We're not new to camping but we are new to festival camping. Taking our 3 year old to a jubilee festival for 4 days worth of camping, just wondering what from my camping kit I should take and what I should leave behind. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks
Keep kit as light and as small as possible and take only the basics - tents, mats, sleeping bags, clothes, waterproof and wellies. Usually you have to carry everything from the car to the site so only take what you can carry. Rucksacks and a folding trolley are useful. All the tents will be pitched very close together and many sites don't allow gas cylinders on site so you will need to have a suitcase stove and couple of gas cartridges if you plan to cook.
Personally I don't take any cooking stuff to a festival and just buy all my meals and drinks on site - a bit expensive maybe but I see it as a treat and it saves a LOT of hassle.
Keep the credit cards and jewellery at home and only take as much cash as you need - keep this in a money belt under your clothes at all times.
Be prepared for late nights and fellow campers who want to keep the party going until the early hours - I find popping back to the tent during the day for a nap means I do get some sleep!
Go with an open mind and don't get too stressed out if bedtimes go by the wayside!! I took my son to his first festival last year and he loved it - we're going again this year and we can't wait!
Going by the very nature of festivals..And Helen's comments re pitching of tents and late night revelers I'd be thinking of leaving the wee one at home!!! But that's just my opinion.....
Jelboy.
------------- Campers of the storm,Into this world are born
thanks for advice - not an option leaving the wee man at home i'm afraid , we have specifically picked this festival as it is a family orientated one. Hopefully we will have a fab time regardless. Think Ill leave the cooking stuff at home and only take sleeping stuff with us.
you'll have a lovely time - i went to the Cambridge Folk festival last year with friend and her 2 year old - and we'll be going this year with her son born in December as well :) - I recommend cooker and sachets of hot chocolate for the evenings
Take a roll of tenacious tape! We went to a scooter rally last year and within ten minutes of pitching our brand new tent, someone had stuck a tent pole through the flysheet. Luckily I had a roll of gaffer tape in the glove box, so we were able to do a quick repair.
On the same note, if you have a 'good' tent, maybe consider getting a real cheapy that you wont mind so much if it gets damaged - people will be pitched on top of you, and they will fall over your guylines (if you have the room to put them out).
Individual packs of tissues are better for loo trips than a roll, and the 19p guest towels from ikea are great if you want a quick wash down in the tent & dont fancy tackling the showers (bigger than a flannel!). If you do go into the showers, dont forget a pair of crocs or fitflops - they will be manky.
I would also recommend a trug if you have one, great for storing bits and pieces & lugging across from the car.
As someone else said, dont take anything expensive. Festival camping is not normal camping, there are far too many sticky fingers around....
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Topic: Festival camping with young children
thanks for advice - not an option leaving the wee man at home i'm afraid 
