8 things you should absolutely know before heading to a summer music festival

Floral crowns at the ready – we’re on the final countdown to one of the summer’s most exciting music festivals. Festival veterans that we are, though, we thought this would be a good time to share some handy hints and tips that every festival-goer should be aware of. __________________________________________ Plastic bags are your best friend It’s an Irish festival, lest we forget. Though the sun may be shining on your arrival – the chances of it staying like that are slim to none. A roll of plastic bags is the ultimate festival accessory, believe it or not. One or two will allow your crew to sit on the damp grass without giving yourselves mucky backsides. Another will give you a makeshift poncho if the occasional torrent comes down. You’re not allowed to bring umbrellas into most festivals either, so we’ve been known to fashion a hood or two out of a third. Needs must and all that! You can never have enough baby wipes Remember that portaloos get messy very quickly and that line is long. Tissues are a good shout, but baby wipes are better if you only want to carry one packet and you need a multi-purpose product. As well as their use when nature calls, they’re the business when you need to clean your mucky hands before tucking into a festival burger. NOM.   There’s one fashion buy you need to bring… And it’s not the aforementioned floral crown or the ubiquitous denim cut-offs. The one thing you absolutely need to bring to a festival is a cross body bag. Keep your hands free, your belongings safe and your style in check with this simple style. If you already have one you love – leave it at home. You can pick up a cheap version for a song in all the high-street stores at the minute and then you won’t mind if it is the victim of a tumble or a spill. Battery backup is bringing your A Game A smartphone battery drains pretty fast at a festival – especially if you’re updating your Snapchat story and sickening all your friends at home every five minutes. A portable charger, fully loaded, could save you a lot of heartbreak at the end of the night when you can’t find THAT friend (there’s always one), or when you finally bump into Hozier and convince him to marry you… you’ll need photographic proof. At Longitude, you’ll also have the option of the Three charging station. WIN. Know your meeting point Even if you’re all over the phone game, your friends might not be. ALWAYS plan a meeting point and a time to gather there. Running to each other slow-mo movie scene style is optional but preferable. But trust me, on the sunscreen That sun might only peek through for an hour or two, but SPF is ALWAYS a necessity! If we hit a lucky streak and get the glorious weather festival we’re dreaming of, then you need your sunblock and plenty of it. Always keep it to hand just in case. You don’t want to be that poor sod with the outline of a lanyard on their neck for two weeks afterwards. This is why we can’t have nice things. Stash some cash Having a budget for your festival day is a good idea. Don’t carry much more than you think you’ll need, but allow for food and drink and transport and don’t bank on access to card services or an atm. Stash your cash carefully at all times, but keep the amount you might need for a taxi home separate (in a plastic coin bag stashed in your bra or clipped into the back of your phone cover) so you know you can always get home without hassle! Plan your itinerary You don’t have to Monica it by any means, but if you go to a festival with a rough idea of when your must-see acts are taking to the stage and whereabouts they’re playing, you have a far better chance of ticking all your festival boxes. A quick lap after you head in will give you a fair idea of how long it takes to get from one stage to another, toilets, food etc. so you can plan accordingly or split a precious hour when two acts you love are playing with minimal wasted time.