Camping at a festival is something that every Aussie needs to try at least once in their lifetime! While cranking the tunes at camp is always a recipe for a good time, it doesn’t quite match the feels you get from rocking out to your favourite artists, live and in person from right outside your tent. Multiple days of bevs, bangers, and kicking it with your best buds sounds pretty good to us! Camping at a festival is a little different to camping out bush though, so here at BCF we’ve put our dancing shoes on and pulled together a few tips that’ll help everyone from beginner festi campers to rave veterans alike. Check it out!
Sort out your sleeping arrangement
While we’re sure that sleeping isn’t at the top of anyone's festival priorities list, a bit of shut eye can definitely go a long way when you’ve got a multi-day camping bender ahead of you. A good sleeping bag is always a winner, and if you’re camping next to your car, you can even bring your doona from home and a few pillows for extra comfort! A blackout tent is another ripper option for those who are keen to party all night and sleep all day as it’ll block out the sun and stop it from ruining your siesta! Finally, ear plugs are a must-have if you’re thinking of hitting the sack early.
Camp with mates
Every camper will know that your trip is only as good as the mates that come along for the journey, and that stands true for festival camping as well. But there’s an added bonus to making the trek with your best buds… extra camping space! While there’s no guarantee you’ll be in the camping spot next to your mates, if you rock up in a convoy at the same time, there’s a good chance you’ll be camp neighbours. Most festivals allocate one camp spot per car, and if you have two spots, you’ll be able to set up a living area in one with a gazebo, tables, and chairs, and have your tent away from the noise and shenanigans in the other camp spot—you might even have room for an ensuite!
Pimp your campsite
While there’s no first prize for best camping setup, making your homebase stand out will certainly help you find your way home after a few bevvies. Glow in the dark pegs, light strips, and flags, will all help you find your way back to the tent—not to mention, decorating your campsite is always a fun way to kick off your trip.
Peg it down
Tents and gazebos are great for blocking out the elements, but if the wind picks up, then there’s a good chance you’ll be returning to an empty or upside-down campsite. Make sure to peg your tent down well, and upgrading your tent pegs from the stock standard tent pegs to a more heavy-duty alternative won't hurt either. Just make sure you bring a small mallet along to knock them in. For the gazebo, a couple of gazebo weights are a great option also.
Stay hydrated!
While we’re sure there’ll be no shortage of bevvies consumed, it wouldn’t hurt to make a few of those waters! A great way to keep up the H2O is to bring along a water bottle. While you can’t bring a full one along, there are plenty of places to fill up your bottle so that you can keep quenching your thirst without having to wait in any lines!
Don’t forget about hygiene
Just because you’ll be ‘roughing it’ for a few days, that’s no excuse not to keep yourself clean! Hand sanitiser is a must-have and baby wipes are a great shortcut to a shower, especially as the lines for the showers can get quite lengthy. If you want to reduce the amount of waste you create, a small face washer and a pop-up bucket will do the same (if not better) job than a baby wipe and is much more environmentally friendly. If you're going to be using the showers, we’d suggest bringing along a pair of thongs or Crocs and a microfibre towel which will dry out a lot quicker than a regular one.
Be prepared for all types of weather
Layers will be your best friend while camping at a festival, and while you might be boiling hot after jumping around in the mosh all day, the night-time temps can get pretty cold, so jackets and jumpers are an absolute must-have. You should also have the right gear for a rainy day, and we mean that literally! Bringing along a rain jacket is a great idea, but if you’ve put a lot of effort into your fit, you'll probably want to show it off. A poncho will keep you dry while still letting you show off whatever you choose to wear underneath. Plus, they can be kept in your pocket or bag—just in-case!
Powering up
To charge things like your phone and headtorch, a portable charger is the way to go. Some chargers even come equip for solar charging, which is perfect for the festi lifestyle—let that big, yellow thing in the sky do the work while you get your mosh on! For those who are already avid campers, a battery box is a worthwhile investment, and some even come with 240V plus such as the Engel battery box—with one of these beauties in tow, you’ll have no worries keeping everything charged. From devices to those creature comforts, festival camping has never looked so good! We also have a ripper range of 12V appliances which are hard to beat!
Cleaning up after yourself
It’s super important to look after the campgrounds and pick up after yourself. Leaving your tent and other bits of camping equipment lying around is just not on and a waste of some great gear that could potentially come along on future camping adventures! While it’s tempting to buy the cheapest option possible, why not buy a tent that you can use again? Camping at a festival is a great intro to camping, and you just might catch the camping bug!
Camping at a festival combines many of our favourite things and is pretty hard to beat! With these tips in mind, there’s no doubting you’ll have an unforgettable time. If you’re thinking about heading to one of Australia’s many bush doofs, we’ve got one more piece of advice… do it!
About the author
BCFing Experts
The BCFing Experts have done more than their fair share of boating, camping, fishing, hiking, four-wheel driving and much much more! Whether you're tackling tough tracks in Tassie or chasing big barra up North, the BCFing Experts have the know-how to make your next outdoor adventure a pearler
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