Keeping Your Valuables Safe At A Festival: A Simple Checklist

This step-by-step take on valuables at a festival keeps things simple. Most of the work happens before you leave home. The rest of this article covers valuables at a festival in plain, practical terms.

Before you go

For the things you do carry, use a bag that closes securely and sits close to your body. A minor crossbody bag or a zipped belt pouch is harder to open without you noticing than a loose tote. Wear it in front of you in dense crowds near the stage, and keep a hand on it when you are moving through tight spaces.

If you remember one thing, let it be that the weather decides more than the line-up.

Step by step

In practice, at camp, keep valuables out of sight. Tents are not locks, so do not leave a bag with a wallet or phone sitting by the door. Store items in a bag that looks ordinary, and take the most key things with you when the whole group leaves. Many festivals offer paid lockers or charging stations, which are worth the fee for a phone and wallet.

What to check

Put simply, think about the loss before it happens. Write your phone number on a card inside your bag, save emergency contacts on a lock screen and set up a way to locate your phone remotely if the manufacturer offers one. Photograph your identification and keep the pictures in a secure place, so that replacing items is easier if the worst occurs.

On the day

More often than not, agree on a plan with your group. Pick a meeting point, share your campsite details and check in at set times, since phone signal can be poor in a large crowd. If something is lost or stolen, report it to festival staff or the lost and found as soon as possible, and keep your head up and your tone friendly while you do.

Afterwards

The key point is that the best way to protect valuables at a crowded event is to bring fewer of them. Before you pack, ask what you truly need for the weekend. A phone, a payment card or some cash, an identification card and keys are the basics. Leave heirloom jewelry, spare electronics and anything that would be painful to lose at home, where it is safe and out of the crowd.

If you remember one thing, let it be that the weather decides more than the line-up.

Practical tips

Some practical points to keep in mind:

• Take a reusable bottle if the event allows it.
• Bring earplugs made for concerts.
• Agree on a meeting point with your group.
• Label your tent and gear with your name.

The bottom line

Take it one event at a time. Keep it simple, stay flexible, and enjoy the music. That is really all it takes.