Looking after your festival blues

The transition from the high‑energy festival bubble back to everyday life can be disorienting. You’re immersed in music, art, and community and lost in festival time (or lack of time), and next you kind of need to function and know what day it is!

We’ve pulled together some friendly pre‑ and post‑festival tips to support your mental wellbeing… Although we can’t guarantee it’ll get you knowing what day of the week it is!

Pre-party festival prep
Packing

• Start early with a list to avoid last‑minute stress. Pack gear like tents, sleeping bags, waterproofs, warm layers, festival outfits or fancy dress—prepare for all weather, all bases. You’ll have way more fun if you can navigate muddy puddles and keep your feet dry.
• Share items to lighten your load—tents, gazebos, drinks, food—and make setup easier. A good set-up gives you a comfortable base to find some respite.
• Don’t forget comfort essentials like earplugs, sleep mask, sunglasses, essential oils, a book, fidget toys, and your trusty battery pack. If you’re the kind of person who likes quiet and a bit of lavender oil on your pillow then make it happen the best that you can!
• If you want to take it a step further, make sure you have everything you need for when you arrive back home. e.g, clean bedding, comfy PJs at the ready, food and tasty snacks.
• If you take medication, remember to pack it and take it as prescribed. Be mindful of how this could interact with alcohol or other drugs. The Loop has drug-harm-reduction advice and some festivals will have onsite information. Don’t be afraid to seek help for yourself or a friend if you need it, people are genuinely very nice and want you to have a good time!
• Pack bin bags… keeping clean is good for your wellbeing. You can use them for cleaning your camp, putting your dirty clothes in, emergency ponchos or for wet soggy clothes.

Logistics

• If it’s your first festival, do some digging—Reddit forums can offer real-world insights.
• Research the site map: choose a camping zone away from the main stage if you want quieter nights, and note locations for entrances, toilets, medical and welfare tents. To be clear, anyone needing to seek medical or welfare support is not in trouble (say if drug or alcohol related) – they are there to help!
• Designate a clear meetup spot in case anyone gets lost.
• Anticipate stressors, for example crowds, lights, loud music and plan how you’ll manage them to avoid feeling overwhelmed. You can spot people in festivals getting their own peace, people reading books, going to quieter tents, heading back to the tents for a snooze, grabbing something to eat and finding a nice spot etc. It is ok to recharge
• Be prepared to look after your mates! If anyone has a wobble stick by them, the sooner they will be out partying again and likely to return the favour (hopefully it won’t be needed but if it is, that’s ok!)

Post-party festival prep
Un-packing

• It can wait! Within 24-48 hours, you can wipe down and dry your tent. Don’t feel bad for leaving it for a bit, you’re going to want to prioritise that post-festival shower and sleep.
• If you can be bothered, put a wash on. It’s easier if you pop all your dirty washing in a bin bag whilst you’re at a festival. Put it on, chill, and then quickly hang it out to dry. Don’t feel bad if your other stuff needs to stay sitting in a corner ignored somewhere. You’ll just be grateful that the dirty stuff isn’t festering in there!
• Above all, prioritise shower, sleep and rest.

Post-party logistics

• If you haven’t already pre-prepped your recovery items, use 10 minutes to quickly grab them. Prioritise clean clothes, food and your favourite comfort items.
• Food and mood are important factors to our wellbeing. Replenish with water, electrolytes, meals rich in antioxidants, proteins, healthy fats, and fibre (but also don’t feel bad if you’re knackered and have your mind set on that certain takeaway you like if that is going to bring you comfort and rest)
• Be mindful that it is completely normal to feel low after a festival. Focus on being kind to yourself and knowing that it is temporary.
• Lean into lazing around and gentle activities like spending time with your pets, watching your favourite film and eating your favourite snacks.
• Send your photos to your group chats, let everyone know how fun they were, tell people they are loved! Your friends are likely feeling similar. Give them a boost and you’re likely to feel one too. But also, if it’s too much to look at your photos and reminisce don’t worry. At some point you’ll look back at them when your blues have gone and have a good old reminisce.

Routine Rebuilding
Not everyone has the luxury of booking time off work, or time off from responsibilities, so routine building might look different depending on your lifestyle outside of the festival bubble. But as a guide:

• Day 1: Prioritise hydration, food, rest, shower.
• Day 2: Return to normal but gently. Sleep your regular hours, do light exercise (this could include airing the tent out and putting it away, totally an exercise within its own right) and healthy food
• Day 3: Prioritise packing all of your stuff away, that way you can focus on the reminiscing and not feeling distracted by all the (potentially muddy) gear
• Future: Plan something fun. What about a festival reunion night out or a wholesome wild swim
• (lastly… don’t feel bad if your stuff is still hanging around a week or so later… did you rest? good! You needed it ♥)