In two weeks’ time thousands of us will be descending on Donington Park for Download Festival.
Some will know the drill inside out, but for plenty of people this will be their first time camping at a major festival.
If you’re not sure what to expect, it can feel a bit overwhelming, so here are some straightforward tips to help you get organised and enjoy a weekend of live music in a muddy field.
Pack the essentials
You’ll be living outdoors for three or five days, depending on your ticket, so it’s worth taking packing seriously. A simple checklist before you start will help you avoid leaving anything important behind.
You’ll need the basics: tent, sleeping bag and whatever you’re using to sleep on, such as an air bed or roll mat. Pack layers and something warm for the evenings – even after a hot day, it can be freezing once the sun goes down.
Bring a torch or headtorch so you can see where you’re going at night and don’t end up tripping over guy ropes or walking into someone else’s tent.
Sort out how you’re going to keep your phone alive. Download usually offers charging facilities, but if you like to have your phone on you, take one or two fully charged power banks. There are options on site for power banks where you can rent and exchange them as and when.
Don’t forget clothes, toiletries (including toilet roll) and anything else that will make your camp more comfortable.
You can bring your own alcohol into the campsite if you’re over 18, but you won’t be able to take it – or any food – into the arena itself. There are plenty of water points on site, so having a refillable bottle is really useful.
If you forget something
If something slips your mind, you’re not doomed. The Download Village has a supermarket and various stalls stocking camping bits, toiletries and other useful items. Just be prepared to pay a bit more than you would at home.
Arena essentials
Bags larger than A4 size aren’t allowed into the arena, so whatever you bring needs to be compact and carefully packed. Try to fit in a few key items: a small toilet roll or tissues, a sealed 500ml water bottle or an empty bottle to refill at the taps, your phone, a power bank and a bank card, as most traders now prefer or only accept card payments.
If the weather behaves, you’ll also be glad you packed sun cream. A long day in the open can catch people out very quickly.
Remember to eat
Festival food is rarely cheap, but it’s important to keep your energy up if you want to last the full weekend. Make time to eat proper meals, whether that’s cooking something simple back at your tent or grabbing food from stalls in the Village or arena.
If you choose to eat in the arena, you can usually still see and hear what’s happening on stage, so you don’t have to miss out completely while you refuel.
Look after yourself and each other
Things can get hectic down the front once the pits get going. If you’re not keen on being in the middle of it, stick to the sides of the crowd or hang back a bit, as the centre is normally where pits open up.
If you are in the thick of it, keep an eye on the people around you. If someone falls, help them up. The idea is that everyone gets to enjoy the bands and go home in one piece.
Plan your weekend
It’s worth checking a clash finder and the official timings before you get on site. That way you can work out which sets you absolutely don’t want to miss and how you’re going to move between stages to catch as many as possible.
Having at least a rough plan makes the weekend feel less rushed and lowers the chance of you realising too late that two favourites were on at the same time.
Enjoy it
Above all, Download is about having a brilliant time. A bit of planning and a few sensible choices mean you’re far more likely to come away with good memories rather than stories about lost phones and missed headliners.
See you in the field.