Camp Bestival - Let The Countdown Commence

With than twenty days until Camp Bestival I am trying very hard to get organised.  There is a bag parked under the stairs that I gradually filling with some festival essentials and making lists like a crazy woman.  Packing for a festival is slightly different to holiday packing.  But with a few years of festival family fun under our belts I feel we have made progress in narrowing down the essential kit and much more besides.  A few days ago I tweeted the link to my essential Camp Bestival list, but this was compiled two years ago, so I feel a little refresh is required!

Obviously there are some things that should be on your list but here are some you may have forgotten.

- Matches - to light the stove
- Gas - for aforementioned stove
- Loo rolls - carry these with you at all times, although last year seemed to be restocked reguarly.
- Sleeping bags - obviously! Or a duck and down duvet if you have room in the car!
- Suncream and wellies - this is British summer time!
- Warmer clothes for the evening - as much as the many Pimms or pints of cider or fabulous      mummy    dancing may keep you warm the evenings do get chilly. Don't forget a cardi or jumper and   I always    pack a hoodie to sleep in when I camp, nothing worse than a cold head when you are       trying to get to sleep.
- Bubbles - unfortunately the no glass rule means no bubbles of the alcoholic type. But your children,   even teens, will thank you for packing a few bubble wands and pots of bubbles.
- Water Bottles - there are taps in the festival and campsites so take a large bottle to refil for water at     the tent and smaller bottles to refill for drinks.
- Beach Towels - these dry much quicker than normal towels so you won't have soggy towels lying    around.
- Picnic blanket - use it outside the tent and when inside the festival too.
- Torch, headlights and lanterns - even though the campsites are well lit, any or all of these are essential.

So that is my essentials now for my additional festival kit -

- Airbeds - nothing like a good nights sleep when you've spent all day at a festival. With the uneven  ground of the main campsite and even in Camping Plus I will not be forgetting mine.
- Bunting, flags and fairy lights - yes I cam one of those festival goers who likes a touch of   glamping   and these additions make the tent a bit more homely.
- Table and chairs - we have a fab camping table with chairs attached that packs fairly flat.  We always take a couple of camping chairs too.
- Kitchen Equipment - we have a Vango camping kitchen and is a godsend for creating a little kitchen area in the porch part of the tent.  Stove, pots, pans, kettle, plates, cups, washing up paraphenalia are all in one place and not getting in the way inside the tent,
- Lots of snacks - whilst there are more food choices than you can imagine in the festival I always take crisps, biscuits and fruit.
- Hair chalk, flower crowns, hats and face paints - obviously these are more for my daughters but I do have the obligatory festival straw hat.

Camp Bestival Countdown

This weekend we headed to Midsummer Music, the little music festival in our village which is held every other year.  Crazily I had agreed to play in the orchestra, having not played properly for several years, I was amazed that I could still play my clarinet.  The weather was amazing, although it was perhaps a little too warm for playing and I know some of the bands performing longer sets suffered a little in the blazing sunshine.  Sat listening to some talented local performers and bands, Andy and I realised it was only four weeks until Camp Bestival.  Time to get organised!

Having been several times now we know what to expect and have added to and removed things from our list.  The essential camping kit is at the top of the list, but this is a festival so there always extras added to the list.  Aswell as doing things slightly differently to normal camping, eg. no glass bottles, not being able to refreeze ice packs.  So looking at my list from last year, which you can find in this post  I am deciding if there any extras to add and what I still need to buy.  I think some new bunting is required and I have just brought a new camping kitchen stand from Vango.  Amber and Kitty are keen to have a minion windsock, but at almost £25 I think we will make do with our old flag, although if I have the time I would like to try and rustle up one that matches the retro scout badge style of the Camp Bestival logo this year!

Any essentials you will be taking to festivals this year? 

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

xo

Packing List For Camp Bestival

Camp Bestival 2012

Continuing from yesterdays post celebrating a good list, I thought I would share my list for top things to take to Camp Bestival.  With only nine days until we head to the beautiful Dorset coast, I am starting to check we have everything and that it's still in working order.  Batteries are top of my shopping list this week, torches and tent lights need them, also our phone charger needs some, aswell as the cameras.  So apart from plenty of batteries what else do I consider essential?

Loo Rolls - there are none provided, DO NOT forget these!

Hand Sanitiser and Baby Wipes - there aren't sinks in the porta loo's. Baby wipes also come in handy when ice creams get drippy and coke cans explode! (The toilets are cleaned regularly and we have never had a problem with them).

Sunscreen, sunhats, wellies and raincoats - this is England, be prepared.  Also wellies are handy for those early morning trips to the loo, across the dewy grass.

First Aid Kit - plasters, paracetamol - adults and childrens, insect bite cream or spray, antiseptic wipes.

Sleeping bags, warm PJ's, socks and a hat - the nights are chilly under canvas. Lucy brought her woolly hat last time to wear to bed, I wish I had as I slept with my hoodie on, hood up!

Jumpers - I always take a hoodie camping and a lightweight cardi.  First thing in the morning and later in the evening can be chilly and you will be glad of the extra layers.

Matches or a lighter - always handy for lighting your stove.

Teabags, Coffee, Hot Chocolate and UHT milk - that first cuppa of the day will be the best. Just remember no glass containers, so buy instant coffee in the refill bags.

Wine in a Box - again not glass - Helen of Knackered Mothers Wine Club shared some top choices in this blog last month, read them here.

Lots of Snacks - all that fresh air makes you hungry - for more food ideas read my post here.

Bubbles - of course I would prefer the fizzy champagne kind but children everywhere seem to have bottles of bubbles! There are stalls that sell them but taking some with you saves a little money.

Washing Up Bowl - this can double up as your sink for washing your face and brushing your teeth.

Water Bottles - there are ample taps around the campsites and in the festival too for you to fill up for free.  We take our camping water container and each have a water bottle to refill.

Air Beds and Pump- yes I know this a luxury, but a good nights sleep is essential to make the most of your time at the festival.  However my sons are a bit more hardcore and just have roll mats!

Picnic Blanket - we take a couple that can be used outside the tent and can be used in the festival too.

Bunting and Flags - there are hundreds of tents so personalise yours to make it easier to find.  We will have a flag and bunting, infact I've just found the circus bunting from Kitty's birthday party, perfect for this years circus theme.

Well I think that's the essentials.  One last thing is take some cash, there are cash points and some stall holders probably take cards but cash is king. Right I'm off to check all the sleeping bags zips are working and to find our flag pole!

Until next time, take care.
Zoe
xo

Disclosure - This year I am one of the official Camp Bestival bloggers, working with them to share my top tips and reviewing the festival.  They have kindly given us a family weekend ticket, however all opinions are my own.