Festival faves: Five things I brought to the Winnipeg Folk Festival

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With summer comes beaches, pools, patios, and festivals.

I’ve already been to a couple festivals this summer, but it was my first time embarking on the Winnipeg Folk Festival, a four-day weekend festival held in July every year in Bird’s Hill Provincial Park, a stone’s throw from my hometown, Winnipeg. Folk Fest, as us Winnipeggers call it, is a celebration of folk music and the evolution of the genre.

Although I do have an appreciation for folk and indie music, this particular festival has never really been my thing (when I told my friends I was going, it was met with confused looks).  Yes, it’s no EDC, but it’s local and something different (read: a lot more chill). Regardless, festivals are just great ways to get away and do something different.

Anyways, the best part for me of any festival is the outfit and what I’m bringing.  Since Folk Fest is much different from the electronic dance scene that I’m used to, here are some must haves I brought that are universal for any festival, regardless of the genre.

Backpack FF3

Camera- This one is a no-brainer. Obviously you need to capture the memories to share with all your friends. Whether it’s your iPhone (grab those selfie sticks!) to post on Instagram, a DSLR camera (as my case for the photos for this post), or my favourite – and totally appropriate for festivals, especially Folk Fest – an instant camera, like the Fujifilm Instax Mini ($99 at London Drugs). Trust me, if you are paying that much for the ticket, you’re gonna want to have something to get snap-happy with.

Sunscreen – It was 30 degrees outside on Saturday with plenty of sun, so I made sure to lather up with sunscreen prior to going, as well as packing it in my bag for later.  My favourites are the Ombrelle Face Cream with SPF 60 ($17.99 at London Drugs) and Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Sunscreen SPF 30.

Lip balm – Nothing is worse than having dry, parched lips (I can’t tell you how many times I had to ask my friend for lip balm at EDC because they were so dry), so make sure you pack some lip balm so you’re covered.  I like Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm since its a two-in-one for moisture and colour, so this way you only have to pack the one product as opposed to a separate lipstick or gloss.

Water bottle – Probably one of the most important items you can bring to a festival.  You’re going to be walking around, dancing, standing, sweating, drinking (as in the alcoholic variety), all in the heat (and if it’s during the day, like Folk Fest was, in the sun) so make sure you keep hydrated (and not just with alcohol).  You can of course choose to purchase a bottle of water on-site, but they are usually marked up to ridiculous prices, so plan ahead and purchase one that you can refill when you are there. I love the Bubi Bottle ($29.99 in London Drugs stores), since its silicone and you can roll it up, meaning more room in your bag for other stuff.

Battery charger – The worst feeling is when your battery dies on your phone. How else are your friends going to know how much fun you’re having? What if you get lost?  What if you need to call someone or send out an all-important Tweet? Make sure you keep in handy a mobile battery charger or a Mophie case for when your battery is getting dangerously low.

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Other items that were on my must-have list was a blanket for sitting, a festival friendly perfume (in this case it was Vera Wang Hippie Princess (30 ml/$49) – #beautybloggerproblems, bright nails (Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in Tipsy Gypsy), Batiste Dry Shampoo (love the tropical one), and a heavy-duty mascara (CoverGirl The SuperSizer by Lash Blast mascara).

Signs Night

What are your festival must-have items?

Huge thanks to London Drugs who provided me with tickets to the Winnipeg Folk Festival.

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