Well, I've been duped again by the festival influencers. While Electric Picnic was fun, it definitely wasn’t what the Instagram/Snapchat stories made it out to be!
After attending my first EP festival here are a few things I’ve learned:
10 Things to bring with you:
Waterproofs - it’s bound to rain and your outfit stays dry
Wet wipes - great for everything
Toilet paper - outdoor toilets are almost always out by day 2
Extra snacks/food - the price of food on-premise is astronomical
2 Portable chargers - renting portable chargers are expensive and portable chargers are great to have for any night out
Your own alcohol - pints are a minimum of 7 euros each
A night light - phone flashlights drain the battery
A trolly - you will thank me later, this will help you get your things to the campsite easily
Bring a bathing suit - great for showers, getting dirty, and even getting in a hot tub there
Small locks - when zipping your tent you can lock it just to be safe
5 Things to do:
A trial run of setting up your tent - setting up with thousands of others around is already confusing
Get there as soon as possible - setting up takes time and that way you have time to make the most of the festival
Download the EP app - you’ll have a map and can ‘favorite’ any show you want to see giving you a list of just shows of interest and time/location
Befriend your camping neighbor - make new friends and it makes camping all the more fun
Get to your favorite act about 20 minutes early - that’s all it takes to get decent spots
3 Extra tips:
Go out of your comfort zone - try something new
If you want to sleep - set up a tent far away from the paths
Remember the classic saying - it's not a sprint, it's a marathon... go slow so you don't burn out on day 2
While this seems like a lot, it’s the small things that get you through the weekend without breaking the bank and stress-free. Once you get the basics down and are prepared for the weekend you get to enter into this:
Here are my top 3 favorite performances:
1) Band unknown - Body and Soul
2) Bootleg Beach Boys - Trailer Park
3) Snow Patrol - Main Stage