Festival season is coming back, and we couldn’t be more excited.
However, the process of creating a packing list for a fun-filled music festival can be pretty daunting. There are plenty of essentials you need to bring with you (an extra shirt, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, etc.), but what about the fun stuff? By which we mean little accessories or gadgets that can amp up the fun during a festival.
We have a great list of recommendations to add some extra fun to the festival experience in 2024 – check them out.
1. Portable Hammock
If you haven’t already invested in an on-the-go hammock, we highly suggest getting your hands on one before festival season!
Most portable hammocks are lightweight, easy to travel with, and can hang up securely on trees and other stable outdoor structures. You can pack one in your back for a great place to chill, nap, or just listen to the live music in total relaxation.
You can buy an ENO DoubleNest Hammock starting at $51.93 at the REI website.
2. Fanny Pack
Who said fanny packs are out of style? They’ve been making a major comeback in fashion, especially on the music festival scene.
If you wonder how a fanny pack can make your festival experience more fun, the simple answer is the freedom it gives you. When you wear a fanny pack, you can hold all of your daily festival essentials in one place without really having to hold them.
Your body will be completely free to dance, wave, and carry some drinks. Plus, keeping your essentials strapped in front of you will rid the worry of losing items & having them stolen.
You can buy the Lumbar Pack for $35 from the North Face website.
3. BoomBoom Nasal Inhalers
Music festivals require a lot of energy and can take a toll on your mental/physical health. After spending days camping or outside going from event to event, it’s normal to feel tired, sore, groggy, or even stressed.
BoomBoom is a great way to defeat festival fatigue. When you blast your nasal cavity with tasty berry-flavored menthol, peppermint, and eucalyptus oils, you’ll experience a unique dynamic and mental energy... not a chemical energy. It’s going to give you a quick refreshing boost that feels amazing. And if you’re in a funk, it will help SNAP you out of it… but in a much more natural way!
You can buy a BoomBoom Nasal Inhaler variety pack starting at $19.95 here.
4. Campsite Decorations
One of the most fun parts of camping at a music festival is decorating your site with unique, attractive additions.
Bring as many decorations as you can, including LED lights, tapestries, flags, rugs, blankets, and more. Not only will it help create a joyful atmosphere, but it will make it easier for you to locate your campsite late at night.
You can shop tapestries, LED lighting, and more decor at Urban Outfitters, starting at $10.
5. Inflatable Sofa
It’s not easy to find a place to lounge at an outdoor music festival, but inflatable sofas make it much easier. These popular loungers are perfect for festival comfort when you need them most.
While you can’t bring your leather couch from home to the campsite, these inflatable solutions are made from lightweight parachute material perfect for travel. They come in convenient carrying cases and don’t even require an air pump– how simple is that?
You can buy a Lamzac Inflatable Loung for $44.50 from the 2Modern website.
6. Portable Charger
One of the most common buzzkills at a music festival is running out of battery on your phone. While it’s important to keep your mind off technology, a fully charged phone is still a festival essential.
You may need your phone to snap a photo of your favorite artist, look up event times, take videos, or even find a lost friend. That’s why your festival checklist should always include a portable charger, just to be safe in case you run out of battery after having too much fun all day.
You can buy from a variety of portable chargers starting at $9.99 on the Best Buy website.
7. Bluetooth Speaker
You may be wondering why you need a Bluetooth speaker if you are attending a festival filled with bumping music. However, wireless & portable speakers will make the after-hours hangouts much more enjoyable, or even the time between shows.
Blasting your favorite artists can get you and your pals pumped up for the artist you are excited to see live to make sure everyone is always in a great mood.
You can buy this handy waterproof clip-on speaker for $69.95 at the JBL website.
8. Cool Sunglasses
Sunglasses are a must-have item when you pack for a music festival to keep your eyes safe from sun damage and bright light shows.
That said, festivals are also an opportunity to get wild with your fashion and wear something fun. So we recommend finding a fun, outgoing pair of shades for a fun festival in the sun.
You can buy fun, colorful sunglasses starting at $25 on the Knockaround website.
9. Glow Sticks
When the festival day turns to night, you are going to be more than thrilled to have packed some glow sticks.
Not only do they light up the night in fun colors, but they also bring back some childhood nostalgia. It’s a great way to keep the mood bright during the late festival hours.
You can buy a 24 pack of Glow Batons from Amazon for $32.99.
10. Fold Out Table
Folding tables are easy to pack in your car and perfect for music festival fun.
Whether you use your table for a game of beer pong, a setting for dinner, or just a place to put all of your drinks & snacks– they’re a must-have. This will make it easier not to clutter your camping spot with empty cups, food, and other trash.
You can buy this Portable Folding Camping Table for $39.99 from Amazon.
11. Body Paint
Get creative in between concerts with some body paint! You and your festival friends can paint cool designs on your face & body for some exciting, colorful style.
It will look great in your photos, and let’s be honest– how often do you get to wear body paint? And if you really want to get fancy, try some glow-in-the-dark body paint.
You can buy Glow Body Paint starting at $25.42 from the Cool Glow website.
12. Drink Cooler
Music festivals can get pretty hot, and a great way to stay cool is with a drink cooler. Keep your booze, water, and other necessities for chilling out nice & cold with a drink cooler.
When the heat spikes, you won’t want to drink a lukewarm beer or water– you want a chilled drink to keep you cool. Coolers also offer the perfect storage solution for all of your drinks.
You can buy from a variety of drink coolers starting at $17.90 on the Target website.
13. Travel-Friendly CBD
It may have been a while since you’ve attended a music festival, but you shouldn’t forget the physical toll they take on your body.
From walking around all day long, dancing, sleeping in tents, and being outdoors for long hours– your body is going to take a hit. Prepare to deal with next-day muscle soreness with some travel-friendly CBD.
You can buy travel-friendly CBD products starting at $31.99 from Koi's website.
14. Beverage Koozies
Whether you’re drinking wine, beer, seltzer, or a fancy cocktail in a can– koozies are a must-have!
They keep your drink nice and cool in the hot summer sun, and they make your drinks look stylish. Koozies come in all shapes, sizes, and designs, so you can find an option that fits your drink preference and your style.
Shop stylish can coolers/koozies starting at $17.50 on the BruMate website.
15. Portable Fan
The festival heat is no match for these fashionable, fresh air solutions.
When it’s time to cool down, you can pull out one of these handy, portable fans for a nice breeze. They come in all kinds of designs to match your festival fashion, plus they look great in photos.
You can buy stylish fans starting at $25.99 from the DaftBoy website.
16. Bag of Warm, Dry Clothes
The weather may be hot, but there is always a chance of rain or cold, breezy nights. When the rain passes and you are left with wet clothes all over your campsite, this will be the ultimate backup.
Pack a waterproof back full of warm, dry clothes so you can prepare to cozy up when the temperature cools. Nothing will be more satisfying than a fresh, comfortable outfit after long days outdoors.
Shop waterproof dry bags starting at $14.95 on the REI website.
17. Cool Rain Poncho
When it rains at a music festival, it always feels like it’s pouring. Don’t get caught in a mini rainstorm without a poncho to protect you!
While you could always rely on the plastic bag style rain ponchos, they might ruin your look and only provide minimal waterproof protection. Luckily, tons of stylish rain ponchos roll up into handy carrying cases, so you can stay dry and still look cool.
You can buy cool, hooded rain ponchos for $19.99 from Amazon.
18. Beach Blanket
There comes the point at every music festival where you just want to sit down. With lots of walking, sometimes taking a seat on the ground is exactly what you need.
That said, it’s important to pack a beach blanket to sit on so that you don’t get dirt on your pants or bugs crawling all over.
You can buy stylish beach blankets for $52 from the Natural Life website.
19. Disposable Cameras
It may have been quite some time since you’ve last used a disposable film camera, but these are a must-have for music festivals. They offer a retro aesthetic that you just can’t get with a phone camera.
However, you don’t need to know anything about photography to get great photos with one of these cameras. The best part about bringing them to a festival is that you have to wait to get the pictures developed afterward, allowing you a chance to look back and relive all the fun moments.
You can buy a 2 Pack of Fujifilm Disposable 35mm Cameras With Flash for $24.96 at Walmart.
20. Water Bottle Backpack
Hydration is essential when it comes to music festivals. Whether you are downing boozy beverages all day long or getting a workout by dancing at multiple concerts each day, you are going to want to chug a huge bottle of water quite often.
Water stations can have long lines, and carrying a water bottle around all day can get annoying. Hydration backpacks make it easy to carry water around hands-free for a sip of cold water anytime you need it.
You can buy a HydroBak 50oz Hydration Pack for $35 at the CamelBak website.
Don’t Forget These Essentials!
We shared 20 suggestions that are great for festival fun and games, but the best way to have fun at a music festival is to be prepared. So, we wanted to remind you of some essential items you should add to your festival packing checklist…
- Sunscreen
- Wet Wipes
- Trash Bags
- Headlamp/Lantern/Flashlight
- Tent Pitching Tools
- Sleeping Mat/Air Mattress
- Clothing
- Raincoat/Boots
- Toiletries (Hand Sanitizer, Dry Shampoo, Toothpaste, etc.)
- First Aid Kit
- Medications
- Plastic Bags
- Tent
- Phone Charger
- Tarp
- Towels
- Deodorant
- Grocery Items/Drinks
- Camp Chairs
- Blankets/Sleeping Bag
- Water Bottle(s)