Packing for Festival Camping

I am leaving for another Festival Camping Trip!  I am so excited because Festival Camping is my favorite!!  Bringing essentials and things that make life easier (and leaving behind things I won’t need) are key to having an amazing time!

I’m flying to Ohio today, so I have limited space – I’m bringing one carry on and one checked bag.

Here are the things I’m bringing.  (Besides the obvious – clothes, socks, and underwear.)

From top to bottom, left to right:

Row 1: Sleeping bag, waterproof blanket, extra throw blanket, and zip ties

• The waterproof blanket is flannel on one side and waterproof on the other side.  I put it inside my hammock tent, waterproof side down.  If it rains, the moisture doesn’t come through and get my sleeping bag wet.
• Zip ties come in handy at the campground.  You never know when you’ll need to fasten or secure something.  Make sure you have something to cut it with!

 

Row 2: Powdered gatorade, toiletries, first aid kit, headlamp, extra long hammock straps, camping towel, and hammock tent

• Powdered gatorade helps me stay hydrated, especially when I am outside all day.  Keep in mind, you may not be allowed to bring it unless it is factory sealed. (In my checked bag, because it’s more than 12 oz of powder.)
• Travel sized toiletries are great for camping.  Everything fits in a small ziplock bag.  I am also bringing travel sized deodorant, lip balm, and bar soap that I made.  It’s difficult for me to use store-bought products because I have sensitive skin, so I make my own.  I use the bar soap as shampoo, face, and body wash.
• Hand sanitizer in case I need to wash my hands and I’m not near a sink.
• Foaming body wash on a string (held together with a hair tie).  Festival camping showers might not have shelves for me to put my body wash.  If that’s the case, I can put this around my neck and taking a quick shower becomes much easier.
• Small zipper pouch with first aid.  They will have first aid stations, so I could leave it at home, but I like to have my own stuff.  Inside the orange pouch, I have various latex-free band-aids and different OTC medications in blister packs.  They should allow that inside because it is still in unsealed packaging with a label.  I have benadryl, pepto-bismol tablets, allegra, and prilosec.  Also ibuprofen in a travel tube that holds 10 pills.  Since it’s a short trip, I only have a few of each pill on the blister pack.
• If you’ve never used a headlamp for camping, you need to try it.  It’s a game-changer.
• Extra long hammock straps in case there aren’t two perfectly-spaced trees.  It gives me a little more flexibility.
• Camping towel takes up considerably less space than a regular towel.  It dries much faster, and i can easily hang it in the shower and on my hammock rainfly line with the attached clip.  Another game-changer.
• I prefer hammock tents, but most people bring a regular tent. In that case, I’d also bring a pillow, but I don’t need one for a hammock.

 

Row 3:  Cooling towels, water bottle, non-spray sunscreen, baby wipes, tissues, phone charger and portable charger, sunglasses, earplugs, menstrual cup, and a hat

• Cooling towels help keep me comfortable, especially when standing in the heat all day.
• Water bottle to get unlimited, free water at the water fill stations.  Also, I stop at the store and buy a few gallons of water to drink at the campground.  They always say they have free/cheap bottled water, but I’ve never had an easy time finding it.
• Some festivals don’t allow spray sunscreen.  To make it easier, I just get the lotion kind. (In my checked bag because it’s more than 3 oz.)
• Baby wipes are great for cleaning yourself when you might not have easy access to a sink or shower in case of emergency.
• Tissues – because sometimes the toilets run out of toilet paper.

 

Row 4: Fuzzy pajamas, hoodie, thermal leggings, poncho, comfy shoes, slippers, and flip flops

• Fuzzy pajamas in case it gets cold.  Gotta stay comfortable.
• I’m bringing shoes I bought for mud-obstacle-course races.  I don’t care if they get dirty, and they are very comfortable for walking around all day.
• Slippers in case it’s cold at the camp site.  I take my shoes off before getting in the hammock.
• If it’s warm, sometimes I prefer flip flops.

Not pictured:  Snacks, breakfast bars, and power bars for the campground.  Also, after a unanimous Instagram poll, I decided to bring my espresso pot and Cuban coffee!

Check my instagram stories to see the progress of my trip!

Have you been festival camping?  What are some of your essentials?