First time festival go-er this weekend. What do I meed to know/take?

[beachyhead]

I'm off to my first festival (IoW) this weekend and am so excited, but a bit nervous... I'm going with my dd (14) and a friend and her daughter and we are camping... has anyone any advice!!!!

[beachyhead]

OK need to know, not MEED!!!!

[jamaisjedors]

Wet wipes (instead of washing).

Welly boots (we foolishly took them for the DS but not for us).

Raincoat. Sunhat!

Something to sit on (we took those little foam mats that are for kneeling on when gardening).

A small rucksack to carry your stuff around all day.

[Lovecat]

Ooh, have fun! :o

Some kind of identifier for your tent is a good idea (flag/location/position), so it doesn't get lost amongst the millions, especially if yours is a popular make of tent.

Get to the camping area as early as you can to get a pitch - I hate having to spend hours searching for a clear square foot of land to stick my tent on!

Go lightweight as possible, never been to the IOW but if it's like every other festival I've been to you will have to carry everything from the car to the camping area, which may be a long way away!

Having said that, last year we took some cheapo solar markers with us and put them around the tent, helped us find our way and stopped others tripping over the guy ropes!

Take loo roll and money. If you are organised enough to cook, that's great, but bear in mind the tents end up being very close together and space will be at a premium - and everyone WILL trample straight through your pitch, stumbling over guys etc. - pre-DD (who won't eat any festival food beyond sausages so we have to bring a few bits for her to prevent scurvy setting in) we always threw money at the problem and bought our food from the stalls. Less to pack/wash up too :)

Ear plugs a must. People will stagger back drunkenly at night, trip over your guy ropes (see above) and have loud conversations from what sounds like outside your door but is actually several tents away.

Personally I'd bring a hat/headband and wetwipes and forget showering for the weekend, I've never had a festival shower that wasn't icy cold except for Glasto, and they were mixed.... (different set of issues altogether!). The IoW may be better organised, but I nearly died of frostbite at Latitude last year after a 'warm' (hah!) shower, so be warned!

Have a great time :)

[beachyhead]

Ah, I feel so old....45 and my first festival..... will take all your advice, but worried about getting super cold at night....

[mrszimmerman]

wipes, proper pillows, good inflatable mattress, wellies, blankets.
INstant hot choc. snacks, snacks, snacks, snacks. they cost a fortune at festivals and nothing makes you starving than being outside.
loo rolls
paper towells.
more snacks
reins if you have a young'un!
bugaboo was useful when we went last year, could cope with rough terrain. and good for lugging bags.

[AlmightyCitrus]

Toilet roll, deodorant, vast amounts of cash secreted about your person.
Good comfy footwear, and a packet of plasters in case footwear is not so comfy. Paracetamol.

Keep deodorant with you, as festival bogs are not usually fragrant, a quick squirt of deodorant can make the whole wee/poo experience slightly more bearable.

Take a bigger bag than you need for your things, as you will come home with vast amounts of shite stuff.

[3rdnparty]

as well as other stuff listed - a hat for night time will really help keep you warm....even if you keep it in the tent and just drunkenly pull it on as go to sleep/pass out
Also take your own glowsticks type thing - tube of 20 for £1 in poundland - sort of thing costs loads and dds can make creative neckalces etc and more identifiable
Pack a mac
Picnic rug - to sit on and extra warm layer at night
Face cleansing wipes that have moisturuser in..
Packs of tissues as well as wipes
eyeshades - may provide some light protection in the am...

[mrszimmerman]

sunblock of course
more warm clothes than you think you'll need
outside at night in the uk can be freezing!
layers
layers
layers

[Labradorlover]

Fold up trolly with big wheels, makes getting your gear to the campsite sooo much easier

[mrszimmerman]

dh has bought a massive revolutionary flag for this year.... sigh....
don't know how he's going to get it up (snigger emoticon)

[zanz1bar]

Head torch for finding your way at night.
Pack light so forget about food you will live off Thai noodles and ice-cream at the site.

Oh and find out where or if they have compost loos somewhere, they really don't smell even after four days at Latitude.

[Dysgu]

Are you arriving tomorrow or are you already here? The campsite opened today and so the island has filled up already!

Newport is easy walking distance from the site - Trespass has a half-price sale so head there if you have forgotten anything, or Millets and Blacks in town too.

Everyone in town today seemed to have found Poundstretcher - well, those were the most commonly seen carrier bags I saw when heading home through the crowds (with their borrowed trollies) today. You can buy the glow sticks and other essentials there.

Agree - it does get cold in the evenings even if it stays as nice as it has been the past couple of days. Did turn rather windy today tho! The IoW festival is very mixed so wrap up warm or wear next to nothing and you will still fit in!

Are you driving or coming on public transport? If the latter, be prepared for lengthy waits for the buses whichever boat you arrive on, and you will have waited a long time for the boat too. The roads in the north of the island are basically 'traffic hell' for the next few days. And if you are driving and catching the Red Funnel out of East Cowes on Monday, please don;t try arriving ages before your booking time cos it stops me from getting down that road to pick me kids up! (although, because everyone else seems to spend the whole day queuing to catch the ferry, you might actually have to leave extra early to avoid missing your ferry!)

Hope you have a great time!