Let’s be honest. It’s probably going to rain.
Maybe not the whole weekend. Maybe just for a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon right when your favourite act walks onstage. But at some point, at some festival, the sky is going to do what it wants and you are going to have to decide what to do about it.
Here’s some friendly advice from someone who has stood in a lot of fields in a lot of weather: stay for the music. It’s almost always worth it. And with a little preparation, rain goes from a problem to just part of the story.
Pack Like You Already Know
The easiest thing you can do is pack for the worst case instead of the forecast. Throw in a poncho rather than an umbrella because umbrellas block the view of whoever is standing behind you and nobody loves that person. Grab some waterproof boots or wellies if you have them. Toss a couple of dry pairs of socks in your bag because dry socks at a festival on day two feel genuinely wonderful. A small dry bag or even some ziplock bags for your phone and wallet will save you a headache later. None of this is expensive and all of it makes a real difference.
Know Where the Cover Is Before You Need It
Before the music starts on day one, take a little walk around the site. Find the covered stages, the food vendors with overhangs, the spots where you can duck in for ten minutes and warm up without losing too much ground. When it starts pouring and everyone starts moving at once, it helps a lot to already know where you’re going.
Let Yourself Enjoy It
This one might sound a little strange but some of the most legendary festival moments have happened in the rain. Woodstock was mud. Glastonbury has built an entire identity around it. Something genuinely interesting happens when a crowd stops worrying about getting wet and just gives in to the music together. The energy in those moments can be pretty special. Artists notice it too. Playing to a soaking crowd that refused to leave tends to bring out something extra in a performance.
Stay Warm and Stay Fed
Being wet and cold is what actually ruins the experience so bring a light fleece or base layer to go under your poncho. Temperatures drop at night even in summer and a cold wet body makes even great music feel less great. Also remember to eat and drink water even when it’s raining because people tend to skip both when the weather turns and it catches up with them by evening. A hot drink or a warm bowl of something from a vendor in the rain is honestly one of the underrated pleasures of festival life.
Give Your Phone a Break
Keep it dry, absolutely, but also consider that rainy festivals are a pretty good excuse to put it away and just be present. Some moments are better felt than filmed and a field full of people singing in the rain is usually one of them.
The best festival stories almost never start with perfect weather. They start with a little chaos, a decision to stay anyway, and a set that nobody who was there will ever forget. Pack the poncho, find your spot, and enjoy every minute of it.