Glastonbury Festival Packing List – Checklist of 20 Camping Essentials

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Last updated: 25th February 2024

In this post we’ll share with your our Glastonbury Festival packing list – 20 tips plus an essential guide for Glastonbury first timers. Since 2002 Garth has been lucky enough to work on the Glastonbury Festival held most years in the Somerset countryside, England. It’s a 5 day festival of contemporary performing arts with the best contemporary music acts and legend artists plus theatre, comedy, circus, cabaret and dance. We’ve been coming to the festival during that time and have learnt what to take and what not to take with us! So here’s our Glastonbury survival guide and camping festival checklist.

 

Glastonbury Festival Packing List – Checklist of 20 Camping Essentials

1. Portable Power Banks

Number one on our Glastonbury Festival packing list is a portable power bank – or better still take 2 each like we usually do. Buy the best capacity one you can afford, you’ll need it to charge your mobile phone over 5 days. When the power bank goes flat over the weekend you can charge them up again for free at mobile phone tents, together with your phone, but be warned the queues are usually super long and they limit charge times depending on how busy it is. So we usually go when they first open in the morning. Top Tip: put you phone in airplane mode – it will charge faster.

 

 

2. Tent

Opt for compact and lightweight camping gear. Pack as light as you can as you will have a long walk from the car park to the entrance gate. Consider a pop-up tent for easy setup and a compact sleeping bag that provides warmth without taking up too much room. A comfortable sleeping mat and pillow is a must and will make a significant difference to ensure a good night’s sleep. We also take spare tent pegs and have fluorescent guy ropes for the tent, so you don’t trip up when you’re drunk returning to the tent!

If you want the to be super comfortable like we do – take an air mattress, a thin duvet, 2 pillows and foot pump. Ideal if you’re a couple but if not then you could share with a friend. It looks like a bed and we always get loads of comments from people passing. 😁

 

 

3. Camping Trolley

Forget about taking a camping trolley, we know a lot of people do, but we’ve found from experience they are a pain in the bum especially if the weather turns grim and it becomes muddy. So instead don’t take more than you can carry. We load ourselves up with a large rucksack on our back and a small day rucksack on our front. Then carry the tent and a chair.

 

 

4. Camping Chair or Blanket

Some years we take camping chairs, whilst other years we don’t bother, but it can massively enhance your festival experience. For example, we sat with everyone one year watching the Elbow set from our chairs, it was brilliant and super comfortable. They also provide a comfortable spot to relax when you get back to your tent. But you need to decide if you can carry one with all your other camping gear. Make sure your chair pouch has a shoulder strap.

Otherwise, consider taking a blanket as sitting on the grass all the time can get boring, plus a blanket can help you claim your own ‘space’.

 

 

5. Food and Drink

Don’t bother taking any food or drink – you can buy everything and that’s one of the best things about Glastonbury – all the amazing food options on offer! We used to take a camping gas stove, but it only adds to the weight of what you need to carry, so forget it.

Yes food can be pricey and booze is expensive, but it’s so much easier to buy ice-cold beers at all the bars, instead of having a lukewarm can of lager from your backpack. Having said this, we always pack a couple of beers for when we first arrive and are pitching our tent. We also take some small snacks for late-night munchies.

Our all-time favourite Glasto food is the Goan Fish Curry stall near the West Holts Stage.

 

 

6. Torch or Head Torch

You’ll want to conserve the battery on your phone, so take a head torch or a small torch, especially one you can hang from the interior of your tent. We also like to take battery-powered Christmas lights to put on the outside of our tent to easily identify it in the early hours.

 

 

7. Toiletries

Just bring the essential toiletries you need. Pack biodegradable soap, lots of wet wipes, toothpaste, deodorant and any personal hygiene items you may need. Glastonbury encourages environmentally friendly practices, so choose products with minimal environmental impact.

 

 

8. Toilet Roll & Hand Sanitiser

Always carry a loo roll with you for a number two. Also, carry hand sanitiser – you need it after the loos. We have a small bottle that attaches to the outside of our day backpack with a carabiner. You will find there are wash taps and hand sanitising stations outside toilets but we like to take our own as we’ve discovered some sanitising stations run out of liquid into the weekend.

 

 

9. Money

Generally, we would say don’t bother taking much cash. Just take a bit of cash for emergencies, as you can pay with your phone or a card for most things pretty much everywhere. Apart from the bar at the top of the hill near the Glastonbury sign, as their wifi is always flaky and we’ve ended up paying with cash.

 

 

10. Don’t Pack Any Valuables

Your ticket, cash and mobile phone should be the only valuable thing on you. Don’t leave anything in your tent you couldn’t afford to lose as people do go into tents and nick stuff. 😔

 

 

11. Ear Plugs & Eye Mask

We always take a bag of earplugs for a good night’s sleep – the big spongy ones. You will lose some, so that’s why we take a bag of a few. An eye mask is also a good idea not to be woken up by the light which starts around 4.30am. Remember Glasto is in the summer months.

Also handy are some light foam earplugs incase some of the performances are too loud for you.

 

 

12. Shoes

Comfortable and waterproof footwear is crucial. Walking boots are great if it gets muddy, we don’t bother with taking wellies anymore as Glastonbury puts down wood bark on nearly all the main footpaths these days, so those super muddy days are hopefully a thing of the past, but it might get muddy if it’s wet in the campsites. You can always buy wellies at a shop, or leave a pair in your car if the weather is torrential.

Be prepared for lots and lots of walking, the festival site is huge, roughly equivalent to the size of a small town. There are over 210,000 people to navigate your way through. So trainers or something super comfortable are a must. We’ve also found it’s handy to pack some Birkies or flip-flops incase it’s super hot.

 

 

13. Festival Clothes

Because the Glastonbury weather can be unpredictable, we pack a mix of clothing options. Essentially bring layers that you can easily add or remove. Take waterproof hiking trousers just in case and a fleece or jumper is important at night as it does get cold. We also take sunglasses and hats, the essential festival accessory – however you can easily buy something cool from many of the shops on the festival site.

Be crazy and take fancy dress – wear whatever you want! we’ve seen everything from morph suits to wedding dresses and everything in between!

 

 

14. Lightweight Anorak

We always have a small lightweight waterproof anorak packed in our day bag in case it rains. This is because it’s always a hell of a long walk back to your tent if you need something. Even in the summer, rain is a possibility at Glastonbury and a lightweight waterproof jacket is essential for staying dry while enjoying the performances.

 

 

15. Reusable Water Bottle

What’s funny about Glastonbury is we’ve found we can drink loads of pints during the day, but still need water to keep hydrated especially if it’s hot. So we always carry a reusable water bottle. Our best tip is to fill this up at night when you go back to your tent, so you can have loads of water before you go to bed without getting some crazy hangover.

You can bring plastic bottles, but glass is not allowed.

 

 

16. Sunscreen

Glastonbury is in June, so it’s either going to be boiling hot or muddy and rainy. We usually take a pocket-sized Boots travel sunscreen spray after getting really sunburnt one year! Remember you’re gonna be out all day so protect yourself from the sun’s rays. If you forget then there is free sunscreen available at Info Points, subject to availability.

 

 

17. Festival Flags

Make your tent easily recognisable by bringing a festival flag. This not only adds a personal touch but also helps you locate your tent in a sea of others. The best flags we’ve seen are the ones people get custom printed, so plan ahead and get creative!

 

 

18. Quick Dry Towel

Most people don’t shower at Glasto, mostly because there aren’t shower cubicles like there used to be. There are only a few at the bottom of the Kidzfield. A compact and quick-drying travel towel is a handy for when you get the opportunity to do a good old fashioned stripwash! They are highly absorbent take up less space and dry you twice as fast as that of a regular towel.

 

 

19. Personal Identification

You’ll need it in bars if you look under 21. In our case it’s more for an emergency or unforeseen situations, so having personal identification can be helpful. We have photos of our passports stored on our iPhones.

 

 

20. Bin Bags

Finally, on our Glastonbury festival packing list – take a few large bin bags for waste disposal or if your clothes are all wet. Keep your camping area tidy and dispose of all your rubbish responsibly before you leave at one of the rubbish banks usually near the campsite stewards. Remember Glasto’s slogan – Leave No Trace.

 

 

10 Glastonbury Tips for First Timers

1. Decide where to camp before arriving

Everyone has their preference on which part of the festival site to pitch your tent and it’s best to plan where to camp in advance. Talk to your mates who’ve been for advice. Camping on higher ground is best to avoid any flooding risk. It’s good near The Park, but forget the Pennard Hill Ground as everyone heads there early for its central location. Dairy Ground is the biggest campsite and close to The Park for daytime gigs and Arcadia at night.

Our only bit of advice from experience is to avoid pitching your tent near to toilets or footpaths. As they will become super busy and really whiffy after a few days

 

 

2. Get there on Wednesday or Thursday

The main stages at Glastonbury don’t kick off until Friday morning, but the festival actually opens its gates on Wednesday morning. For first-time festival goers, arriving early on Wednesday is highly recommended. This extra time allows you to fully explore the expansive festival grounds. Take advantage of the opportunity to visit iconic spots like the Glastonbury sign, delve into the healing fields, and discover the myriad of alternative attractions available.

 

 

3. Plan Your Itinerary

Once you’ve pitched your tent, you should plan your itinerary (but not too much). Download the Glastonbury app to see the line-ups, stages and interactive map. Glastonbury does require some planning, as it will take 30 minutes and more to walk between stages, especially if an act has just finished, so don’t plan things back to back.

Decide in advance if you want to upfront near the stage or be leisurely at the back with a camping chair – you need to allow at least an hour before a big artist starts.

 

 

4. Buy Drinks Before A Headline Act & Go to the loo!

It’s a good idea to buy your drinks before a big headline show starts as the arena will be absolutely rammed. Once you’ve found a place in the crowd it will take you ages to get out to the bar, so grab as many as you can carry. It’s also really important to empty your tank so you can stay in your spot for the duration of the whole performance.

 

 

5. Explore the Theatre & Circus Fields

Don’t just do music back to back. Go explore the Theatre, Circus, and surrounding fields like Bella’s Field where you’ll discover acts from the refined to the hilarious. Remember Glasto isn’t just about the music, this is a performing arts festival, so there’s loads of alternative stuff to see.

We love finding a spot in the theatre field with a cool refreshing pint just watching the crazy walkaround acts. Every 20 minutes or so there’s another show to watch so always something to see.

Also try and take in one show in the Cabaret Tent, especially at night when things get more risqué! The tent pulsates with creativity and offers an intimate setting with famous comedians plus up and coming stars.

 

 

6. Plan some Time Out

Allocate some time for recovery. Whether it’s a mid-day nap, a quiet moment of reflection by the stone circle, or a visit to the Healing Fields to revitalise your body and mind. Taking a few breaks will enhance your overall festival experience.

 

7. Don’t Peak Too Soon & Stay Up Late

Pace yourself so you can stay up late once the main stages have finished around midnight. There is a strict midnight noise curfew enforced on these stages but the music carries on at smaller stages and venues.

This is when after dark Glastonbury kicks in! You can find DJs, movies and bars open all night, some venues like Block9 open till 6am. Experience the madness where subversive art and music meet at Arcadia, Shari-La, Block9 and the Unfairground.

 

 

8. Glastonbury Cider Bus

Make sure you visit the iconic Cider Bus. This legendary bus has been a fixture for years, serving a delightful array of ciders. You’re in the West Country after all so grab a pint of cider, it’s a Glastonbury tradition!

 

 

9. Send A Glastonbury Postcard

Every year Garth loves to buy unique postcards from the Festivals Postcard tent. From here you can send a postcard to your family and friends and tell them you are still alive, surviving the Glastonbury Festival. You can even ink it with a Worthy Farm block stamp. The wooden printed postcards are gorgeous.

 

 

10. Buy The Best Glastonbury Souvenir

So most people go to the official merchandise stalls to buy an iconic T-shirts to take home. They sell out really quickly, so if you want one – do it on your first day. However our favourite Glastonbury souvenir has to be a unique poster printed on a vintage Heidelberg printing press which you can see in action at the Glastonbury Free Press tent located in the Theatre & Circus fields. If you don’t want to pay for a poster they also print a free Glastonbury newspaper and is the best free Glasto souvenir you can take home from the festival.

 

 

Final Thoughts on the Glastonbury Festival

As we wrap up this Glastonbury Festival packing list, remember that Glastonbury isn’t just a music festival, it’s a magical journey through music, arts, and friendship. Embrace the unpredictability and savor every moment. From the headliners on stage to the hidden gems in the fields, Glastonbury is a celebration of love, music, and shared memories. So pack wisely, stay open to the unexpected, and let the magic of Glastonbury unfold before you. May your experience be as legendary as the festival itself! 🎉🎸🌈🎪🎶⃤

 

 

Glastonbury Festival in Photos

Finally here’s a look at few of our favourite Glastonbury photos over the years …

 

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