Camping festivals 101

01The short version

Camping turns a festival from something you go to into somewhere you live for a few days. You get more time, more friends and no ride home at 2 a.m. You also get dust, heat in the morning, cold at night, weather you cannot leave, and a toilet walk.

Plenty of festivals in the archive have no camping at all. The ones that do are a different kind of trip, so treat them that way.

02Which festivals have camping

Types of camping differ. Our files use these terms. Tent camping means you bring your own tent and set up in a designated field. Car camping means you sleep at or in your vehicle. RV camping is for vehicles with beds and sometimes power. Glamping means the festival or a partner sets up a tent or cabin for you. Hotel package means a booked room near the venue, sold with the ticket.

See each festival's page for the exact options, prices and rules. Camping often costs extra and can sell out, so check before you buy a ticket. The budget guide has the add-on prices we recorded.

03Setting up

1. 1
   Arrive early

   Setup takes longer than you think. Doing it in daylight is a lot easier than doing it at night with a headlamp in your teeth.

2. 2
   Pick the spot carefully

   Look for shade for the morning, flat ground, and a place away from the path to the toilets and the sound camps. If the ground slopes, sleep with your head uphill.

3. 3
   Mark your site

   A flag or a bright totem helps you find your tent after dark. Check the rules first. Some festivals limit height or ban certain items.

4. 4
   Keep valuables out of sight

   Lock the car. Take your phone, wallet and keys with you. A tent zip is not a lock.

5. 5
   Know your neighbors

   Say hello. People who know you watch your stuff and warn you when something is wrong.

You will hear music from the campground. If you want to sleep, bring earplugs and an eye mask. The hearing guide explains why earplugs also protect your ears at camp.

04Heat in the day, cold at night

Sources 12

The National Weather Service says full sun can raise the Heat Index by up to 15°F over the shade value. A tent in direct morning sun adds more. The CDC says to stay in the shade as much as you can and take breaks, and that applies to the campsite too.

Several festival files record big swings between hot afternoons and cold nights. Pack for both. A warm layer for after dark is the thing people forget most. The heat guide covers signs of heat illness and what to do.

05Storms and lightning

Sources 34

The NWS says there is little you can do to substantially reduce risk if you are outside in a thunderstorm. It says tents, picnic shelters and dugouts are not safe, and that you should not shelter under tall, isolated trees or partially enclosed structures.

If you cannot reach a vehicle or building, the NWS says you can only slightly lessen the threat, and you are still not safe. Avoid open fields, hilltops and ridge tops. Stay away from tall, isolated trees and tall objects. In a group, spread out. If you are camping in an open area, set up in a valley, ravine or other low area. Stay away from water, wet ropes and metal such as fences and poles.

Plan before you need it. The NWS says to keep up to date with a NOAA Weather Radio, the internet or a phone, and that a large group needs extra time to get everyone to a safe place. Decide in advance where your group goes, and park your car with that in mind.

Lightning kills about 20 people in the US each year, the NWS says, and injures hundreds more. It also publishes lightning safety material for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, including the "Flash, Dash Inside" slogan created by and for that community.4

Festivals have to deal with storms too. Here is weather from our files that has stopped, delayed or ended parts of these events. It is not a forecast, but it shows what can happen.

06Carbon monoxide

Sources 5

Carbon monoxide, CO, is an odorless, colorless gas. The CDC says it comes from combustion fumes, including stoves, generators, lanterns and burning charcoal or wood, and can build up in enclosed or partly enclosed spaces. People can be poisoned and die from breathing it.

Check the festival rules. Many festivals restrict stoves, fuel and generators in the campground. The rules link on each festival page is the place to look.

07Water, food and showers

Facilities differ a lot. Some campgrounds have free showers and water. Some charge for showers. Read the camping page for the festival before you decide what to bring.

• Bring more water than you think you will drink. You use it for drinking, brushing teeth and cleaning up.
• A cooler works if you can keep it cold. Check if ice is sold on site.
• Eat real food in the morning. A festival day on coffee and a snack goes badly by 3 p.m.
• Pack out everything you pack in. Leave your site cleaner than you found it.

08Getting in and getting out

Camping entry can take hours when many people arrive at once. Bring a book, a snack and a charged phone. Leaving is the same. If you have a long drive, think about staying one more night rather than driving tired, and read getting there and home.