There’s smiling and dancing through the rain, then there’s being unprepared for it.
Imagine this: festival season’s right around the corner and you’re stoked to finally witness all your favourite bands and artists tackle the summer festival circuit down under. You’ve had tickets secured for months and the countdown is finally coming to an end – a beautiful, sunny day of music is on its way.
It’s now the week of, days before even, and a cerulean sky is brightened by shimmering sun rays. With no signs of precipitation, it seems like nothing could stop the sun from shining.
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Turn over to the day of the festival and clouds are looming more than usual – already a bad sign. You enthusiastically head on your travels to the music festival, but as you step through the gates, an immense downpour invites itself. Whoops, that summer attire isn’t going to do you any favours.
It’s a different ballgame prepping for such nonideal weather. Nobody wants to be the punter arriving at the festival having misunderstood the weather assignment, bearing the consequences by feeling miserable the entire time. So, what are the ways you can be more equipped to endure a festival turned into a slip-and-slide mud bath?
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There are heaps of effortless solutions to keep you equipped. I can’t stress this enough, the first thing you and your mates must do before leaving is check the forecast! It’s incredibly easy to forget with all the excitement and anticipation rushing to your head, but that joy will deflate when the unsuspecting rain comes pummelling down.
Do a check of the Australian Government’s Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) site showing the most accurate seven-day forecast for any suburb. Of note is its “chance of any rain” metre, which gives a good idea as to how much water will be drizzling from the sky. Chuck in a quick Google search with “BOM” followed by the festival whereabouts and you’ve ticked off the bare minimum.
The next steps come down to attire. We know you want to look your best and prettiest for these festivals. Your social media stories will thank you, but your cold body will say otherwise. Don’t fret, you can still look good while prioritising functionality by staying dry.
High-quality ponchos, boots, jumpers and spare clothes are must-have essentials for a rainy festival. Especially if the event lasts for several days, you’ll feel like you’re in the gutter with no backup clothes and stuck with heavy, soaking wet clothes weighing you down.
Make sure to layer up even if it’s warm during the day. Thermals are a good way to battle these wildly unpredictable weather conditions. The rain’s sure to make the air more cool and you don’t want to be freezing.
A lightweight pack-away rain poncho will save your life. A heavy-duty raincoat can do the job, sure, but you don’t want to be lugging around such a hefty piece of wear.
A light poncho is perfect for being carried all day. They’re compact and barely take up any space in your bag or pocket – plus they first and foremost give instant protection from the rain.
Hats are your friends too. Those with a brim can keep the raindrops off your face and prevent water from dripping down your neck and the opening in your poncho when the hood is down.
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We also need to talk about your choice of footwear. Thongs or sandals aren’t going to do you any good when the dirty soil has morphed into muddy waters. If there’s anything to take from the recent chaos of 2022’s Splendour in the Grass weather mishaps, it’s that you don’t want to wade your feet and ankles through the shin-deep mud.
Keeping your feet dry at a rainy festival changes everything. You simply can’t enjoy it to the fullest if your feet are wet, it’s such an obnoxious feeling that’s hard to shake off.
100% waterproof, Bunnings-style gumboots are going to be your best friend. When you’ve got them on, being careful on wet ground is also a necessity. Festival stages are often quite far apart, so the muddy traversals through the bustling crowds from one act to another require vigorous footwear.
Tall gumboots will protect much of your leg from any watery debris with their rubber material. If that’s not your forte, ankle gumboots are the way to go. They’re tighter around the ankle to stop any rain seeping into your shoes and socks.
While you’re at it, plastic bags or a water-repellent dry bag, made from nylon material, are a great way to keep your valuables in good nick. It’d be disastrous if your smartphone carked it because you couldn’t waterproof it.
Then, for the multiday festivalgoer prepping to camp in the rain, a tarp is everything. The last thing you want is groundwater funnelling right into your tent and destroying your belongings. Strategically setting up your tent with a tarp at the bottom will keep all your supplies secure and untainted by the massive downpour.
So, next time an anticipated festival is coming up, stay hawk-eyed on the weather conditions so you know how to be equipped if it happens to be pouring down on the day.
Overpacking for unfavourable weather never hurts, but underpacking certainly does.
For more on surviving rain at a music festival, head here.
