9 Essential Things to pack for a Family Festival

Joanna Armah-Kinson Author

May 15, 2024 |

Need to pack for a family festival? This handy guide lists 9 must-pack items to ensure you and your kids are fully prepared to have a great time!

9 Essential Things to pack for a Family Festival

It’s not often I start to panic, but it was midnight, pouring with rain and I couldn’t find our tent anywhere. 

It felt like every tent I looked at was the same shape, the same colour blue and in the darkness all of the landmarks I’d seen earlier had disappeared.

I remember thinking, "if only we had brought a distinctive flag to show which tent was ours".

It's experiences like that can turn a fun family festival into a nerve-wracking ordeal.

From the unexpected downpour that turns the entire festival site into a mud pit, to the sudden realization that your phone's battery is on its last bar without a charging station in sight – these are the moments that can make or break your festival experience.

Luckily, I’m here with some ways to overcome these challenges so you can have the most fabulous family festival experience ever.

Based on hard-learned lessons from past festivals, I've compiled a list of 9 lesser-known items that you absolutely must pack. 

With these items all safely packed in your bags, you'll not only survive but thrive, and create unforgettable memories with your family.

Read on for all of the details.

1. A Distinctive Flag

Imagine you're returning from a fun-filled day at the festival. Music is pulsing in the air, your kids are buzzing with excitement, but your heart sinks when you see the ocean of tents that have been set up during the day.

Finding your tent can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. That's where a distinctive flag comes in.

It's like a beacon guiding you home.

If your kids are old enough to go off by themselves, it can help give you the confidence they will always be able to find you.

But the flag does need to be distinctive. One of the issues with buying your flag at the festival is that everyone else may well have the same one. By bringing it with you, you can choose a flag that means something to you and that stands out from the rest.

Choose a flag that's unique and meaningful to your family. We love using a Ghanaian flag because it's vibrant, distinctive, and not a common sight at family festivals.

If you are parking next to your tent and can fit them in, then go all out personalising your camp with fairy lights, bunting and the like. But if you’ve got to carry stuff across a field, I’d leave all of those at home and just focus on fitting in your flag.

2. Wellies

Even when the weather forecast is good, I still prepare for the unpredictable by packing everyone’s wellies.

They are big, bulky and can be heavy, but they are always worth including.

If you do have a downpour or bad mud of any kind, you will definitely be thankful you did. There are some great looking ones around these days too.

Plus, let's admit it, splashing through muddy puddles in wellies is all part of the festival fun!

3. Mini toilet

Young kids can be really funny about festival toilets. I mean I get it; I’m an adult and they are probably my least favourite thing about festivals.

A portable mini toilet can be a lifesaver during those middle-of-the-night emergencies. Depending on your child's age and preferences, you can opt for a potty, a simple bucket, or something more innovative like a Kiddiwiz.

Trust me, you’ll thank me for suggesting this next time its 3am, chucking it down and your child is desperate for a wee!

4. Washing Line

We have a really simple stretchy washing line that we hang up on the inside of our tent. It’s great for drying towels after showers, wet clothing or just to keep creases out of clothes or costumes that aren’t going to be used until the last day.

They are cheap to buy, and don’t take up a lot of space or weigh a lot. But if your clothes do get soaked, they will be worth their weight in gold when they stop them going mouldy.

5. Power Banks

How do you make yourself your teens favourite person on the last day of a festival? Pull out a couple of power banks they didn’t know about!

Most festivals will have a charging station, but when everyone in the family wants to use it, the cost can add up. So, save your money for more satisfying experiences and take some power banks with you.

We recommend using solar-powered power banks - they're eco-friendly and can be recharged easily during the day for repeated use.

6. Water Bottles

With many festivals trying to reduce single use plastics, you’ll find bottled water is expensive, if its even available. Instead, most are introducing taps that you can use to refill your own bottles across the site.

So, grab your favourite bottle (making sure its not glass as they are often banned) and take it with you.

If the weather’s hot, you’ll save a small fortune from not needing to buy water and you won’t need to add big bulky and heavy bottled water to your packing lists either.

7. LED toys/Glosticks

As darkness falls, festival crowds transform into sea of glow sticks, LED toys, light up wands, and more.

Every single festival has numerous stalls selling light up goodies. Mostly they are cheap, very overpriced and very desirable to kids of all ages. I’ve bought more of these than I care to remember, and every single one has broken within days of the festival ending.

A quick Google search a couple of weeks before you go will find you lots of cheaper options you can take with you. Just like the flag, another benefit of this is that your kids will stand out with their unique light ups helping you find them in the darkness.

I can’t guarantee they won’t still nag you for the most popular ones though!

8. Ear defenders

You know that ringing noise you get when you’ve been to a concert or nightclub?

You don’t want your kids to experience that.

A good pair of ear defenders will help protect their ear drums and ensure that you can get as close to the stage as you want to, without risking their hearing.

Plus, if you’ve a comfy, cosy trolley set up you’ll be able to stay out watching the headliners whilst your little ones nap the night away!

9. Head torches

This humble device might just be the most valuable piece of kit you can bring to a festival.

From navigating your way back to the tent in the dark, helping your little one get dressed for a late-night toilet run, or quietly making a cup of coffee while the rest of your family sleeps, a head torch is a true festival lifesaver.

Throughout the weekend you will find yourself being grateful for it over and over again.

Pack It or End up Buying it

By packing these nine items, you'll be ready to tackle unexpected challenges as well as enhancing your overall festival experience.

And that's what we're all about – making sure you and your family have the best time at family festivals.

If you're planning your first family festival and need some extra guidance, I’m here for you.

If you've got more questions, send me an email at joanna@familyfestivalplanner.com to schedule a free consultation. I’ll happily provide you with personalized advice, tips, and secrets to ensure your family festival experience is nothing short of magical.

So why wait? Let's start planning your unforgettable festival adventure today!

-----------

If you want more information about Family Festivals you can also read:

• The Complete List of UK Family Friendly Festivals in 2024
• How to Choose the Best Family Festival for you: 5 Insider Tips to Help you Find one Everyone Loves
• 7 Things you Didn’t know about Taking your Kids to Festivals
• From Family Festival Newbie to Seasoned Pro: My Journey to The Fantbulous Family Festival Planner

Categories: : Family Festivals