Festival season is upon us, and it’s important to pack wisely. These items will make your life a lot easier during your next music festival, which leaves more time for relaxation and fun!

When you’re prepping for your next festival, these should be on your list for sure:

A hat

charlie 1 horse festival hats cowgirl magazine
R to L: Apache Jr., $48; Dance Hall, $81; High Strung, $40; all from Charlie 1 Horse.

Hats are cowgirl essentials in most situations, but especially for days where you’ll be out in the sun for hours on end. Put on your favorite straw for some extra shade.

Sunscreen

sunscreen from target cowgirl magazine
R to L: Sun Bum Original Sunscreen Spray, $15.99; Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Liquid Face Sunscreen, $11.79; Sun Bum Sunscreen Face Lotion, $12.99; Coppertone Pure and Simple Botanicals Sunscreen Spray, $8.99; all from Target.

This one’s pretty obvious, but your skin will thank you for layering up. Make sure to reapply regularly to avoid burns getting in the way of your festival fun!

Water

que water bottle cowgirl magazine
que Bottle, $24.95.

Hydration is super important when you’re at a music festival, since you’ll be walking, dancing, and singing the day away. Opt for a collapsible water bottle to save some room in your bag.

Sunglasses

sunglasses cowgirl magazine
Top Row: Violette Sunglasses from Johnny Was, $175; Phoebe Sunglasses from Johnny Was, $145. Middle Row: Avery Sunglasses from Warby Parker, starting at $145. Bottom Row: Raider Wide Sunglasses from Warby Parker, starting at $145; Percey Sunglasses from Warby Parker, starting at $95.

Face it, they look cool, and will keep you from having to squint to see your favorite artists.

Hand sanitizer

bath and body works spring bouquet hand sanitizers cowgirl magazine
Spring Bouquet PocketBac Hand Sanitizers, 5-Pack, from Bath & Body Works, $6.

Always great to have in your bag. Even though they’re a blast, music festivals come with dirt. It’s just a given. Keeping your hands clean will help you stay healthy and happy all weekend long.

Fanny pack/belt bag

fanny packs cowgirl magazine
Clockwise from left: Kobler Tan Fringe Fanny Pack from Boot Barn, $79.99; Campomaggi Floral Painted Belt Bag from Free People, $428; Woven Crossbody Belt Bag from Free People, $158; Shyanne Women’s Taupe Turquoise Concho Belt Bag from Boot Barn, $29.99.

Instead of carrying a cross body or backpack, try a fanny pack! These are totally hands-free and actually really convenient. It won’t really bounce around while you’re dancing in the crowd, you’ll have  easy access to your stuff, and it’ll be hard to lose, since it’s attached to you. If you like the function but don’t like the look, try a belt bag instead!

Band aids

bandaids from target cowgirl magazine
Band-Aid Adhesive Bandages Jungalow – 20ct, $3.29; BAND-AID Oh Joy! Adhesive Bandages – 20ct, $3.29; both from Target.

Blisters and cuts can drive you nuts at a festival. Carry some bandaids with you just in case!

Alarms

With so many acts and stages, it can be tough to remember when and where your go-to artists are performing. Set alarms for the acts you want to see to ensure you don’t miss them! It’ll definitely make your life easier during a busy festival.

A comfortable-cute outfit

street style country thunder music festival cowgirl magazine

As fun as festival fashion is, you have to make sure you’re comfortable, too. You might have the cutest boots in the world, but if they’re already hurting before you leave your campsite for the day, you might regret wearing them after a few hours. Go for a look that you like, but remember that you’ll want to be comfortable while you’re walking around.

For inspiration, check out our blog on festival fashion at Country Thunder Arizona!

Portable Charger

portable chargers cowgirl magazine
Keychain Power Bank: Cactus from DCI, $30; Insignia™ 5,200 mAh Portable Compact Charger from Best Buy, $14.99; Griffin Travel Portable Charger from Best Buy, $59.99; BioLite Charge 10 2600 mAh Portable Charger from Best Buy, $24.99.

In the age of technology, our phones can really be lifesavers. For huge festivals with thousands of people, it can be so easy to get lost. Having a portable charger will make sure you can always contact your friends in case your phone dies. Plus, you’ll want to have your phone on to take a ton of pictures and videos!

Bonus: Meeting Spot

Even if you have a backup battery, there is a chance your phone (or your friends’) could die while you’re out and about. Before you get into the fun of the festival, take a second to establish a meeting spot in case one of more of you get lost. It can really help out in a dire situation!

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