Happy Wednesday! I’m so amped up this morning because I just worked a ton of hours over the past few days and now I get to look forward to a music festival this weekend! On Friday, I am headed to Shakori Hills. It’s a grassroots music, dance, and yoga festival held in the woods here in North Carolina. It’s a car camping festival in the sense that you get to drive relatively close to the campground, but you eventually have to park and hike all your gear into the forest and find your own campsite. Nothing is designated for you. How cool, right?
Our Live Seasoned theme this month is travel so while I was sitting here typing out a list for myself and my friends, I realized this could be helpful for other summer festy goers. Here is my ultimate car camping festival packing list. I feel this list is a fair mix of basic and over the top. For instance, cooking. It’s really not necessary to go all out, but there something about cooking at camp that makes my heart happy, so I take a lot in that department. If there is anything you deem essential that’s not on this list, let me know!
First rule of festival going : be safe, be kind, and have fun! Always designate a meeting spot inside the venue and immediately upon arrival find a landmark or some beacon you can use at the end of the night to find your way back to your tent.
Second rule : leave your camera at home. Honestly. For once in your life live in the moment and forget about capturing it. I am religious about this rule even though I’m a professional photographer. Yes, sometimes I’m sad the only photos I have from festivals are random and pretty crappy, but there’s no way I’m responsible enough to handle a camera all day let alone take great images.
Third rule : Leave No Trace – this is honestly a life rule, but I thought it was worth saying.
Essentials :
- full tank of gas
- jumper cables
- hide-a-key for under your car
- tickets
- directions to the festival
- map of the festival grounds
- stage schedule
- cell phone + charger
Chill zone / outdoor living room :
- pop up canopy tent + stakes
- rubber mallet (to pound stakes)
- outdoor carpet
- folding chairs OR be awesome and take a blowup couch
- portable table
- portable speaker (I *highly* recommend this one)
- portable battery
- car adapter / charger
- solar powered lights
- a tarp or two
- tapestries / camp decorations
- hammock and straps (splurge for the Atlas straps)
- clothesline
- incense
- fire starter + firewood
- zip ties and scissors
- bungees
Camp Kitchen :
Honestly, most festivals serve ballin’ food and you could survive off that, but I love cooking at camp. I keep it pretty simple. Here’s what I take:
- a bin or two to store it all and keep everything safe from the elements and animals
- two burner Coleman stove or mini grill
- fuel
- matches or lighter
- multitool
- cookware
- cooler + ice packs/ice
- huge water jug
- plate, bowl, cup, knife, fork, spoon
- mug or cup
- mixing bowl
- cutting board
- sharp knives – I take a paring knife and a chef’s knife
- bottle opener / corkscrew
- can opener
- foil
- a few trashbags + a few ziplock bags
- rags/cloth napkins + a roll of paper towels
- biodegradable dish soap + sponge + dishtowel
Favorite Festival Food + Drink :
Here are a few easy ideas. I pick one or two main meals, I don’t take all these items all the time. Each time I cook at camp it gets a little more involved and awesome, but I kept those more complex ideas off of this list. Also, I stand in my kitchen at home and think through every single step of preparing said food while gathering supplies so that I don’t forget any important kitchen accessories.
- cold coffee concentrate (here’s our recipe – prep it ahead of time)
- Gatorade powder mix
- seltzer, beer, and alcohol
- electrolyte tablets
- tea
- milk or creamer
- butter or cooking spray
- mountain pie maker supplies (pizza, grilled cheese, any other sandwich combos)
- salt, pepper, spices (I keep mine in old film canisters)
- peanut butter + jelly
- cheese
- bread or bagels
- brats + saurkraut + buns
- pasta salad
- steak and veggies
- stir fry + instant rice
- tacos or fajitas
- oatmeal
- pancake mix + syrup
- energy bars + snacks
- dips like guac, hummus, salsa, etc
- fruit that will hold up in a cooler like oranges, apples, kiwis, grapes, and strawberries
- veggies that will hold up like carrots, avocados, peppers and celery
- s’mores
Bedroom :
- lock for your tent
- tent, rain fly, poles, stakes, ground cloth
- air mattress and pump or sleeping pad
- sleeping bag + blankets
- fairy lights + lantern
- pillows
Bathroom :
- bath towel
- outdoor shower or some epic wipes
- spray bottle
- toothbrush and paste
- toilet paper / baby wipes
- hand sanitizer
- sunscreen
- bugspray
- lip balm
- basic first aid kit – FYI all music festivals have a first aid tent
- medication + pain relievers
- earplugs + eye mask
- brush (I love my Wet Brush)
- shampoo
- conditioner
- bodywash
- lotion
- glasses / contacts + solution
Clothing :
This is totally up to you and possibly the most fun thing to pack. If you want to make friends and fans you can wear something super funky and fun or just freaking wacky. Or you can dress for comfort or your normal style, whatever works. I would only take clothes you’re comfortable trashing though, because you never know what’s going to happen. There may be a torrential downpour in which case you’ll be partying in a mud pit all weekend. On that note, bring a clean set of clothes for each day even if you plan on wearing the same thing all weekend. No one wants to put on wet clothes. Also make sure to bring some long sleeves even if it is a summer festival because if you get a little sunburned it can be chilly once the sun goes down.
- sunglasses
- cute and cozy outfits – think sensible married with adorable
- hoodie or poncho
- hat
- bathingsuit
- bandana or buff
- boots or sneakers (wear proper footwear you will thank me later)
- camp sandals or slippers
- socks, undies, bra
- pajamas
- rain jacket
- be prepared for cool weather depending on the location / time of year
Festival Day Pack :
Honestly, I have a lot more sh!t in my daypack, but these are my essentials.
- backpack
- hydration reservoir
- cash or card
- snacks
- binoculars
- sunglass + fractal sunglasses
- tapestry or ground blanket
- sunscreen, lip balm, and hand sanitizer
- toilet paper
- essential oil (put a few drops on a bandana and then you don’t have to take the bottle into the venue)
- headlamp
- toys
Fun Extras :
- book
- playing cards
- Rolling ice cream maker
- hula hoops / poi
- glow sticks / glow in the dark body paint
- frisbee / nerf football
- electronic light up toys
- fractal glasses
- beach balls / float
- bubbles
- balloon (have you ever held a balloon at a concert? the vibrations are insane and they’re so much fun! just make sure that balloon leaves with you and doesn’t end up on the ground)
- bike with light up accessories (if appropriate and allowed)