We are just a few short days away from the highly anticipated dance music festival of the southeastern region that is Imagine Music Festival. Although the festival has shifted dates to a later time of the year instead of its usual weekend in late August, keep in mind that we are still in the south and we all know how unpredictable Georgia’s weather can be. Our staff at Ravers Choice is no stranger to attending camping festivals around the country, especially here in our home state of Georgia. We have decided to help those who are getting ready to pack up the old camping supplies to head down to Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga. For those who will be attending their first camping festival, or even those who are seasoned camping festival veterans, making sure you are well prepared for a weekend of fun is crucial to having a good festival experience. We will break everything down from the basic camping supplies to having an arsenal of essentials and necessities for your survival of Imagine Music Festival 2017.
Camping Supplies
First and foremost, you are planning to camp you need to make sure you have your tent ready to go before you get to the festival. Go ahead and do a practice set up beforehand, even if the tent is new or used. Make sure that you have every necessary part for your tent so that you are not S.O.L. with something malfunctioning when you get to the campgrounds. Once you have your tent ready to go, next on your list should be ensuring that you have all of the necessary supplies for camping 3+ days. As most folks planning to attend IMF should know, Georgia can still be a bit muggy and hot during this time of year, and having just a tent will not provide the shade you will need while at your campsite. To help mark your campsite so that you and your friends can locate it in the mass of tents, a flag or totem is perfect to help identify the location. Trust us when we say that walking through a festival campground, at night or during the day, tents can start looking the same and you can easily lose your campsite. Make sure that you have something that will stick out so you can find your campsite with ease.
A small canopy tent is ideal for that extra shade, which comes in handy during the day when the sun is beating down and there’s no trees around for shade to cool you off. Also a tarp to lay down under your tent is another great suggestion, especially since the latest weather forecast is calling for possible showers on Friday during the day. We all know how terribly muddy TomorrowWorld 2015 was; although it certainly shouldn’t get to that point with just one day predicted to have a few showers, but it’s always good to be more prepared than not at all. That tarp will help keep your camping area free of tracking mud and grass into your tent, which can be a nightmare after a few days. For those who are not about completely “roughing it,” an air mattress is perfect so you can get some comfy sleep after a long day of dancing.
Clothing and other essentials
Knowing what clothes to bring is just as important as having proper camping gear. You want to be as comfortable as possible, and prepared for any type of weather since Georgia is so bipolar. Make sure to pack plenty of loose clothing that won’t attract heat or hold moisture. If you are into dressing up in costumes, do your thing, but make sure that they are not going to cause you to overheat. Since we are at the tail-end of summer, packing a hoodie or two, or even a light jacket, along with some pajama pants wouldn’t hurt because it will get chilly once the sun sets and you don’t want to be dealing with not having adequate clothing. Comfortable shoes is probably the most important part of your festival clothes. If you don’t have good shoes, your feet will be hating you and you’re going to have a bad time come day three after being on your feet for a few days. Don’t just bring one pair of shoes either, you should have extra shoes because you just never know what’s in store at a festival. This would seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised.
Along with your comfortable clothes and shoes, make sure to pack a good blanket to help bundle up just in case the temps get a little cold at night. This is one of those things that you might not think you’ll need, but you will damn sure wish you had it if you don’t bring it. Now that you have your clothes and sleeping supplies in check, you need to make sure that you have plenty of bug spray and sunscreen. As native Georgians, we will be the first to tell you that we have some nasty mosquitos that no one likes to encounter, so BRING YOUR BUG SPRAY!!
Snacks and drinks to stay nourished and hydrated!
Imagine Music Festival will be providing some awesome food via local vendors; but coming prepared with your own snacks and drinks to keep hydrated are absolutely vital. Some good snacks to keep energized throughout the day are granola bars, nuts, fruit snacks, and a few sweet treats just because. Basically any of your favorite snacks will do. Bringing snacks that have a little protein or packed with vitamins will help you stay fueled up for a weekend of dancing. Another awesome tip for bringing some good nutrition would be to pack sandwiches, or stuff to make sandwiches while at your campsite. Sammies are perfect for when you’re on a time crunch at a festival to see all your favorite artists and you don’t have a lot of time to go grab some food in the fest, or if you don’t really want to eat something too heavy on the stomach.
We know some of you Imaginers will be partaking in drinking alcoholic beverages, but staying hydrated is incredibly important to your safety and wellbeing. Make sure to pack plenty of water and even a few sports drinks along with your favorite booze for the party. In addition bringing some yummy snacks and drinks to keep you hydrated, be sure to bring lots of vitamin C like some Emergen-C powder mix to throw in your water. Trust us, you’ll be glad you brought this.
Miscellaneous
After you’ve ensured that all of your camping supplies are in check, your clothes are packed, and you have plenty of snacks and drinks ready, the final miscellaneous items are also essential to your preparedness. You should include lots of ziplock bags to keep your important things dry and free of dirt or debris. This one might seem a little obvious, but make sure to bring a cooler large enough to fit your drinks and perishable food items. Go ahead and pack that sucker full of ice before you get to the campgrounds so that everything is chilled and ready to go as soon as you get there. Ice will be sold at the festival stores, but it’s a good idea to get your first batch prior to arrival.
Electronics like a portable speaker for music at your campsite is a plus that everyone can enjoy; and if you have one, bring it because you will be so glad that you did. Make sure to bring plenty of batteries for all of your electronic devices. You don’t want to be the one having to search for those when you get to the festival. Our favorite survival item to include is a portable power bank. Those are absolute life savers for when your phone or other mobile device that you might have needs recharging when power sources are limited. Also, flashlights and camping lanterns are crucial for your nighttime activities at Imagine. Lighting will be minimal in some places in the campground areas, and walking at night can be dangerous without the help of a lantern or flashlight. Plus no one wants to be camping in the dark, so bring plenty of portable lighting!
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