Approx clockwise from left
First things first, the actual bag. I try not to spend too much money on things that i'll really only be using for one weekend of the year, so I bought one similar to the above from ebay for about a fiver last year. I wanted something that I could sling across my body and that had a secure fastening to prevent anything being stolen; I've never had anything stolen from me at a festival before *touch wood*, but the possibility is always there. This fringed bag is perfect for what I need. It's big enough to fit in all my essentials, but not too big as to lose things in. Plus, I think it suits the laid back vibe and atmosphere of a festival pretty well. I've toyed with the idea of taking bum bags to festivals before, however while they're a good idea, I don't think I'd feel as comfortable wearing one as I am with a cross body bag.
Hip flask - I bought a hip flask for festivals last year, and it was a brilliant purchase. They're small enough to hide around your body - anyone that's been to a festival will know how strict security are when it comes to alcohol - but big enough to keep you going with a bit of alcohol before you have to pay the hefty arena prices.
Phone/Portable charger - Bit of an iffy one, and no doubt something a bunch of people with disagree with, but I always take my phone to a festival. Not so much used for contact with the 'outside world', but more so to ensure that you have constant contact with the people you've gone to the festival with. Although it's rare, you can lose people at a festival and so a phone is essential in ensuring that you can be reconnected with ease. Portable chargers can be bought before you go, we all know how unreliable an iPhone battery life is, and probably work out to be a lot cheaper than the prices that are charged once you're there.
Hand sanitiser - Pretty much self explanatory, but hand sanitiser is one of the most essential things you need at a festival. Nothing can prepare you for the state of those toilets by day 2 so I always make sure I have a few bottles thrown in the bottom of my bag to make sure i'm feeling as clean as possible.
Roll on deodorant - Most festivals ban aerosols, so a small roll on deodorant is the perfect way to keep yourself smelling fresh without running the risk of having it confiscated at the arena gates - especially if you plan on staying down there all day and won't have time to run back to your tent for a quick freshen up. I always have a spray version that I keep back at my tent, and a roll on to take down to the arena for double the freshness.
Handy wet wipes - Pretty much running along the same lines of sanitiser but a small, handbag sized pack of wet wipes will become your saviour when at a festival. Whether you use them to freshen up your body half way through the day, or to wipe down the inevitable dirty toilet seat, you'll thank your lucky stars approximately 300 times during the weekend that you've got a pack of these handy.
Waterproof poncho - PAC a MAC, whatever you want to call them, you'll need one. You can never rely on the British summertime to stay bright and dry, and it's almost guaranteed that it will rain at least once during your weekend away. PAC a MAC's come with an attached bag that the poncho can roll into and be packed away small enough so that you won't even realise it's in your bag at all. There is no excuse not to shove one in your bag to quickly whip on once the rain makes an unwelcome appearance - just make sure yours has a hood!
Tissues/toilet roll - Any festival veteran will tell you how essential a roll, or three, of toilet paper is. Whilst some festival port-a-loos do provide toilet paper in with the stalls, it's going to run out by mid day. It's always better to be safe than sorry and a small roll of toilet paper, or a little pack of tissues will save you the world of hassle when you make an unwated trip to the toilet.
Disposable camera - I've favoured disposables over digital cameras for years now - I cant actually even remember the last time I used a digital camera - how very vintage of me, I know! But preferences aside, you can't really knock a disposable when it comes to festivals. You run the risk of anything being stolen, broken, or damaged during your weekend and using a disposable camera softens the blow if any of these do happen. Having a £10 disposable camera breaking really is a lot less heartbreaking than ruining your £500 digital, plus the excitement of not knowing what you've taken until after the photos are developed is always fun.
Coin purse/money/ID - It pretty much goes without saying that you're going to need money and your ID when your at a festival. Much like all pubs, clubs, and bars around the UK, festivals operate a 'Challenge 25' policy when it comes to alcohol and cigarettes. So if you are over 18 and plan on buying either, always make sure you have your ID handy. Money is an obvious one, but I do like to keep all this stashed away in a small coin purse. They're, obviously, smaller than regular purses and therefore take up a lot less room in your bag and avoid any other important documents that you'd keep in a your regular purse from being lost. Failing that, take a leaf out of my book back in 2010 and just shove it all down your wellies!
Sunglasses - While i've painted a pretty much rubbish picture of the weather at festivals, good old Britain can sometimes surprise us and the clouds can part and the sun can shine for the entire three days, so pack your sunglasses and a good SPF. I've opted to take a cheapish mirrored pair of wayfarers from River Island this year (although I have taken Ray Bans in the past I fancied a change), perfect for shielding the sun and hiding those inevitable bags under your eyes on the journey home.
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