Festival Camping Tips for Beginners: Everything You Need to Know
Last updated: February 2026
Your first festival camp is one of those experiences that's either brilliant or miserable — and the difference usually comes down to preparation. This guide covers everything you need to know to camp comfortably, sleep decently, and actually enjoy the bits between the music.
Choosing Your Tent
The Golden Rules
- Don't buy the cheapest tent you can find. A £25 pop-up will leak, break, and blow away. Spend £60-100 and you'll have something that lasts multiple festivals.
- Go bigger than you think. A "3-person" tent comfortably fits 2 people and their stuff. A "2-person" tent fits 1 person who doesn't mind being cosy with their bags.
- Practise at home. Seriously. Pitch it in your garden before you go. Discovering your tent is missing a pole at midnight in a field is not fun.
- Consider a tent with a porch. Somewhere to leave muddy boots and store bags without them being in your sleeping space.
Our Top Picks
Check our Festival Kit page for curated tent recommendations at every budget — from budget pop-ups to premium camping setups.
Setting Up Camp
Where to Pitch
- Not at the bottom of a hill. Water flows downhill. You will flood.
- Not right next to the path. Drunk people walking past your tent at 4am is the enemy of sleep.
- Not too close to the toilets. Close enough to find them at 3am, far enough that you can't smell them.
- Near a landmark. A distinctive flag, a big tree, the corner of a fence — anything that helps you find your tent when everything looks the same at 2am.
Camp Setup Essentials
- Arrive early. The best camping spots go first. Thursday arrival > Friday arrival.
- Put down a groundsheet or tarp UNDER your tent. Fold the edges under so rain doesn't pool between the tarp and tent floor.
- Use ALL the guy ropes. They're not optional. Wind at 3am will test your tent.
- Put a bin bag over your bag. Even inside the tent. Condensation is real.
- Mark your tent. A flag, fairy lights, something distinctive. You will not find an unmarked green tent among 5,000 other green tents.
Sleeping at a Festival
The honest truth: festival sleep is never great. But it can be good enough.
The Sleep Kit
- A proper sleeping bag. Rated to at least 5°C for summer UK festivals. Nights get cold.
- A sleeping mat or airbed. This is the single biggest upgrade you can make. The ground is cold and hard. A self-inflating mat is the sweet spot between comfort and packability.
- Earplugs. Non-negotiable. Good ones. Foam earplugs from a chemist work fine — buy several pairs as you'll lose them.
- Eye mask. The sun rises at 5am in British summer. Your tent becomes a greenhouse.
- A pillow. Inflatable camping pillow, or stuff clothes into a bag. Your neck will thank you.
Sleep Tips
- Accept that the first night is the worst. You'll be too excited, the ground feels strange, and someone near you has a speaker.
- Don't drink caffeine after 6pm if you want any chance of sleeping before 2am.
- Come back to your tent when YOU want to sleep, not when the music stops. It never stops.
Staying Dry
British weather and festivals have a complicated relationship. Prepare for rain even if the forecast says sun.
Rain Defence
- Wellies. Not optional. Even one rain shower turns festival fields into mud baths that last all weekend. Buy proper ones — cheap wellies give you blisters.
- A waterproof jacket with a hood. Not a fashion coat, a proper waterproof. Something you can dance in.
- Waterproof over-trousers. Unglamorous. Effective.
- Dry bag or bin bags. For keeping clothes and electronics dry inside your tent.
- Spare socks. Pack more socks than you think you need. Dry socks are joy.
If It Rains
- Don't touch the inside walls of your tent — it breaks the waterproof seal and water seeps through.
- Dig a small trench around your tent if rain is heavy and sustained.
- Keep a dry outfit sealed in a bag for the journey home. Future-you will be grateful.
Food and Drink
What to Bring
- Water bottles. Most festivals have free water refill points. Bring 2 reusable bottles.
- Snacks. Cereal bars, nuts, fruit, bread, cheese — things that don't need cooking. Festival food stalls are great but expensive.
- A small camping stove (where permitted — check festival rules). A morning coffee from your own stove is a game-changer.
- Reusable cup. Many festivals now require them.
What to Eat
Budget around £20-30/day for food if you're eating from stalls. Breakfast is usually the best value — many stalls do bacon rolls for £5-7.
Security and Safety
Protect Your Stuff
- Don't bring valuables you don't need. Leave the nice watch at home.
- Use a small padlock on your tent. It won't stop a determined thief but it deters opportunists.
- Carry your phone and wallet on you at all times. Bum bag, crossbody bag, zipped jacket pocket.
- Take a photo of your tent location. GPS pin or a photo with landmarks. You WILL forget where it is.
Stay Safe
- Agree a meeting point with friends for when you get separated (you will get separated).
- Wear SPF. Even on cloudy days. Festival sunburn is real and miserable.
- Pace yourself. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Eat properly, drink water, sleep when you can.
- Know where the medical tent is. Hopefully you won't need it, but know where it is.
The Festival Camping Checklist
Essentials
- Tent (tested!)
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping mat
- Earplugs and eye mask
- Wellies
- Waterproof jacket
- Torch / head torch
- Phone charger / power bank
- Toilet roll (always carry some)
- Hand sanitiser
- Sun cream
- Cash and card
Nice to Have
- Camping chair
- Fairy lights for tent
- Portable speaker (be considerate)
- Cool bag for first day food
- Flag or marker for tent
For the complete kit list with product recommendations, check our Festival Kit page.
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