Short & sweet: The complete festival packing list, sorted by category: documents, tent, clothing, hygiene, food and drink – plus the part most lists forget: party & group fun. That way you never miss anything important and never lug along anything you don't need.
💡 By the way: that's exactly why we built the SwigSki3000® — four people, one ski, one shot in sync. More on that below ↓
Half of your festival experience comes down to how you pack. Pack the wrong things and you'll be lugging dead weight for three days; forget the right ones and you'll be annoyed the whole weekend. This festival packing list is sorted by category so you can work through it systematically – including the part most lists skip entirely: what actually holds the group together at the campsite.
A festival packing list is a category-sorted list of everything you need for a multi-day festival: documents & money, tent & sleeping gear, weatherproof clothing, hygiene & health, food & drink, and party & group gear. Cover all six categories and you're fully equipped.
The complete festival packing list by category
Work through the six categories in order – that way you're guaranteed not to forget anything essential.
Documents, money & tickets
- Festival ticket (printed and digital as backup)
- ID card
- Cash (many stalls don't take cards) and a card
- Health insurance card
- Charging cable and power bank for your phone
Tent & sleeping
- Tent (plus pegs and a rubber mallet)
- Sleeping bag and sleeping mat or air mattress
- Pillow or a rolled-up jumper
- Head torch or flashlight
- Gazebo or sun shade for the group's meeting point
Clothing
- Weatherproof jacket and rain poncho – festival weather is unpredictable
- Wellies if there's a mud forecast
- Enough spare clothes, plus a warm layer for the night
- Comfortable shoes that are allowed to get trashed
- Sun hat or cap and sunglasses
Hygiene & health
- Wet wipes and dry shampoo (the festival shower)
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant
- Sunscreen and insect repellent
- A small first-aid kit: plasters, painkillers, blister plasters
- Toilet paper and hand sanitiser
Food & drink
- Cool box with drinks (saves you a decent amount against festival prices)
- Enough water
- Snacks and non-perishable food for breakfast
- Bin bags – to keep your pitch tidy
Party & group fun
The part generic packing lists ignore – yet it's what decides the mood at camp. Light, sturdy gadgets that bring the group together:
- A Shotski for the group toast (more on that below)
- Sturdy shot glasses, a deck of cards and a soft ball for spontaneous rounds
- A Bluetooth speaker with a shared playlist
- One or two small gags as icebreakers for the tent next door
A practical side effect: because the SwigSki3000® is made of four individually detachable modules, it goes straight into the dishwasher after the round instead of gathering dust in a corner.
What most people forget
These things don't appear on any standard list – and yet they're the ones you end up missing most:
- Power bank: without power at camp, your phone is dead by day two.
- Earplugs: worth their weight in gold for the night in the tent next to the party row.
- Tape and cable ties: fix everything from the tent to your sunglasses.
- A marker on your tent: a flag or decoration so you can find your camp again at night.
- Cash in small notes: saves arguments at stalls with no change.
What you can safely leave at home
Less is more when you're carrying everything yourself. You can happily skip these:
- Expensive jewellery and valuables: the theft risk at a campsite is real – leave anything valuable at home.
- Glass bottles: banned on most sites anyway, and unnecessarily heavy.
- Too many spare clothes: three days isn't a house move – one outfit per day plus a warm night layer is enough.
- Power-hungry gadgets: anything that's flat after a day is better left at home.
Every item you don't need is weight you carry across the campsite – and space that could go to water and food instead.
The party packing list in detail
Every list covers gear for sleeping – the difference between a good festival and a legendary one lies in the party category. The core gadget is the Shotski: four to twelve people drink in sync, and a group becomes the talking point of the whole row.
Pair it with sturdy ski boot shot glasses instead of fragile glass. And if everyone in the group should carry their own party signal, the wearable mini-ski shot glasses go in the bag – a 4-pack that's both a marker around your neck and a ready-to-go shot. Light, made of wood and instantly recognisable at the campsite.
For more gadgets worth packing, see our overview of festival party gadgets. And to find out why the Shotski is the star of every round, check out the guide the Shotski at festivals.
Adjusting the packing list to your festival type
Not every festival has the same requirements. Adjust the list to your format:
- Day festival, no camping: tent and sleeping gear drop out. Focus on tickets, weatherproof clothing, power bank and one or two compact gadgets for the group.
- Multi-day camping festival: the full list – every category counts here, from the gazebo as a meeting point to enough food and drink.
- Open-air in high summer: extra sun protection, more water and a good way to keep drinks cold. Heat at the campsite is often underestimated.
- Festival with a mud forecast: wellies, rain poncho and a few bin bags as emergency dry protection for your gear.
How to pack your backpack smartly
Packing it right saves both space and nerves. Three proven tricks:
- Roll clothes instead of folding: saves noticeable space and your clothes crease less.
- Heavy items at the bottom: tent and cool box at the bottom, light and frequently used items on top – the backpack carries better that way.
- Keep party gadgets together: Shotski, glasses and gags in one corner or a packing cube, so the fun gear is instantly to hand when the round starts.
The final check before you leave
Before you set off, run through the most important points one more time – they're the hardest to buy on the way if you're missing them:
- Ticket and ID: without both, you won't even get onto the site.
- Tent complete: including pegs, poles and a rubber mallet – not just the outer shell.
- Enough cash: the nearest cash machine is miles away from many festivals.
- Power bank charged: your phone is your ticket backup, map and group meeting point all in one.
- Party gear packed: the Shotski and glasses are the easiest thing to forget – and the most requested thing at camp.
Once these five points are sorted, everything else is comfort you can still organise on-site if needed. With a complete festival packing list, you start the weekend relaxed instead of standing at your pitched tent realising that the one thing you actually needed is still sitting in your hallway at home.
More festival fun
Once the tent is up and the group is complete:
- Festival pre-drinks – how to get the warm-up phase at camp right.
- Festival drinking games: the ultimate list – the 8 classics with rules.
- Festival Beer Olympics – the tournament for big groups.
FAQ – frequently asked questions about the festival packing list
What do you absolutely need to bring to a festival?
The essentials are your ticket and ID, a tent with sleeping bag and sleeping mat, weatherproof clothing, hygiene items, enough water and cash. Everything else is comfort – but forget these basics and you've got a real problem.
How much should you pack for a festival?
As much as necessary, as little as possible. For a weekend, spare clothes for three days, a warm layer for the night and rain protection are enough. Remember: you're carrying all of it yourself across the campsite – every unnecessary item is dead weight.
What can't you bring to a festival?
Usually banned are glass bottles, open fires, weapons and, in some cases, bulky items. The exact rules are in the festival's terms and conditions. Better to leave valuables at home – the theft risk at a campsite is real.
What do most people forget when packing?
The classics are a power bank, earplugs, tape, a marker for the tent and cash in small notes. And almost always: the party gear that holds the group together at camp.
What gadgets belong on the festival packing list?
Light, sturdy, power-free gadgets that bring the group together: a Shotski for the group toast, sturdy shot glasses, a deck of cards and a Bluetooth speaker. Anything that breaks easily or needs power is better left at home.
How do you save money at a festival?
The biggest lever is your own food and drink: a cool box stocked with drinks costs a fraction of festival prices. Pre-drink and eat at the campsite, and you'll spend noticeably less inside.