Footloose
While a six-inch heel may give you a better view of the stage, it will come at the cost of a broken ankle and miserable day. Likewise, if you are feeling like connecting with Mother Earth, you are better off eating dirt than going barefoot: One errant step and you’ll need stitches, not to mention antibiotics for the nasty infection you’re likely to get. Appropriate footwear is a must. If you are going the utilitarian route, designer gum boots are all the rage. Just bear in mind you will be standing (and dancing) for 12 hours straight, so make sure they’re comfy.
Stranger danger
Remember what your mother told you about strangers with candy? After all, dudes with facial tattoos named “Spider” generally don’t have your best interest in mind. Avoid a trip to the infirmary tent and Just Say No. And stay away from the bad red rope licorice while you’re at it.
Water relief
If it’s 40C and you’ve spent all day in the beer garden marinating, you are in for a world of hurt. Mitigate the damage by keeping yourself properly hydrated with small, frequent amounts of clear fluids (of the non-alcoholic variety). Most festivals will allow you to bring in an empty water bottle up to two liters in size which you can fill up for free inside.
Bath time
If you are going to get dirty (literally and/or figuratively), you are going to want to get clean. Anti-bacterial wet wipes and hand sanitizer are your best friends and can save you a trip back to the campsite to freshen up.
Rays blaze
Sunglasses, sunblock, a hat, an umbrella, that white zinc cream your dad puts on his nose, or even a proximity suit. What ever you need to do to protect yourself, do it. A sun burn can ruin your weekend, and worse. Over 80,000 cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in Canada each year, the most common cause of which is overexposure to UV radiation from the sun.
Noise annoys
After a long day rockin’ out in the pit, it’s only natural to want some peace and quiet back at the campsite so you can rest up for the next day’s awesome lineup. Given that most festival campsites resemble a post-apocalyptic refugee camp, that’s not likely to happen. Ear plugs are your best friends back at camp, so lay back and let the sweet high-pitched whine of your newly acquired tinnitus lull you to sleep.
