What to bring to the fest? Here's a useful 10-point list

By Christine Czerniecki

I'm off today for the Virgin Festival in Baltimore. Here's a 10-point list of tips for festival-goers at Virgin or any large outdoor festival.

• Read the FAQss on your festival's website to find details about what is and what is not allowed onto the premises. You don’t want to pack your cooler and have to leave it at the gates for everyone ELSE to enjoy while waiting on line.
• Pack extra shoes in case you lose yours (especially during rainy/muddy shows).
• Baby Wipes are common knowledge for use during and after your port-o-potty visits. You can get unscented ones so you don’t smell like a two-year-old. They will also help you want to keep mosquitoes away. They are great for freshening up smelly armpits, feet and other crevices on your body.
• Empty out your wallet and just bring the bare necessities: cell phone in case you get lost, ID to get booze, and money. Maybe a camera if you have pockets. Coming from someone that loses her wallet about three times a year, it is much easier getting a new license than it is to cancel every credit card/membership card you own.
• Stand out. You know you’re going to get lost so wear something that will make it a tad easier to find your drunk ass. It might not be a bad idea to pick a spot to meet in case you lose your friends AND your phone, just like the pre-cell phone days.
• Sunscreen. Twelve hours on a cloudy day WILL burn you.
• Fill up on gas right before you get to the festival. It is the last thing you will want to look for after waiting to leave the festival and is the culprit for many people getting lost on their way home.
• Pack Charmin-to-go. You can buy these Mini-TP rolls in the trial size sections of many big-name pharmacies. They don’t take up much room and can fit in your bag or cargo pocket.
• Don’t drink too much in the heat and pass out looking like an amateur, then wake up burned and drunk, begging me for a sip of my water! It’s going to be insanely hot, so don’t be stupid.
• Take off work the next day.