5 Must Know Tips to Help you Thrive at Your First Family Festival
Joanna Armah-Kinson 
Going to your first family festival? No sweat! Our fun guide shares 5 must know tips to help your family have a blast at your first family festival.
5 Must Know Tips to Help you Thrive at Your First Family Festival
Summer is just around the corner, and families everywhere are eagerly preparing for one of the most memorable experiences the season has to offer: the family festival.
Tents are being dusted off, bags are being packed, and kids' imaginations are running wild with excitement.
It's exciting, but heading to your first ever family festival can also feel overwhelming. As a busy parent you know it’s going to be different to going to a festival solo, but you’ve probably got very little time free to research how to make the most of the experience.
I remember feeling very nervous at our first family festival. Our son was only 10 months old, and I was worried if it be too loud for him, how could I get him to sleep, would he be happy or grumpy? And how on earth would I actually relax and enjoy the weekend myself!
I wish I had had these tips in my pocket back then.
They are based on all of my festival experiences over the past 10 years, including what I learnt at that very first festival.
Armed with these tips, you'll be ready to enjoy the family festival experience like a pro from day one.
So read on, for 5 simple yet effective tips that will help you navigate your first family festival with ease.
1. Dress for a British Summer
As every Brit knows, summer in Britain can mean four seasons in one day. One moment you’re basking in sunshine, the next you’re soaked through and freezing in a chilly wind.
When packing for a family festival, its best to think layers.
Choose clothes that are easy to put on when needed and take off and stuff in your backpack when not.
Lightweight fabrics, which take up less space, weigh less if you have to carry your bags for, and dry quickly if wet, are a great choice
One thing we love, and always make sure we’ve packed is our tent washing line. It clips on the inner (or outer) tent hooks and is a great way to dry out wet clothing before mould sets in. Just remember to really wring out soaking clothing so you don’t end up with a puddle inside your tent!
When it comes to shoes, wellies are of course a festival staple.
Sliders, flip flops or any easy to put on, quick drying waterproof shoes are great for the sunshine, shower and midnight toilet trips!
But don’t forget to pack yourselves a few luxury items too. Warm bed socks, a woolly hat and a onesie will help you feel cosy when sleeping as even in midsummer nights can get cold.
Pack well and you’ll be ready to face whatever the British weather throws your way without having to cart too many heavy backpacks from your car to campsite.
2. Plan Like a Pirate
To be sure that you’ll get the most of out of your festival weekend, planning is essential. But just like a pirate navigating uncharted waters, your plans will need to be flexible.
If you’ve planned to catch a particular show at noon but your little ones discover the face-painting tent with a big queue on the way, what should you do?
Before you go, identify the acts, activities and entertainers that will make or break the family festival experience for each of you. Work out when and where they are playing, and if there’s just one or multiple shows to choose from.
It will make whether to press on to the puppets and come back later for face painting or to get in the face painting queue a much easier decision.
Fix your must do’s and then embrace the unexpected.
We’ve had many unexpected but amazing moments over the years. From discovering performers like Thrill Collins and The Cuban Brothers, trying new types of street food, to having a storytelling session just for us during a particularly heavy rainstorm, sometimes the least expected moments have been the most memorable.
If you don’t plan at all, you risk being disappointed because you’ve missed the things you really wanted to see. With festival weekends costing the same as a short UK holiday its not worth risking this. But plan too tightly and you risk missing out on some beautifully surprising moments.
So, plan like a pirate, ride the waves and you’ll soon master the high seas of family festival life.
3. Tech: Don't Count on It
We're all used to having technology at our fingertips.
But at a festival, Wi-Fi can be more elusive than some cheap food, and phone batteries seem to run out quicker than your favourite band's setlist.
So, while it's great if you can use your tech, it's wise to prepare for a digital detox.
Feeling confident about your children’s safety at a festival can be one of the biggest challenges for a parent. Not being able to count on wi-fi or a phone signal means you need to resort to old fashioned methods of communication.
Make sure everyone in your family is clear on your plans, meeting points and what to do if you get separated.
If you plan to use your phone for photos, pack a power bank or two to ensure you capture the magic from the first day to the last.
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4. Wet Wipes - The Family Festival Fairy Godmother
Biodegradable wet wipes are an essential piece of family festival kit.
They clean, they refresh, they mop up spills. They are essential if you have a child who doesn’t like festival showers or toilets. Or who puts most of their food on their face instead of eating it.
They are without a doubt the unsung hero of the family festival packing list.
However, many you think you'll need, double it. Then double it again for good measure.
But however, tempting it maybe from a cost perspective please don’t use non-biodegradable ones as, as you might expect with so many uses, they are a massive contributor to a festivals waste footprint.
5. Relax, You've Got This
Alright, so you might not be a festival guru just yet, but remember, every expert was once a beginner.
So, take a deep breath, embrace the festival spirit, and remember – you're here for a good time, not a long time!
Level up your Family Festival Experience with even More Tips
With these tips in your toolbox, you're off to a great start. But the best festival experiences come from a bit of planning and there's always more to learn when trying something new.
For even more pro tips get a copy of our free download - "24 Top Tips for First Time Family Festival Goers."
It's packed with practical advice to help you make the most of your family's first festival experience. You'll find tips on must-pack items, pacing yourselves, and some unexpected extras that will help you have even more magical adventures.
The first festival is always the most daunting, but with the right preparation it can be really rewarding.
Don't miss out on these pro tips for first-timer family festival success.
Categories: : Family Festivals
Written by Joanna Armah-Kinson (Owner, The Fantabulous Family)
Joanna is the wife of a festival performer, who is lucky enough to spend the majority of her summer weekends at festivals entertaining her (now 11-year-old) son. As a mum who juggles a part-time job and managing two businesses, she knows the importance of good planning, and the need for flexibility and good grace when plans fall through! A lifelong adventure lover, travel, photography and spending time outdoors have always been Joanna's passions.
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