What to bring - 13 essential festival items to pack for EP

Extra.ie​

19-07-2025

Festival season is right around the corner and whether you're a seasoned pro or completely new to the festival scene, everybody needs a checklist of what to pack for the weekend.
All Together Now is fast approaching and when the dust settles in Waterford, it's only a few short weeks until Electric Picnic kicks off.
If you're attending either or both of them, there are always a certain amount of essentials that can prepare you for whatever the unpredictability of Irish summer can throw at you. Electric Picnic is right around the corner. Pic: Aerial.ie
Extra.ie has compiled a list of items that can help you make the most of your musical weekend.
An obvious but crucial one to get things started. The state of your tent can make or break your weekend.
A good quality tent should be first on the purchase list because when it rains and pours overnight you don't want to wake up in a puddle. If you already have a tent it would be worth pitching it somewhere as a test to make sure everything's in order.
A broken pole or faulty string could lead to an unfortunate collapse in the middle of the night and sleeping under the stars might sound nice but if the clouds roll in you will want a strong shelter.
A sleeping bag is a great investment no matter where you are camping. It will not be warm at night and having something that zips all around you is a great bonus.
However, the bag itself won't make the hard ground any more comfortable than it usually is. It could be worth packing a small pillow, roll mat and anything else soft to guarantee that however many hours sleep you manage to get are enjoyed. Festival season is one of the best times of the year. Pic: All Together Now.
Everyone sees what kind of state the campsites at festivals are left in at the end of the weekend. It's up to you to make sure your little area won't contribute to a much larger issue.
Bin bags will make sure life easier for not just disposing of empty cans but any and all litter that inevitably builds up over the few days. A clean campsite is just nicer to return to when the main stages shut down.
You would hope that festivals in July and August would be full of sunshine and warm evenings but the Irish weather does not like to play along with expectations.
Rain is always on the cards and wet clothes can really dampen the mood. Rain jackets are common sense items to pack in your bag but spare shoes are also pretty crucial. If the weather is bad there'll be no chance to let them dry outside and sludging around with wet feet is not much fun.
Don't forget to put your spare clothes in some sort of waterproof bag as well just in case your tent does spring a leak.
Not only are plenty of socks essential for wet weather, they can also provide extra warmth at night.
Fluffy or thick socks are always a popular choice that can also provide padding if your feet start to blister. There will be a lot of walking involved either way. Some items are absolutely essential to bring along. Pic: Michael Chester
You can never have too many toiletries when you're camped out in a field. Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant and sanitary products are all quite essential when you don't have easy access to a warm shower.
Baby wipes are also a good item to bring along, especially if the rain comes and mud starts to take over.
Dry shampoo comes in very handy when you wake up with greasy hair.
Showers are usually available but at a price and this will improve your look while adding a bit of well-needed freshness to your head.
Night time is not warm. Your sleeping bag will help with this, but you don't want to be left shivering and struggling for some much needed rest.
Pack a big hoodie and tracksuit bottoms that you can sleep in and if you do end up being too warm then you can always shed a layer. It's always better to have the option.
While food is obviously available to buy at the festivals, it is well worth bringing snacks along with you to store in the tent.
If you're arriving back to the campsite with the music still ringing in your ears, waking up early with an empty stomach or just needing to keep fueled throughout the day, some food on hand could be a life saver. Flapjacks, protein bars, nuts, crackers and fruit are all good choices to keep hunger at bay, so that you can concentrate on enjoying the music.
Again, water will be available to get at the festival but waking up at 5am, dying of thirst is not something you want to go through.
A pack of small water bottles will come in really handy for the end of the night when you just want to collapse into your tent. They will also be essential for the morning hangover. People should be prepared for any kind of weather. Pic: Aron Cahill
Whether you're recording the entire concert to share online or trying to find your friends in a sea of identical faces, you will need your phone to have enough juice to last throughout the night.
Bring along a power bank – or even two – and make sure you fully charge them before leaving the house. Also, don't forget the charging cable itself.
You would hope that the portable toilets will be fully stocked for the waves of people using them all day but they can run out incredibly quickly.
Bringing your own toilet paper would save you the pain of waiting behind 15 people to use the toilet only to find it completely empty.
Finally, a camping chair is another quite obvious but sometimes forgotten about essential.
Sitting in a circle outside your tents is good fun for everyone with a chair but you don't want to be the only one sitting on the ground or uncomfortably standing while trying to keep a conversation going.
All of these items can make sure you make the most of your weekend and hopefully some of them are not necessary in the end.