Ever wondered what old hippies bring to festivals... Part 1

We camp in upgraded RV.  We have some tree coverage, can get our cars in and out, and have access to the better bathrooms. However we were in your shoes before you stopped watching the Disney after school line up.  So here is some festival gold from those that went before you and keep going;

1) This is one of my personal inventions so I dedicate this one to my feet. At some point in the festival you will be very thankful for your FOOT BUCKET and bag of fancy bath salts.  You will put some water in the bucket and pour in the salts, plop your feet in it and sit back and feel like you are in the best spa having a full pedicure. The smell of lavender or ylang ylang will waft up to greet your senses.  You may have just danced for so many hours that only the schedule tells you which day it is.  You may have been sliding around in mud trying to get to vending.  You might even have been having a shoe malfunction and have some sore spots or blisters.  Your camp mates will willingly line up to take your cast off water. I know that sounds unbelievable but you have to walk to get new water, so just wait and see. 

2) I will dedicate this one to Mr. Party that brings 1000's of glow sticks and makes the most amazing glowing costumes. At any festival you will need GLOW STICKS.  I mean lots of them.  Go to the dollar store or craft stores and get a bunch of tubes.  You will toss them, decorate with the, put them in your hair, share them and even make costumes out of them.  

Last year, a friend created a costume where she was a bug.  She used extra-long glow sticks that went from her hair around through the spacers in her ears sticking out both ends like antenna.  She combined this with some scary clicking sounds and a tutu to make a very unnerving bug.  

A couple years ago, some friends took about 1000 or so glow sticks and made an enchanted forest path for people to navigate on the way through our camping area. The glow world had crazy shapes, flowers, mushrooms, a Cheshire cats, and even Alice herself.  Glow sticks are an essential.   

3) I dedicate this one to Peacock Lady. WATER is by far one of your most important assets at a festival. You need to drink, as it may be 105 and you will be dancing off your feet.  While the festival organizers will do their best to keep the water running there is no guarantee. These venues are often off the beaten path, in areas with traditionally low population.  I have been to festivals where the water was off for two days and those of us that brought extra water were glad of it.  We did not have to go without or pay crazy prices for small bottles.  

Having water is also about being able to carry it.  You might think you can carry a bottle around with you, however you will put it down or start regretting carrying it quick enough.   Make sure you have one of those packs with the water bags.  If you don't bring your own, you will spend the festival envying everyone else who does. The first day or two of the festival security may make you pour out the water as you enter the venues, however after that they will chill out. You can re-fill the bag from the water station inside each gate. Do not put other liquid into this pack.  You will destroy your bag and grow fungi in there that will make you sick.  

Lastly, you often have to lug water from the few water stations to your campsite.  Peacock lady has this wonderful fold out wagon that is light, reliable and can hold a heavy load of water or ice.  It is fantastic beast of burden and saves everyone from hating this daily task.

4) I dedicate this one to Ray Ray, who sported the fiercest set of healed, rubber cow boy boots you would ever want to see. A couple of years back Wakarusa became Mudarusa.  It was so muddy you could not really walk anywhere without sinking into at least three inches of mud.  Even getting to the bathroom was a nightmare for the hip joints.  I did not have Mud Boots and learned why I needed them that year.  

I enjoyed the festival but saw only about 1/4 of the music because we got 11 inches of rain over a three day period.  If the music was not canceled the stages were too deep in mud to make the process enjoyable.  I will never go to a festival without MUD BOOTS again.  Even if it does not rain you can wear them into the woods and be free of poison ivy or into the portable potties and not care what you are stepping on.  They don't have to be fancy, however live it up and get some cool ones. 

5) I dedicate this one to our founding leader Etiquette the tiger. The name of the site that I often stay on is called Bacon Alien.  Like most sites, we have appropriate DECOR. Our flag is a diagonally crossed pieces of bacon with an alien head in the middle. We dress up our site for both form and function.

Decor has several purposes.  On one hand it is to show people who our camp is and what our own personal style is.  On the other hand it outlines the boundaries, gives protection from the sun and ensures some privacy.  Decor is a wonderful parade of colorful tapestries, easy ups, hammocks, blow up items, flags, and anything else you can imagine.

Over the years I have seen amazing set ups including full geodesic domes and 20 foot tall palm leaves made into tribal huts. Often people will put up range sticks or flags to help people find their way back to their camps.  If you camp in general camping you will be crammed in there like sardines and at night it will all blend into one big caravan. So let your freak flag fly and guide you home at the end of your night to your colorful bohemian wonderland. 

Stay tuned for the second part of this post with even more great tips for festival life. You can find the second post here.  Ever wondered what old hippies bring to festivals... Part 2.