Festival Guides

Camping Festival Packing List

General checklist for multi-day camping festivals

Use this as a baseline for Bonnaroo, Okeechobee, Electric Forest, and similar car-camping fests. Always cross-check your festival's official allowed/prohibited list—bag sizes, cooking fuel, and generator rules vary.

Pack in layers: what stays in the car, what lives at camp, and a separate small bag for the venue each day.

Camp meal ideas

Documents & Entry

Screenshot QR codes and schedules before you lose signal. Keep ID and wristband in a zip pouch you wear into the venue.

Festival wristband / camping pass (registered)essential
Government-issued photo IDessential
Vehicle pass / parking placardessential
Credit/debit card + backup cashessential
Festival app downloaded + screenshots of schedule
Printed backup of gate times and camping rules

Shelter & Shade

Canopy-over-tent is the standard: a tent alone becomes a greenhouse by mid-morning. Stake deep at 45° and tension straps before storms.

10×10 straight-leg canopy (primary shade)essential
4-person tent sized for your group (under canopy)essential
Heavy-duty stakes or screw-in anchorsessential
Rubber malletessential
Ground tarp / footprint under tentessential
Reflective shade cloth or Mylar on east/west sides
Ratchet straps, zip ties, extra guylinesessential
Tapestries or sidewalls for privacy and wind

Sleep System

Sleeping bag rated for expected lowsessential
Sleeping pad or cotessential
Pillowessential
Earplugs (32 dB+ for camping noise)essential
Eye maskessential
Battery-operated fan
Vacuum bags or bins for bedding (humidity/dew)

Power & Communication

Charge every battery the day before gates. Many fests ban gas generators—plan for battery or solar only.

Phone + charging cablesessential
20,000 mAh+ power bankessential
Portable power station (if generators banned)
Solar panel (slow backup)
Car charger / jumper cablesessential
Written backup of car lock code

Lighting

Headlamp with red-light modeessential
Lantern for camp tableessential
Solar stake lights on guylines / corners
Glow sticks or LED markers for camp ID

Hydration & Cooler

Pre-chill coolers before load-in. Frozen water bottles double as ice blocks. Pre-hydrate all week before hot festivals.

Reusable water bottlesessential
2L hydration pack (empty for venue entry)essential
5–7 gallon water jug with spigot for campessential
Hard-sided cooler + iceessential
Electrolyte tablets or powderessential
Insulated mug for coffee/tea

Health & First Aid

Break in footwear before the fest—50+ miles minimum. Duct tape over moleskin is a proven blister fix.

Prescription medications (labeled)essential
Ibuprofen / acetaminophenessential
Anti-diarrhealessential
Anti-chafe balmessential
Blister kit: moleskin, pads, duct tapeessential
Small first aid kit
Tweezers, alcohol wipes

Clothing & Footwear

Two pairs broken-in closed-toe shoesessential
Waterproof boots for mud/rainessential
Moisture-wicking socks (pack extras)essential
Breathable day clothesessential
Warm layer for cold nightsessential
Rain jacket / ponchoessential
Wide-brim hat + UV sunglassesessential
Sealed dry outfit in ziplock (day 3+ lifesaver)

Camp Kitchen Gear

Many camping fests allow propane only (often capped per group). No open flames in tents. See the camp meal ideas page for food planning.

Propane stove (check fest fuel limits)
Fuel canisters within allowed weight
Lightweight pot / pan or JetBoil-style system
Foldable camp table
Utensils, bowl, mug
Trash bags + dish tubessential
Lighter / matches in waterproof bag

Venue Day Bag

Separate from camp—check clear-bag and prohibited-item rules.

Clear bag or allowed backpack (size limits vary)essential
Hydration pack empty at securityessential
Portable chargeressential
Sunscreen, earplugs, bandanaessential
Light snack (if outside food allowed)
Phone tether / leash