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With Bonnaroo launching this weekend, it is now official summer festival season, that magical time of year when you forsake three square meals a day for a funnel of Busch Light, shampoo for sulfur-scented portable water and a mattress for good ol' solid earth, all for the sake of scoping as many bands as possible in one full weekend.
But if you're like much of the festival community, by Monday morning you're sunburned and stinking worse than George Clinton after a weeklong acid trip. Your campsite resembles a frat house after homecoming and your tent looks just a hair better than a FEMA trailer. Let's not even mention the state of your underwear — that is, if you're still wearing any.
We're here to help you avoid the Monday morning blues. So change your oil, check the weather and remember your tickets. This is your Festival Survival Guide.
Camping
Gear:
Your campsite will be your temporary home for the weekend.
Bring the right gear and take some time to set up your site and you
will be much more comfortable.
Set up your tent before you hit the road to check for missing
pieces.
Apply seam sealer to waterproof your tent, and remember the rain
fly.
You can never have too many tent stakes or tarps.
Buy or create a shade tent.
Bring a light sleeping bag and a pillow.
You'll need a hammer and some twine.
Some prefer an air mattress, but if you're a little more rugged (or
broke), a cheap ground mat will suffice.
Invest in quality camping chairs.
Two coolers: one for water and beer, one for food. Keep them
stocked with ice and out of the sun!
Bring a small folding table to prepare food on or to play beer
pong.
A
small camping grill is fine for most on-site cooking.
A
lightweight backpack.
An
extra tent to store gear in is a handy accessory.
Bring plastic bags to keep clothing dry.
Toilet paper, paper towels, wet-wipes, bug spray, bar soap and
sunscreen will all be necessary.
A
battery-powered radio for music and weather reports.
Don't forget a first aid kit!
Food, Beverages
and other Nourishment:
While there will be plenty of food and drinks available at
whatever fest you're heading to, save some money and bring your
own.
Buy a few burgers, hot dogs and a London broil or two.
Bring cheese, but leave the tomatoes and lettuce at home.
Bagels make for an easy breakfast, peanut butter and jelly or
grilled cheese for lunch.
Chips, salsa, fruit, cookies, granola bars and trail mix are great
for munchies.
Orange juice is key for the morning.
Water: The most important item on this list. Bring one case per
person. It sounds like a lot but trust us, you'll need it.
Beer: No glass bottles (security will confiscate all glass). Bring
a few cases of cheap brew.
Tylenol and allergy meds.
Multi-vitamins!
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Clothing:
You probably won't need much. Store one outfit in a plastic
bag to keep dry in case it rains. Don't bring anything worth more
than a few bucks, as festival clothing gets ruined easily.
A
few T-shirts, and sweatshirts.
Two pairs of shorts, one pair of jeans, one pair of sweat
pants.
A
bathing suit.
Five pairs of socks.
Two pairs of comfortable sneakers, one pair of sandals.
At
least one set of underwear per day.
Sunglasses and a hat.
A
headband or bandana.
Rain ponchos.
You will smell. Bring deodorant.
Campsite
Etiquette:
Be a good neighbor. And keep yourself alive.
Give yourself enough room to hang out comfortably, but don't
encroach on your neighbors.
Your shade tent should act as your living room. Set up the chairs
and tables under the canopy.
Invite your neighbors to hang out. Offer to keep an eye on their
gear and they'll do the same.
To
avoid spiders and other bugs, don't eat inside your tent and keep
it zipped shut.
Be
pleasant to security and festival personnel. They'll return the
favor.
Share with your neighbors!
Have fun and keep an eye on one another.
The
Car:
You want to prepare yourself from the very beginning, which
means making sure your ride is in tiptop shape.
Change the oil and radiator fluid, check all other fluids.
Check tire pressure and make sure your spare is in good
shape.
Bring a map, know your route.
Clean the entire car and keep garbage bags inside.
Know the laws in each state you'll be traveling through. (Example:
As long as you are at least 21 and not driving, you can drink in a
moving car in Tennessee.)
Try not to tie anything to the roof. The police can pull you over
to "make sure everything is secure."
Don't speed! Cops will be out in full force looking for
out-of-state drivers.
Security and police will search your car at the festival gate. Just
keep it in mind.