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Image sourced from Pinterest[/caption]
The sun is shining, the weather is sweet and it makes me want to move my dancing feet! Yes people festival season is upon us, the weather is good (for the moment) and I am not getting any younger.
In the last few years doing the festivals has become less rough and ready for me - I am not a young wan anymore and I like some comforts at a festival. I don’t mean giving the festival organisers €1000 for the glamping experience - I’d rather go on holidays to spain for that thank you very much, but making your own little slice of home in your campsite.
So as a somewhat seasoned festival goer here are my top tips and tricks on not only making your festival experience just a bit more pleasant but slightly more glamorous also!
Images Sourced from Pinterest[/caption]
So there you have it - life lessons from a seasoned pro. I know you might be reading this thinking that seems like a lot to haul around but I always fit it all onto one of those little trollies that they sell in those German supermarkets this time of the year. Take a little time setting yourself up and you will thank yourself all weekend! The items pictured above are available in most of our stores - find your nearest one here. Oh and don’t forget your sunscreen!

1: Invest in the basics
- Get a good tent, with a porch in case it gets muddy that way you can leave your boots and clothes in the porch and your sleeping area will stay reasonably clean.
- Treat yo self to an inflatable mattress - I am 33, with a dodgy back, I do not need to be sleeping on the ground - this was the best investment in festival going I have ever made!
2: Pack a picnic
- You probably won’t care by day 2 - 3 but on day 1 it might be nice not to start eating the chips right away. I usually bring a cooler bag like the one pictured, pack it with some of those ice packs you can get. Frittata is a good option - either day 1 lunch/dinner or day 2 breakfast if you keep it cold enough and I always pack some fruit- apples and clementines nothing that’s going to go mushy. That being said I’ll never turn down a peanut butter and jam sambo! You could invest in a fancy ice cooler but I usually find a few large cooler bags packed with those ice packs does the job very well for the weekend and I find them easier to haul around.
3: Pack utensils and glassware
- Let’s face it there will be prinks (pre drinks - gettit?) in the campsite but gone are my Dutch Gold days, there may be a fancy I.P.A but that’s about the only can you will find me drinking out of. There will be fizz and there will definitely be a gin and tonic and even if it’s plastic I’ll feel a little classier drinking out of these glasses.

4: Pimp your tent!
You have the basics but let’s get fancier on it - not only will this make you feel like a sophisticated member of society but this is also a big help when finding your tent at 3 or 4 am.- A few years ago I stitched some bunting and added them to some solar lights and strung them around my tent - just tie them to the poles and guide ropes. While they have survived several festivals they are now on their last legs - this year somebody has done the work for me and I will be buying this solar bunting.
- Add fairy lights indoors - these bulb ones actually give off loads of light - I usually bring 2 sets, one set of festive fairy lights for the porch part and the likes of the bulb lights for the bedroom of the tent. There’s generally a guide pole that you can catch them onto - bring some ribbon/tape to help.
- Stick some reflective tape or tie brightly coloured ribbon (both around your guide ropes) - we’ve all been there, some eijit trips over your guide ropes and brings half of your tent on top of you! I’m not saying there won’t still be some eijit but this will certainly minimise all chance of tripping - for yourself included.
5: Don’t forget your wellies!
I am never going to wear wellies in the real world but you may need them at the festival. I usually pick up a cheapo pair and stick in my orthotic insoles (told you I was old) but I will Customise. I have done all of these in the past and spent many a festival with that smug “Oh I just made them” glow when people asked me where I got my cool wellies. The glitter ones were my favourite as I had a matching gold bomber jacket and glittery cat mask - oh no there’s no pictures I swear!- You could cover the whole wellies in mod podge glue and coat them in glitter/ rhinestones, let them dry and coat in a couple more layers of mod podge
- Break out the glue gun and add some rhinestones a la Shirley Bassey, who should be everyone"s festival idol I feel!
- Again break out the glue gun and add some cool trim or fringe to match your festival ensemble!
