Bonnaroo 2013 Camping Tips: 16 Essential Things To Remember

Bonnaroo 2013 is upon us, with nearly 100,000 people returning to the gorgeous fields of Manchester, TN for four days and nights of musical debauchery and hedonistic escape. We’ve walked you through the basics in our Bonnaroo Survival Guide, our recommended Bonnaroo playlist and more, but for the tens of thousands camping out, a whole new level of excitement awaits – and with it, a new set of challenges. Once you navigate your way through the endless stream of cars from the 55N or Highway 24 (or 55S or 41 or.. ah hell, just follow the trail, there’s no magic shortcut), there are a few important details to remember when you get to your campsite. Lucky for you, we’ve compiled them all in a list of 15 Bonnaroo Camping Tips.

It’s obvious, a total no-brainer, but it’s the first and last item on this list for a reason. You’re going to sweat. A lot. Your pores will be faucets. Don’t be the dude passed out under the tree by nightfall on Thursday because you didn’t stay hydrated. Free fill-up stations all around the park will save you some serious cash while you’re rocking, but as for camping it’s important to come prepared with a few gallons per person.

Get there early. Like, right now. Seriously, stop reading this and get moving. Gates open to campers on Wednesday, and by the stroke of midnight it’s going to be an unending sea of brakelights. Once you’re in, you’re going to want to set up as quickly as possible to keep things moving for everyone coming in behind you, as well as to get into the ‘Roo action as soon as possible! The tent city is a whole world unto itself…

Your tent is going to feel more like a sauna not long after the sun breaks the horizon each morning. Whether a big fancy sun shade or mylar sheeting, make sure you have something extra to cover your tent with to give yourself a couple extra hours of sweet, merciful sleep. Even if you’re resorting to sticks, blankets and rope, it’s better than nothing.

Regardless of how hardcore you think your eardrums are for the musical mischief, the campground is always hustling and bustling. Drunkards, partiers, drama queens and night-owls are going to keep the decibels at a level that can be outright hostile to sleep. So plan accordingly, and find something to stuff in your ears so you aren’t a hulking murderous rager at 3am.

In addition to showering, between the rivers of sweat, the inevitable rain and whatever spills are bound to occur, you’ll want a few towels nearby to handle whatever needs absorbing. With this weather forecast, it could make all the difference in your camping experience.

Get a flag or balloon and fly it above your tent. When you’re exhausted at the end of a long day of rockin’ in the sunshine, it can be a soul crushing experience to stumble around trying to find your tent among the tens of thousands on the fields of ‘Roo.

Whether blankets, an inflatable raft, an air mattress or a camping pad, you’ll want something to give you a little leverage off the hard ground. Sleeping will be far easier when you’re not spending the night trying to navigate around a rock poking you through the bottom of the tent.

With a battery operated fan, especially one with an attached mister, you’ll find a little relief from the sweltering madness of humidity and baking heat. Bring extra batteries, of course.

You may think it’s cool to bring your 3 month old infant along for the experience, but to everyone else you’re a buzzkill and a bad parent. The kid isn’t going to remember the experience, there’s a damn good chance you’re going to mess up their hearing, and you won’t be the only one catching the contact high. Think this one through and get a babysitter.

The true mark of a civilized society isn’t the written word, or fair and just laws – it’s toilet paper. Are you really going to rely on the portable toilets being stocked all day, with 100,000 people eating the same terrible festival food as you and swarming to the same cramped plastic bathrooms? Don’t make that late-night shuffle to the john an unforgettable one for all the wrong reasons.

Your silly glowsticks and iPhone flashlight apps aren’t going to suffice. Throw down a few bones for a couple mini maglites or equivalent, or splurge and pick up a battery-powered lantern for $20. The key here is comfort – when you can’t see a damn thing inside your tent, tempers are going to flare. And let’s not even talk about watching for poison ivy. Speaking of which…

If you’re not generally the outdoorsy type, you’ve never heard of it – but this could save your weekend. Tecnu was originally intended to wash radioactive dust off a person’s skin, it’s more practically used to eliminate the oil from poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. In other words, keep it on hand when you’re stomping through the thicker green out there and avoid a miserable tangle with Mother Nature’s tentacles.

You can go the grill route (they let you bring in 5-gallon propane tanks), or you can go the retail route, but if you want to keep it cheap and easy pack as much healthy food as you can ahead of time. Apples, granola bars, trail mix, beef jerky, peanut butter, salami, cheese, crackers, etc. Bring enough to share, and make some friends at meal time.

Ponchos, extra clothing, ziplock bags, tent seam sealant, the works – be prepared for wetness. It’s commonplace for Bonnaroo to experience multiple downpours, and this weekend’s forecast isn’t entirely reassuring. If you’re ready for whatever the skies are bringing down on you, a little rain isn’t going to ruin your fun.

A bit tricky to find depending on your location, but dry ice can make all the difference in maintaining the coolness of your cooler, far beyond regular ice. Buy a few pounds to last you a few days, and you’ll be able to bring perishable foods for the trip (burgers, eggs, etc) and be a full baller with cold water all weekend long.