It’s that time again…Outside  Lands!  I’m up in San Francisco getting ready to head to Golden Gate Park in a few hours for three straight days of music, comedy, art, and food.  Outside Lands is my all time favorite festival because the vibe is so much more artistic and chill than the others I attend.  (That isn’t to say there aren’t equally artistic and chill festivals all across the world…I just have not yet been to them!)

I have become a bit of a festival bag ninja in the past year after being caught in prior years without all kinds of random necessary items and forced to purchase them inside festival gates (get ready to pay five times what the item is worth!).  As a result I try to come prepared to brave all elements, patch all wounds, and do my best to have a carefree and comfortable time.

Each festival has very different rules as to the size of bag you are allowed and the contents that can be in it.  Outside Lands is pretty relaxed with theirs and you can carry in a backpack full of all kinds of layers, snacks and bottles of water.  With others you’re not even able to get sealed lip balm in!  Therefore this bag is a little more stocked than say a Coachella or HARD Summer bag of mine would be.  Always check the festival website for what items are permitted so you aren’t left angrily throwing out $20 lip gloss at bag check!  (I see this at every single festival.)

Without further ado, the contents of my Outside Lands bag:

Outside Lands bag contents

• Lip balm with SPF – it’s generally best to bring a sealed tube just in case you get a strict security officer checking your bag.
• Gum – again, it’s best to bring a sealed pack.  Opened packs might be confiscated.
• Festival info – a paper version of a map and schedule come in handy in case you’re caught without a charged phone or the festival’s app suddenly has issues working.
• Brush – this is a totally optional item, but my hair turns into a tangled mess in the wind so I try to bring this little foldable brush/mirror combo with me.  Note: my mom has taken this brush on treks all over the world because it’s so easy to pack and carry…it’s pretty awesome!
• Snack – food is expensive inside and healthy choices can sometimes be hard to find so I always bring at least one snack if permitted to tide me over.  It’s also handy to have snacks for those times when you have an epic view of the stage and your favorite band is coming on in thirty minutes but you’re starving.  Dilemmas, dilemmas.  Don’t give up your spot, pull out your bag snack.
• Hand sanitizer – hand sanitizer, hand, sanitizer, HAND SANITIZER!  This can be found around portable bathrooms for the first day of the festival but supply tends to dwindle as the weekend goes on.  Festivals are dirty, people.  Rub this stuff on generously because you’re coming into contact with all kinds of weird germs.  Look around when you are applying, you’ll probably see five people staring longingly at it.  I’ve made a lot of festival friends by sharing santizier.  It is like festival gold.
• Combo iPhone case/wallet – this thing has been a savior.  I usually also have an additional wallet but this is great for keeping ID and a little cash right at hand.  Bonus, I also don’t have to worry about losing my phone because it is attached to me!
• Driver’s license – if you can legally drink be sure to bring this so you can get a wristband to get into the beer gardens.  Even if you don’t drink there is always way more seating and shade to be found in beer gardens that you can take advantage of!
• Cash – most vendors take cards but there are always those squirrely few that don’t.  You don’t want to be the person who has stood in line for twenty minutes at an amazing food truck only to find out that you have no way to pay for your food.
• Phone charger – my dad gave me this little guy and it has been great.  There are generally charging stations to be found but most have long lines and not all have cords available.  With this little guy my phone can be charging in my purse while I’m walking around.
• Band-Aids – I get at least one blister at EVERY. SINGLE. FESTIVAL.  Without fail.  There are medic stations that have Band-Aids but it’s a pain to track them down so I bring my own.
• Sunglasses – cheap sunglasses at that!  Please don’t be the person that loses $400 sunglasses at a festival!  It is not THAT important to look cool in your designer shades.  Pick up cute pairs for under $10 and don’t beat yourself up if you lose them.  I’ve lost sunglasses at every festival I have attended.
• Bandanna – this is not only a great accessory for wrists and hair, but is also a must-have at Southern California festivals.  Does anyone remember the Great Dust Storm of Coachella 2014?  It was epic.  Pharrell got so much dust in his lungs that he lost his voice and barely finished his set.  If only he’d had a bandanna to rock along with his awesome hat!  Bandannas have the added benefit of making you look and feel like a bandit which is always fun.
• Wristband/ticket – forgetting this would be a nightmare.  Enough said.

Three items that aren’t pictured are:

• Lightweight, packable rain coat – it isn’t supposed to rain so I left it out
• Hair rubberbands– I’m notorious for losing hair rubberbands just walking into the festival so I’m sure to always have two or three extra tucked away in my bag or pockets.  There are several already hidden away in my bag.
• Toilet paper – for when the portable toilets inevitably run out with three hours of the festival left to go.  I didn’t think anyone would appreciate photos of toilet paper and left it out.

Did I miss anything?  What are your favorite music festival must-haves?  See you at Outside Lands!