Camping Options for Music Festival-Goers

Camping at any music festival is the most popular way to attend a multi-day event where overnight stays are required. For festival-goers that cannot afford the luxury of the VIP glamping areas on a festival site what alternatives are available when it comes to pitching a tent and what are the key considerations. 

Most festival organisers will allocate a field or two for festival-goers pitching their own tents and if well organised will have security patrols and helpful volunteers to provide information. These designated areas will usually have bathroom facilities close by along with selected food and beverage vendors. 

Budget Considerations. 
The amount that festival-goers can spend on tents varies depending on the tent selected and a budget 2-person tent can be obtained for under £100. For larger parties of 3 or 4 people a bigger 4-person tent can still be obtained for about £250. The weather proofing and build quality of a budget tent can be questionable and may well not stand up to heavy rain and high winds. Going for a larger higher quality tent is going to start at around £500 but If festival-goers are attending in a group the costs can be shared equally. 

Size. 
It is rare that organisers will put any limitations on the size of tent being pitched but common sense should prevail. The small 2-person tent will be basic and provide little in the way of creature comforts. A more expensive larger tent will often have windows and a porch entrance area that allows users to transition from wet and muddy clothes to a clean and dry living area. Extended porches also enable in-tent dining under cover and many provide storage options too. The advantage of the cheap lightweight budget tent is the weight and small packed size. A larger tent could weigh as much as 30kg compared to a small tent at just 3kg. This can be a key consideration if the walking distance from a parked car to the designated camping area is several kilometres.

Camper Vans. 
An alternative option could be to hire a camper van and they can be rented for as little as £50 per day for a small 2 berth, going up to £80 per day for 4 or 6 berth. This can be a good option if costs are shared among a group and ensures that festival-goers will be well protected from any adverse weather along with a home from home feel. Festival organisers usually do limit sizes available to park a camper van to about 7m x 7m and they may impose strict limits on the number allowed. Also make considerations for traffic in and out of the festival site and potential problems with waterlogged fields.

Whatever options festival-goers select they have a wide variety of choices which will depend on their budget and levels of comfort sought. For the budget conscious it's no longer acceptable to leave a cheap tent on site after the festival and they should be taken home. Investing in a larger higher quality tent may be a good choice for those planning to use the tent on a regular basis. Renting a camper van may be an attractive option for those unwilling to pay expensive glamping charges but who still want the comforts of home. 

For festival organisers planning their events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Photo by Lukas via Pexels

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