This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

Best Music Festival Tips For Splendour In The Grass

Packing, driving, eating and drinking -- all your basics covered.
Mark Metcalfe via Getty Images

Heading to Splendour In The Grass, and stressing about getting ready? We've got you covered.

Preparing for a weekend music festival is an all-round hectic and stressful experience. Sorting out tickets, time off work, transport, accommodation, camping gear, clothes, food, drink and budgeting can quickly turn into a nightmare -- and that's before you even check the weather and festival timetables to make sure you see all your favourite bands.

With Splendour, arguably Australia's premier festival, just two weeks away, you might already be in peak preparation mode. If you are, well done! If not, don't stress. We got Peking Duk, the Kite String Tangle and Dune Rats -- some of our favourite acts on the lineup, and all festival veterans -- to spill on their best tips for getting ready and having a good time.

Getty Images

Before the festival

Tickets, transport, tent. These are the basics. Sort these out before all else. The last thing you want is to be hours into your long roadtrip when you remember leaving your tickets on the kitchen table, or getting stuck without a ride due to a friend mixup, or finding a nice big hole ripped in your tent only after you assemble it. Get your tickets loaded on your phone. Check your oil, tyres and other essentials in the car before you leave. Put up your tent in the backyard before you get to the festival and check for damage -- if nothing else, airing it out will help you in the long-run.

Danny, from The Kite String Tangle, has a few other tips for getting ready that might help.

"Take a photo of the line up, timetable and map on your phone, or print it out and get a savvy office worker to laminate it," he told HuffPost Australia.

"Get your friends to wear ridiculous hats so you can always find them. Also, don't wear nice shoes. They won't be nice in three days."

Packing your festival bag

With your tickets and tent sorted out, it's time to sort yourself out. Festivals, even ones in winter like Splendour, tend to be hot in the day and cold at night. But it's also winter, so it's likely going to rain at some point, which basically means you need to be prepared for everything. Shorts and t-shirts, jeans and jackets, raincoats, beanies, sunglasses, thongs, you need it all.

BYRON BAY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 23: Fans enjoy King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard's performance during Splendour in the Grass 2016
Mark Metcalfe via Getty Images
BYRON BAY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 23: Fans enjoy King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard's performance during Splendour in the Grass 2016

"Bring a stubby holder to keep your beers cold, bring a poncho in case it rains, bring backup sunscreen in case it burns," Reuben from Peking Duk told HuffPost Australia.

"Bring a condom in case later one must do something safely, and lastly bring a bumbag to put everything in. Save the hassle of thinking though, and buy our festival survival kit immediately."

Don't forget the basics, though.

"Toiletry stuff is a must if you're camping. A toothbrush and toothpaste goes a long long way," Adam from Peking Duk said.

"Also bringing a good attitude yourself to everyone around you and also surrounding yourself with good people that have nothing but good energy is priority number one."

Don't be a festival rookie and forget the number one most important item though.

Walking through the mud at Splendour in the Grass 2015
Fairfax Media
Walking through the mud at Splendour in the Grass 2015

"Gum boots. You can pay like $100 [at the festival grounds] if you forget to take them and it starts raining like crazy," Danny said.

"They're as volatile as Bitcoin."

Splendour gets MUDDY when it pours rain, so these are essentials. Check the weather forecast, and even if it's set to be sunny, throw a pair in your bag just to be safe.

Festival food and drink

Music festivals in Australia have moved on far from the bog-standard basic fried fare of days past. No longer just meat pies and hot dogs, festivals are now a real foodie's paradise, with cuisine from all over the world popping up and becoming nearly as much of an attraction as some of the bands. In 2017, Splendour's food offerings include teppanyaki, arancini, cronuts, paella, croquettes, pork belly, slow-cooked Greek meats, and more from Poland, Spain, Sri Lanka and "bite sized treats from every corner".

While your mouth may be watering already, you have to think of your budget, and whether you can afford (or whether your body can tolerate) smoked meats and gourmet tacos for every meal. In that case, stock up on easy meals you can sort out while tired, hungover or otherwise affected. Noodles, muesli bars, cereal and fruit are staple go-to food options if you're going down that route. Also think about bringing in your own crates of water or soft drink.

Getty Images

"Last Splendour I brought a blender and made smoothies in the mornings like a weirdo, but once I'm in the festival it's usually Langos o'clock," Danny from TKST said.

"Water! Stay hydrated."

Adam from Peking Duk said he was a fan of festival fare.

"I usually go for something simple about three hours before we go on stage due to the fact that i'm jumping around so much I want to feel nice and light but still with fuel in my tum tum," he said.

"Smoked meat or BBQ vibe in a bun gives you some solid energy or anything with spice gets you feeling alive. Usually the festival meal is just tequila or beer or vodka in all honesty."

Festival goers make their way through the mud during Splendour in the Grass 2015
Getty Images
Festival goers make their way through the mud during Splendour in the Grass 2015

BC Michaels, from Brisbane rockers Dune Rats, also shared his tips.

"I always buy heaps of food to bring and it always ends up in crushed up chips all over the tent, squished bananas and I eat none of it then dive head first into those corn on the cobs, cookies and all the other yummy stuff," he said.

At the festival

Once you're there, just enjoy it. No matter how much or little you've prepared, how well or badly you've prepared, it's time for fun. Just get into it. See your favourite bands, have a dance, eat something nice and be safe.

"Wear loads of sunscreen, stay hydrated all day, and GO SEE EVERYTHING. Don't get carried away with being drunk and talking rubbish with mates at the one spot for the whole day. You paid good money to see music, art and everything the festival has to offer so go check it out!" Reuben said.

"Avoid angry people and avoid getting grumpy yourself. There is no time for that shit at festivals!"

ALSO ON HUFFPOST AUSTRALIA

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.