for a real life game of Tetris as you try to cram yourself, four other friends and 5 lots of weekend festival packing into a Nissan Micra. It barely makes it up small inclines as it is, let alone when it’s full of tents and booze. Hope and pray that your car can take the strain and that the boot lid that you forced shut doesn’t pop open half way down the motorway. Last thing you want to see in your rear view mirror is a wave of baked goods and beers tumbling down the round behind you.
The Proclaimers Journey
... so called because it literally feels like the journey from the car park to camp is 500 miles long. But who cares, you’ve made this far! It’s a miracle! But wait. You’ve still got to drag all that stuff to site. After all this preparation, you start to curse all of those you see around you who thought to bring sledges and wheelbarrows to assist in the process. You swear you’ll do it next year, but somehow you never do. Such regret! Soldier on, you’re so close to the finish line. Wipe away those tears, because once you get there, there will be a nice spot of grass (hopefully dry...) and a warm can of cider waiting for you. Heaven on Earth, right?
Enjoy the rest of the Festival season! Festival tickets still on sale at See Tickets.
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