Festival Season Made Better With Boutique Camping

A few highlights of festivals to coming up:

Glastonbury Festival

• Date: June 26-30
• Location: Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset
• Highlights: One of the most iconic festivals in the world, featuring a diverse lineup of music, art, and performance.
• Headliners: Dua Lipa, Coldplay, SZA, Shania Twain, Little Simz 

Isle of Wight Festival

• Date: June 20-23
• Location: Seaclose Park, Newport, Isle of Wight
• Highlights: Historic festival with a legacy dating back to 1968, offering a mix of rock, pop, and indie music.
• Headliners: The Prodigy, Pet Shop Boys and Green Day 

Shambala Festival

• Date: August 22-25
• Location: Secret Country Estate, Northamptonshire
• Highlights: Shambala Festival is celebrated for its commitment to sustainability, community, and creativity. This vibrant festival offers a diverse mix of music, arts, and cultural experiences, set against a backdrop of stunning natural beauty.
• Headliners:  Leyla McCalla, Sampa The Great,The Congos, HENGE, Bob Vylan

Boomtown

• Date: August 7-11
• Location: Matterley Estate, Hampshire
• Highlights: Boomtown Fair is known for its elaborate stage designs, immersive storytelling, and diverse music lineup. The festival creates an entire pop-up city, complete with districts that each have their own unique themes and narratives, providing an unparalleled immersive experience.
• Headliners: No-one released yet!

Womad

• Date: July 25-28
• Location: Charlton Park, Wiltshire
• Highlights: WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) is a globally recognised festival celebrating the richness and diversity of world cultures. The festival offers an eclectic mix of music, dance, art, and culinary experiences from around the world.
• Headliners: Young Fathers, Amadou & Mariam, Gogol Bordello, Sampa the Great

Green Man Festival

• Date: August 15-18
• Location: Glanusk Park, Brecon Beacons, Wales
• Highlights: Green Man Festival is celebrated for its stunning natural setting, eclectic lineup, and strong focus on independent and emerging artists. Set amidst the picturesque Brecon Beacons, it offers a mix of music, arts, literature, and family-friendly activities.
• Headliners: Big Thief, Sampa, Jon Hopkins, Arlo Parks, Black Country New Road, Mount Kimbie

Choosing a BC tent for a festival 

Born from the frustration of not finding the ideal festival tent, our brand knows the significance of feeling snug and crafting a home away from home at festivals.

Step into our bell tents and prepare to make a statement. It’s your sanctuary—secure, dry, and inviting—a place you'll eagerly return to time and again.

For choosing a fabric for your BC tent, the Oxford fabric is a great option as it is the lightest, making your tent easier to transport. If breathability is what you value most, opt for our lighter-weight canvas options. However, our Classic Bell Tents, Star Tents, and Bell Tent Plus models all feature 360-degree roll-up walls, ensuring ample ventilation and a refreshing breeze.

If visibility is your priority, look no further than our Rainbow Bell Tent. It stands out as a vibrant star amidst a sea of tents, ensuring you'll never lose sight of your campsite again! We also offer a tent protection version to cover your Bell Tent or to use as a stand alone cover.

Glamp up your tent

Our dark inner tents are perfect for those who enjoy sleeping in a bit longer in the morning. They darken the interior of half of the tent while still providing space to get ready for the day ahead. Our reflective tent protection covers not only help to darken the interior but also regulate temperatures.

Never forget fairy lights! They instantly transform any tent into a warm and inviting space. Opt for rechargeable or battery-operated options for convenience and we recommend choosing ones with a warm-colored light for added cosiness. Always make the effort to wrap them back up in a neat circle after use to save future hassle. You’ll thank yourself later! 

Make your tent feel like home by bringing along your favourite decorations, teddy bears and lucky charms. These items not only add personal flair but also provide comfort and a sense of home throughout the weekend. Check out our festival pinterest board for tent decoration inspiration. 

Bringing a blanket or two is definitely worth it. Wrap it around yourself by the fire, use it as a accessory, or cosy up with it at night. You'll never regret having it, and it will quickly become a cherished part of your festival memories.

Eco Friendly Festival

At festivals it's very important to respect the land, as you would on a hike in nature by leaving no trace! 

Every year, 250,000 tents are abandoned at festivals. Campaigns like "Take Your Tent Home" aim to reduce this waste, calling out brands like Tesco and Argos for promoting single-use tents in the past. Shambala Festival proudly reported that not a single tent was left behind at their event last year, demonstrating that change is possible.

Many festivals also discourage any single use items, such as plastic cups. Bring your own reusable mug and bottle to use when buying drinks and filling up bottles with water. 

Check out our Second Life Sale for tents still in great condition, available at a discounted price but with plenty of life left.

For travel, try to car-pool or take the shuttle or organised coach to the festival. You might make some friends along the way! 

When creating your costume and buying festival fits, opt for second hand. Apps like Vinted and Depop are full with endless amazing festival items and accessories. 

Looking for a fit as funky as your tent?

There are many amazing eco-friendly festival brands out there. We love brands such as shop Easy tiger, Shop fluffy, Wild Thing, L.O.M Fashion and Out of The Ordinary. You can also discover numerous fantastic small businesses on Instagram and Etsy offering beautiful hand-made slow fashion brands, ensuring you find the perfect fit for your style.

Use keywords such as rave, festival, colourful, sequins, glitter and summer in Vinted and Depop to get inspired and find second hand clothing. 

Temporary tattoos are also great for festivals. Put them on yourself and share them with friends and those around you, connecting you to your fellow festival  neighbours. Some examples are Little Paisley Designs on Etsy or Inbox tattoo with lots of designs and a temporary tattoo pen. 

Biodegradable glitter is a more eco-friendly option to add sparkle to your look. There are lots of great options on Etsy. Use Vaseline for an easier application on your face or eyelash glue for more precise placement.

Snacks

High-protein cereal bars are great snacks to have on hand, perfect for quick energy boosts throughout the day. Don't forget soft breakfast items like brioche rolls—they're convenient to carry and enjoy whenever you need a bite.

Don't underestimate the joy a milkshake carton can bring! Long-life Chocolate coconut water or soya milk milkshakes are a great switch-up for the taste buds.

Apples are a crisp and underrated festival snack, providing vitamins, hydration, and a sweet fix. An apple a day keeps the festival vibes in play!

Jet boils are very handy, boiling water in just a few minutes and being easily transportable. They're perfect for saving money by skipping coffee shop purchases, making evening hot chocolates, or preparing quick meals like pot noodles or instant porridge for breakfast. Throw in a banana, and you're all set for a nutritious breakfast! We recommend the original Jetboil, or for a more affordable option, Alpkit also offers a great alternative.

Our best BC hacks and tips from the team:

We've honed our camping hacks and tips over the years and we're eager to "pitch" them to everyone.

• It is underrated how much easier trollies make carrying everything. Load it up and pull it along with a friend, no more sweaty back and bruised shoulders. 
  
  
• Plan each outfit for the festival in advance, from socks to earrings, and pack each one into individual bags. This minimises chaos when unpacking and searching through your bag. It also promotes efficient packing, discouraging overpacking—we're all about efficiency here!
  
  
• Freeze all your liquids in your cooler before coming, that way your orange juice for day 2 can be your ice on day one.
  
  
• Heading to meet a friend at the festival? Or expecting someone to arrive a day later? Make sure to get your "what3words" location before you lose signal, and send it to them. It's an ideal app for pinpointing your tent's exact location.
  
  
• Do a bit of research on the bands before you arrive. Festivals often curate Spotify playlists featuring the lineup, giving you a taste of what to expect. Ultimately, use the festival experience as an opportunity to discover your new favourite artist.
  
  
• Clip a travel mug with a carabiner to your bag or bumbag at festivals where disposable plastic is prohibited. Lightweight options allow you to easily purchase hot and cold drinks from the bar without concern, and then conveniently clip it back to your bag.
  
  
• Hydrating tablets like electrolytes are essential to keep your body hydrated during all the walking, dancing, and sweating at festivals. Start your day with one of these tablets each morning to maintain optimal hydration levels.
  
  
• If your going with a large group and you need them to find you easily, create a easy to see staff to carry around. Grab a branch and use cable ties to attach a battery-operated light to the top, with fairy lights trailing down the stem. Your group will never lose sight of you again. Here's an example of a light you can attach to the top.
  
  
• Want to protect your ears whilst looking stylish? Loop ear plugs are the way forward. Use their ‘experience’ earplugs to still enjoy the music without damaging your eardrums. You can attach them to earrings to never lose them again. 

Message us any more you have that the BC community needs to know of.

Above all, have an incredible time, enjoy the freedom from everyday worries, and explore to your heart's content. Have an amazing festival experience, and share your adventures with us!