With summer festival season in full swing, and one of the most talked about festivals only a few days away, I thought I’d feature an article on how to best prepare yourself for a camping festival, specifically Electric Forest. On June 23-26, thousands of people from all over the country will occupy the small town of Rothbury, Michigan. For many, it is their first year and are quite unsure of what to expect. I was not as prepared as I could have been my first year. You can never be too prepared, but you have to experience something yourself to truly know what to expect. I hope these tips offer insight into how to have the best weekend.
Have a good attitude and be flexible. Be open to the fact that things do not always go as planned. Everyone has a special forest experience meant for them and sometimes that includes doing things you did not expect and meeting people you would not have met otherwise.
Live with and love whatever the weather decides to do. At any festival you have to be ready for anything, especially in Michigan where the weather is unpredictable. One minute it can be sunny and hot, next minute there could be a thunderstorm. It is best to bring multiple pairs of shoes, ones you do not care how muddy or dusty they get. Or you could go barefoot. No one really cares how much clothing you have on in the Forest.
Bring clothes that you love (including extra underwear). I suggest pulling the largest duffel bag out of your closet and filling it with all of your favorite clothes. Keep in mind to pack warm clothes, it gets cold at night. Also, do not forget a rain poncho, jacket or suit and boots.
Bring baby wipes. They are good for just about anything. They provide you with an alternative to soap and running water by cleaning off yesterday’s makeup and glitter and scrubbing away a day’s worth of dirt and sweat. Baby wipes, or some other form of wet wipe, is a must.
Reusable water bottles. Bring at least two, if you don’t have a camelback. It is easy to get dehydrated when out in the sun all day and dancing the night away. Staying hydrated is just as important as eating an ample amount of food each day.
Bring an abundance of food so you can avoid paying high prices from vendors; although, you should indulge in Spice Pie pizza at least once while there. The best food to bring is food that can handle being in a cooler for a few days. Foods like eggs, hot dogs, rice and beans, and fruits such as, apples, oranges and bananas and more. A portable grill is a must, as well as a cooler to keep everything fresh. Ice is sold on site.
Bring towels. They serve multiple purposes like using them to sit on the ground or for drenching up sweat.
Wear sunblock and sunglasses or a hat. The sun beats down during the day and you do not want to have a sunburn by the second day.
Bring trash bags to pick up after yourself and keep the campsite clean.
Although you should try to be minimal on paper products, toilet paper, paper towels, tissue and paper plates are all good things to pack.
Bring miscellaneous toiletries like toothpaste and brush, soup, lotion, face wash, baby powder, body spray, deodorant, Q-tips, cotton balls, hairbrush, razor, hair ties, dry shampoo.
Bring a first aid kit, you never know when you may need it. You are exposed to the elements all day, so if you tend to get sick easily, bring your favorite allergy medication and Emergen-C.
Print out a festival map and schedule since they will not have paper copies there and you do not want to have to rely on the app on your phone.
Bring campground essentials. Canopy, folding chairs, table, tapestry, blankets, pillows, tent, canopy, duct tape, sleeping bag, camping pad or cot.
Don't forget flashlights and a lantern. The campgrounds do not provide any sort of lighting.
Bring your hammock to relax. If you do not have one, they are sold there.
Jumper cables are important, too. It is a guarantee that you or someone near you will need to jumpstart a car at some point during the festival, especially if the car charges phones while it is turned off. If you bring jumper cables, then you have nothing to worry about.
Ear plugs for if you need some shut-eye and can still hear bass thumping from faraway stages or your neighbors are up later than you.
Just for fun things like body paint, kandi supplies, selfie stick, LED toys, Frisbee, hoola hoops, glitter, bubbles -- whatever you can think of that you might want to play with there.
Bring spending money for a variety of things, like buying unique items from the vendors.
Don’t forget to fill your tank up with gas before entering the lines to get in. It takes multiple hours to get in before setting up camp, and your car idles the entire time, moving a few feet every couple minutes. Also, you do not want to wait in a long line to fill up your tank at the only gas station when leaving Monday morning.
Don’t forget to have fun! Check out a set you have never heard of before, or take a break from your friends and go explore on your own. Do not be afraid to lose yourself in the forest.
