With Ireland’s biggest festival and summer’s closer, Electric Picnic, just around the corner, here are ten essentials we, after nearly 100 festivals over the last two decades, have on our planning list:
Take a last minute trip to Clashfinder. The scheduling website is a music lover’s dream ahead of festivals – easier to reference than almost all festival info, and you can keep your programme pristine. Highlighters at the ready…
Check out a solid festival playlist. There’s certain to be someone at the festival that, in a few years time, you’ll remember and think ‘why did I miss that’? A playlist can be a quick, easy pointer.
Pre-book a luxury or two. In Electric Picnic’s case we recommend the hot tubs, ideally a slot on Sunday morning, when you’re at your worst and they’re freshly cleaned. You can thank us later.
Buy a tiny plastic poncho. They’re less than a fiver in hiking shops and fit in your pocket. No need to ever move from the stage front, unless you get the Massive Attack monsoon of 2018.
Get a power bank. Your phone won’t last all weekend and you won’t want to wait at those charging booths when that band’s on the Main Stage, or head in to the Arena at opening time so you can text that lad from last night.
Pack loo roll, your toothbrush and hand sanitiser. You’re not coming home clean, but let’s get the basics right.
Cash. Cards don’t always work when you want them to, and trust us, you don’t want to be in the queue for the cash machines on Sunday morning.
Have a pizza in the freezer. Being ready for the return home with a little frozen luxury that doesn’t involve any effort is the perfect post-party soother.
