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10 things most people forget to pack for a multi-day music festival (and regret leaving behind)
Most music festival-goers forget at least one of these 10 essentials. Avoid common packing mistakes with this ultimate multi-day festival checklist.
Attending a multi-day festival this summer? Camping overnight has a totally different vibe from the daytime celebrations, and for many, it’s the best part of the experience.
But things can quickly go wrong if you make a packing mistake.
When your thoughts are consumed by tents, sleeping bags, and your festival outfit, it can be surprisingly easy to forget something small but vital.
Whether you’re preparing for your first festival stay or want this summer’s festival experience to go smoother than last year’s, here are 10 items seasoned festival-goers wish they’d packed and why each one matters.
The 10 things most people forget (and why they matter)
It’s unlikely you’ll forget your tent or sleeping bag. These things are easy to remember because they are obvious parts of any festival weekend.
What is less obvious are the small, cheap items that subtly make all the difference to your festival experience. Some of these things we assume we won’t need, others completely slip our minds amidst all the excitement.
But forgetting them can be surprisingly costly. Once you’re there, you can’t nip home; there are often no shops close by, and on-site prices for forgotten basics are eye-watering.
Just like you follow an international packing list when traveling abroad, seasoned festival-goers follow a similar checklist to ensure they don’t forget any of these 10 items:
| Item | Easy to forget because | You’ll miss it when |
|---|---|---|
| Earplugs | Small, feels optional | The bass is still going at 1am and you need sleep |
| Portable power bank | You charge up at home | Your phone dies before the headliner |
| Refillable water bottle | Venues sell water | Queues are long and drinks are pricey |
| Rain poncho or layer | The forecast looked fine | A downpour lands mid-set |
| Sunscreen | Buried at the bottom of the bag | The day-two burn sets in |
| Wet wipes and hand sanitizer | Doesn’t feel like a real essential | The toilets are, well, festival toilets |
| A little cash | Everything’s cashless now | A vendor or locker only takes notes |
| Backup comfy shoes | You wore your good pair | Mud and blisters hit on day three |
| Personal meds and basics | You assume you’ll be fine | A headache strikes with no pharmacy nearby |
| A way to stay connected abroad | You assume your usual plan covers you overseas | You land in a new country and can’t get online to find the site or your group |
1. Earplugs
Spending the night at a festival campsite is like sharing a giant bedroom with hundreds of strangers who all have completely different ideas of what “quiet” means.
Even after the last set has finished, the campsite never fully settles down. But earplugs can make a real difference here, dampening down the campsite chatter and music.
They also have another use.
Festival sound levels can reach 110 dB, which can damage your hearing if you’re listening to sets for hours on end. High-fidelity earplugs protect your hearing by turning the volume down a bit without muffling the music.
2. Portable power bank
This is the number 1 item festival-goers regret not bringing.
Not only does a dead phone mean you can’t take photos and videos, but you’ll have no way to find your friends if you get separated, and if you were relying on Apple Pay, you’ll be without a payment method.
While a few festivals have designated charging zones, the lines are usually long, causing you to miss out on the action. It’s also sometimes possible to rent a powerbank, but this is typically pricey,
That’s why every savvy festival-goer packs a high-capacity power bank (such as 20,000 mAh), as this provides enough charges for a 3- or 4-day weekend.
3. Refillable water bottle
Music festivals in July and August are usually very hot, meaning you’ll be drinking a lot of water. Bottled water is painfully expensive at festivals, so you will save a small fortune by bringing a refillable water bottle.
Thankfully, most festivals have free refill stations, and the queues are generally much shorter than at the drink vendors. And if you don’t want to carry around a heavy steel bottle all day, consider a collapsible water bottle or the clip-on kind that won’t weigh the bag down.
4. Rain poncho or layer
There’s nothing that can dampen your day as much as getting caught in an unexpected mid-set downpour. Even if the forecast looks fine, a disposable poncho that folds up small in your bag serves as cheap insurance for any music festival in Europe or the US.
Buying a poncho on-site will cost triple the price, and they tend to sell out as soon as the rain kicks in.
Along with a rain packet, pack a light but warm layer in case the temperature dips more than you were expecting at night.
5. Sunscreen
Most festivals take place in large open spaces like fields, with little shade. This means you’ll be in the sun for most of the day, so even if you don’t normally burn, sun protection is a must.
Buy a small travel-sized bottle that easily fits in your day bag, so you don’t end up leaving it in your tent.
6. Wet wipes and hand sanitizer
Everyone dreads the portaloos at festivals. Not only do they stink, but often there is no running water to wash your hands. Keeping a pack of wet wipes or a small bottle of hand sanitizer in your day bag can really save the day here and prevent that post-portaloo gross feeling.
7. A little cash
Even though most festivals are basically cashless now, there are still a few instances where you might need cash. For example, lockers, car parks, and even some small vendors still only take cash, so bring a mix of small notes and coins just in case.
Keep them in a safe and secure part of your bag, such as an inside zip pocket or a small coin purse.
8. Backup comfy shoes
Festivals may be wonderful for your mood, but they are tough on your feet. Hours of standing can result in multiple painful blisters if your shoes are not as comfortable as you thought they would be.
What’s more, if it rains, your feet will quickly get wet and cold. That’s why bringing a backup pair of shoes that are comfortable, worn-in, and waterproof is key.
9. Personal meds and basics
Festivals don’t sell pharmaceutical items like painkillers, allergy medicine, or plasters. So it’s a very good idea to pack your own mini first aid kit with medicines you might need throughout the weekend, along with any personal prescriptions you have. Keep them in a labeled pouch in your bag, so they’re easy to find.
10. A way to stay connected abroad
If you’re heading to a festival in another country, there’s one more thing you will need – A mobile data plan.
Don’t make the mistake of assuming your home plan will work abroad. Arriving in a new country with no data can completely throw a spanner in the works. You’ll struggle to order a ride to the festival site, and you won’t be able to pull up your entrance ticket.
Most festivals do not have public Wi-Fi zones. So whether you’re traveling from Europe to a music festival in the US, or the other way round, sort out a travel eSIM before you go.
Packing smart the night before
So how can you get all these festival essentials in your travel backpack without overpacking?
The night before you go:
- Lay all items out
- Group them by category
- Do a final “small stuff” sweep against the table above
I also recommend doing a last-minute weather check in case conditions have changed. And if you’re heading to a festival for 3 or 4 days, pack for the realistic worst-case conditions, as long-term forecasts are not so reliable.
Stay connected all weekend with Holafly
If your festival is in another country, the easiest thing to sort before you leave home is your data. Land online from the moment you arrive, and you can pull up your ticket, check stage times, and find your group without hunting for Wi-Fi or worrying about roaming charges.
A Holafly eSIM keeps you connected abroad without swapping SIMs. There’s unlimited data, 5G speeds where available, and 24/7 customer support, so staying online is one less thing to think about. Holafly Plans covers 170+ destinations with a single eSIM, handy if you’re festival-hopping across borders.
To top it off, every eSIM includes Always On: 1 GB of backup data at no additional cost. It activates automatically as long as the eSIM stays installed on your phone, renews every month, and works in 70+ destinations. So if your main data runs low midway through day two, you’re still reachable when it counts. Stay connected, even when the plans (and the crowds) change.
Unlimited data. Peace of mind.
Make sure you have travel data that's there when you need it most.
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Hi, I'm Mika, a South Korean writer living in the US. I cover travel and live events, focusing on the practical stuff that makes your trip smoother, whether you're navigating a new city or heading to a major international event.I'm also the founder of Search SEOul, South Korea's leading SEO conference, bringing together search marketing experts and speakers from around the world.
