Festival goers - top packing tips

Wet wipes a must!

Good shout on the bucket - thank you!

Wet wipes are on the list. Not sure whether to bother taking breakfast stuff or just buy all of our food. Less to carry that way, I guess.

Personally I wouldn't bother taking food, maybe some crisps/cereal bars but I've just always found it easier to buy stuff there. Prepare yourself for every meal to cost at least £7 though! My top tip would be clothes you can layer up and a good waterproof coat that will roll up small if not needed and wellies, even if the weather looks ok to start with

Wear wellies even if it is scortching - the ground will probably be sodden!

Fab, thank you! Exciting! Keep your fingers crossed the weather holds for us, please ?

This. And it won't be sodden with rain.... Bring a waterproof, the lightest and smallest one you have but, to be honest, if it rains, you can't avoid getting wet really!

I wouldn't bring too much food, maybe fruit/crackers/cereal bars/etc. And stuff for tea/coffee.

Are you going to V Festival? That's all Starbucks stands and Wagamamas, so you'll be fine to eat.

Don't fancy bodily fluids all over my feet, bleurgh.

Beautiful Days - it's run by the Levellers. It's meant to be pretty laid back with cheaper than usual beer and food! My brother's doing the sound on one of the stages so has sorted out some tickets for us.

I would recommend getting a rain poncho that you can fold up really small into a rucksack. We had these for Leeds and they came in handy. We also bought buy a box of wine from a supermarket and put the bag bit in the section that would hold the camel pack for water. Definately bring wellies and clothes that can be layered along with a rucksack that can carry any unwanted items. If you have room I would suggest a couple of camping chairs, we missed these at Download as you are standing all day.

Layers, wet wipes, dry shampoo, waterproofs, bottled water (to drink & also for watching up, cleanning teeth!), thick socks!

we tend to take stuff for breakfast like a pack of bagels then get lunch & dinner from food stalls. might be worth some tea bags & coffee and UHT!

folding seats or rug if you want to sit on the ground and watch bands.

tourch for that middle of the night trip to the porta loos! oh, hand sanitiser and tissues for this too!

some sort of flag so u can find ur tent easily!

remember to stuff your jeans into the bottom of your sleeping bag over night to stop them getting damp!

this has got me excited, we are off to a fesival next weekend, might start sorting stuff out this week!!

Plenty of layers to sleep in, nothing worse than being too cold to sleep.

I'm off to Leeds festival next weekend and I cannot wait!

If you are planning to take some booze for the camp site, Waitrose do a nice Sauvignon Blanc which they sell in plastic bottles precisely for times like this!

Not quite festival but we are getting these for carnival!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hydration-Bladder-Polyester-Backpack-Wear-Resistant/dp/B008PARI3E/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1344863585&sr=8-14

ETA: Not for water ?

I hate being wet so my must haves would definitely be wellies and lots of layers topped of with a waterproof poncho!

Leeds is great, I had a fantastic time there a few years ago - when I went there was a beer amnesity bit before you went into the arena, you could take your warm beers and get them swapped for nice cold pint sized cans. People were going with crates of tesco value stuff and swapping it over!! Not sure if they still do it though!!

Bin bags!!! For sitting on and putting wet clothes in.

Food wise we never take anything but crisps and some cereal bars.

More socks than you think you need as they always get wet and something warm to sleep in. Like joggers as it is always freezing at night!

I also prefer a non-disposable poncho as the disposable ones tend to rip. I got mine from Asda and it is fully waterproof not showerproof.

Dry shampoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My top Festival Tips:

-BIN BAGS, LOADS! Doubles as seating, Poncho, rubbish bag, holdall and fun outfit if you take too many.

-Dry Shampoo, and whatever product you use to make your hair 'beachy' (if you're into the beauty regime while you're there)

-Baby Wipes (Loads of)

- Wear wellies or boots all the time, everyone else will be and the ground around the camp site will be muddy either way, and trust me you don't want to go in a portaloo in sandals.

-VERY WARM clothing for he night, I slept in long johns, trakkies and PJ bottoms with Jumper and Hoodie whislt under my duvet.

-Take ear plugs on the off chance you'll get ill and actually want to sleep at some point (I did at my last festival, never got any sleep and ended up a massive grumpy bum for the last 2 days- Later foun out i was pregnant! Hence the ill!!)

-Take a bit extra cash in case there's anything thats not beer and food you fancy. I was surprised how many stalls there were selling cute dresses/tops at reasonable prices.

- And if you're the sort of person that's into drugs, you'll find a dealer inside lol, don't risk taking something in with you as the sniffer dogs on the entrance are very thorough.

-Sunglasses a must as well, even if its dull you'll need those bad boys for your 6am hungover trip to the buttie van.

This!

Wetwipes, antibacterial hand gel, packets of tissues.

Long socks for under wellies, wellies, waterproof jacket, leggings/joggers, a hat.

A head torch for night time loo trips, it's good to keep your hands free!

An eye mask too, you'll be awake with the sun otherwise at 5/6 am.

Leeds is brilliant, I'd rather go to a festival than go on holiday!

I've been going since 2007 and remember the beer amnesty the first year but pretty sure that was the last one they had, since Carling stopped being their official sponsor. I wish they'd bring it back though!

Ah, I think that was the time I went, I wanted to go back but OH is a big mardy bum - he did TITP so many times it wasn't as fun as it was for me as Leeds was my first festival ?

ETAn - Just noticed this on the website - http://www.leedsfestival.co.uk/news/

Can't beat free grub, though I can see the queues being insane for the baps so might just stick to my usual Leeds breakfast of cans of Strongbow ? I'm sure OH will be dragging me with him for his though!

It would be good if the drinks were the ones you get in the arena, but at £4 a pint, giving 3 cans away would work out a lot cheaper for them!

I've only ever been to Leeds and Benicassim. I'd go to Beni again but I couldn't camp, it was far too warm for that!

I'm going to V festival this weekend so I'm working my way through my list.

Think most essential items have been mentioned. My MUST HAVE for a festival apart from tent etc is a loo bucket with a seat on top. No queuing for portaloos first thing in the morning/last thing at night!

Repeating others here but my essentials are baby wipes (lots!), dry shampoo, camping chairs, loo roll, mini packs of tissues to keep in your bag just incase no loo roll in portaloos, antibacterial gel, bin bags, water carrier, cereal bars, (those dried porridge pots are good if you take a camping stove and kettle), pot noodles for midnight munchies, I'll take green/herbal tea bags so no milk required, bottles of water, lots of capri suns/juice cartons, alcohol, wellies and welly socks, suncream, disposable poncho (one for each day so you can throw away if/when wee gets thrown!), a hat, sunglasses, earpugs, eye mask, mini bottles of alcohol that you can hide in your wellies for taking into the arena, a lantern for your tent for when it's dark and a mini first aid kit.

Have a great time! Hope the weather's good for all us campers this weekend.

Wellies, poncho, picnic rug, wet wipes, tissues, hand gel, more cash than you think you'll need as the cash machine queues are horrendous. Layers. It gets cold at night but you'll wake up boiling. Hat, sunnies. Cereal bars, bananas maybe? Loads of alcohol. Paracetamol. Cheap phone with battery.

I went to the freak Glastonbury two years ago where it was sunshine all weekend, most amazing time ever! I love festivals.

WHAT?!?! That is grimity grim!

Thanks, chums, I now have a comprehensive list, hurrah.

Throwing wee?!

Reading this thread has NOT made me want to lose my festival virginity.

Hope you have fun Cricks (and that you don't experience the literal sense of the term 'pissing it down') ?

I have been to V a couple of times and Leeds four (I think). But since two years ago in Benicassim, I swore never to bother with anything else again! Boy went last year for his stag and we've promised to take my SIL and BIL next year. Couldn't go this year as we had to go to a wedding! And freckles - get a villa!

I really fancy a trip there. Hopefully my brother will get involved as I'd much prefer to go for free!

It was my poor friend that discovered that this happened when a cup full of liquid landed on her and it was warm and smelt quite clearly of wee...?

Some people are vile and can't be bothered to walk to the many hundreds of portaloos dotted all over the place. It's quite rare that this happens although that why I love the disposable poncho, just incase!

A small, fold-up luggage trolley to put all your stuff on so you don't have to carry it.

If I got a medium sized one, my husband could pull both the luggage and me. Gold star for this tip - it's the best one! Thank you!