Festival Survival Guide - Oxegen Checklist

As the festival season kicks off we offer you some tips on surviving the mayhem of the campsites...

What you'll be needing in your rucksack
* Wellies are essential wear especially with the weather forecast predicting more rain for the weekend ahead. Even if it isn't actually pouring down It gets mucky very quickly. A waterproof jacket is also a must-have in your rucksack.
For more on the weather: www.rte.ie/weather and m.rte.ie.

* If you're camping bring a torch. It helps when you're trying to navigate the campsite late at night - better still invest in a head torch. It might not look very cool but it leaves your hands free for balancing as you try to climb across the campsite without tripping on any tent pegs.

* Bring disinfectant hand-gel - this will probably be the item that you will pull out of your rucksack most often over the weekend and is a must when negotiating the portaloos on day three!

* If your tent isn't distinctive then bring a flag to tie from the top of it, for identification purposes. Trust me, they all look pretty similar when it's pitch-dark.

* Bring an abundant supply of woolly blankets and warm clothing. The temperature really drops late at night/early in the morning and camping isn't going to be a pleasant experience if you can't sleep a wink.

* Bring more clothes than you think you'll need. If/When it rains you'll need layers to keep warm and something dry to change into when you get back to the campsite at night-time.

* Bring a hat, bandana, hairband or other suitable head attire if you not in favour of queuing for hours to have a shower or wash your hair. Dry shampoo will also do the trick if hats aren't your thing.

* Don't forget to bring toilet paper. There isn't usually a plentiful, trustworthy supply in the aforementioned portaloos.

* It's handy to pack a few first aid essentials, like plasters and antiseptic wipes/cream because you're bound to trip over a tent rope at some stage on a late-night mission to find your tent.

* Bring sunscreen and shades - because stranger things have happened...

* Invest in an official festival programme when you arrive at the venue, even if you've printed out the running order - loose pages tend to disappear over the weekend or disintegrate in the rain (am I being too pessimistic about the weather?!).

What you should leave at home
* Don't bring metal cutlery, can openers or other sharp objects to the campsite with you, as these will be confiscated. Instead buy tins with opener tabs and disposable cutlery.

* Leave your umbrellas at home. They too are considered dangerous objects and are not allowed inside the festival venue. Here's where the aforementioned rainjacket comes in handy.

* Don't bring glass bottles with you to the campsite. Only plastic containers are allowed inside that area.

* If you need to bring medication with you don't take the labels off bottles or containers as unmarked tablets/pills could be confiscated.

* Large sound-systems/speakers are frowned upon and are not generally permitted in either the campsites or the music venue. Best to leave them at home.

* Don't bring valuable possessions with you to the campsite. The chances of them getting lost, stolen or buried in the muck are very high.

* Don't forget to close your tent door when you go walkabout in the campsite. Apart from the obvious risk of having personal items stolen when on display, there's nothing worse than returning to a flooded tent and trying to find a dry corner to sleep in for the night and having no dry clothes to wear the next day!

Linda McGee

Kildare County Council's advice for drivers
* Drivers should have adequate sleep and rest before any journey. If heading to Oxegen, leave in good time, know where you're going and realise that there are thousands of other people on the same roads as you, heading to the same place, so expect delays. Have patience and obey road signs and stewards.

* After the event, again, drivers should be well rested before a long journey. If you do feel tired while driving, pull over to a safe place and take a 15-minute nap and maybe exercise and stretch your legs before you start driving again.

* Never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Have you got a great festival tip that you'd like to share? If so email us at: entertainmentonline@rte.ie