At 19^e I went to a festival for the first time with a group of friends and I found it quite exciting. It was going to be Awakenings, together with about 40,000 others in Spaarnwoude. Weather reports were closely monitored and it promised to be a sunny and warm day, so that couldn't be the issue. Such a day goes on from 11:00 to 23:00 and to get the most out of our rather expensive ticket, we decided to go nice and early. “Yes, and then we'll make our own sandwiches and bring all sorts of tasty things so we can eat them there during a picnic in the sun. Super good idea!” And off we went. Green as grass, with a backpack full of snacks and drinks, which were resolutely taken out by the burly guard at the entrance and thrown into a large bin. Bringing food to a festival, no of course that's not allowed!

Now we are a few years later and dozens of festivals further and I am reasonably seasoned. There were years when I went to a festival almost every weekend every summer with my festival partner-in-crime friend R. For those who, like I did back then, have no idea how to tackle such a day, this Explorer offers a solution. So grab a pen and paper, and you will be the best-prepared festival queen of them all this summer.

• Just like with King's Day, you have your ticket printed or a screenshot of the QR code because the 3G isn't working.
• So you don't bring food, nor drinks. Usually, you can still sneak a sultana inside, but that's where it ends. Now, drinks (and food) at a festival are usually ridiculously expensive, and when you buy a bottle of water, you get it without a cap. A filled bottle of water is heavy and in the eyes of security, it can be a weapon, and that's not allowed. But now you can't refill your bottle or put it in your bag, which is quite annoying. The solution: bring a cap. Usually, Sourcy is sold at festivals, so just bring a Sourcy cap, hide it in your bag, and you're good to go. A cap like that is worth its weight in gold during such a day.

This is my ultimate tip: bring a few clean socks. If halfway through the day your feet are almost falling off your legs from all the dancing, a fresh pair of socks really works wonders. Especially if there are any rain showers.

•  Nowadays, many festivals have large charging stations where you can charge your empty phone, but it can also be handy to write down a few important phone numbers on your arm or the old-fashioned way on a piece of paper.
• Is rain predicted? Then bring a poncho and leave your umbrella at home. The security guard who confiscates your bottle of water is the same one who sees a weapon in an umbrella (which it actually is) and hell no, you can't bring that onto the grounds.
• Dancing in the sun on a warm summer day is wonderful, but in the evening it always cools down significantly and then you're standing there in your tank top. Bring a sweater, and in the case of bare legs, also a pair of tights or leggings. You can store the whole bunch in a locker during the day, so you won't feel it. 
• Tissues. Another life saver. Bet that the toilet paper in those cozy Dixies is gone after half a day? You have a tissue in your bag.

So, take these tips to heart and nothing can go wrong. I'll see you front left at the stage!