Sports Drinks and Bottled Water: Some festivals may not permit you to bring your own drinks but if you are going to be attending one that does, it is in your best interests to bring them. When you are in the hot midday sun, perspiring heavily, your body looses not only fluid, but essential minerals such as salt, potassium, calcium and others. This is why electrolyte rich sports drinks and water are so important.
A Small Cooler: Most festivals won’t permit this, but if yours does, be sure that you take one. In addition to keeping your beverages (see above) cool, but you’ll be able to bring snacks and ice packs as well. Remember, though, that it isn’t necessary to bring your entire fridge along. Pack a few sandwiches and some easy to eat snacks like celery and carrot sticks and fruit, and you will be all set.
Your Camera. While some music concerts have regulations and rules about the type of camera that you can bring, most allow you to take regular snapshots. Of course, it probably isn’t a good idea to bring your expensive digital camera along, so your best bet will be to stock up on inexpensive, disposable cameras. This way, you’ll also have the fun of taking the cameras in to be developed later, and you can always have your photos transferred to a CD and digitally enhanced if you’d like.
A Comfy Blanket Or Some Lawn Chairs. No matter how much fun you are having, you’ll need to sit down and relax. Some music festivals won’t allow you to bring chairs and blankets, but if you can, you should bring the folding canvas variety of chairs, and durable, easy to clean blankets. Just make sure that everything that you bring, from blankets to chairs, cameras, and coolers, is replaceable.
A Backpack. This is important for a few reasons. The first one is that when you are walking through crowds, it is a good idea to have a hands free way of carrying your wallet, camera, and other essentials. Just be sure not to overload your backpack, because if you do, you will definitely feel the strain on your shoulders the next day.
Remember, music festivals are all about the bands you hear, the friends you meet, and the memories that you make. Having the essential items for comfort and safety can greatly improve your festival experience, and allow you to focus in on the fun.