The Lane Crawford Guide to Festivals For the ultimate festival experience, it pays to be prepared

Festivals are about being outgoing and making new friends, and a few well-chosen novelty items are a great way to break the ice. Things that light up, glow, inflate or make bubbles are always a shoe-in for sparking imaginations and spreading the love.

Taking selfies, live streaming on Instagram Stories and Shazam-ing your new favourite songs all drain your phone battery more than you think. Make sure you never run out of juice by keeping a portable power bank on hand to recharge on the go.

When it comes to festival weather, hoping for the best while preparing for the worst is a good rule of thumb. A rugged pair of jeans, versatile footwear and a light waterproof jacket are all absolute musts for braving the elements in style.

Finding your friends at a festival can be a real pain, especially after dark and/or a few cocktails. That’s why a good Whatsapp group is a modern festival essential - along with a backup meeting plan if you get separated while the mobile network crashes under the weight of 50,000 Instagram uploads.

Festival fashion can vary from low-key cool to over-the-top flamboyance, but whatever end of the spectrum you’re on, there’s no substitute for well-chosen accessories - from sunglasses to hats to bags - that make you stand out from the crowd.

Going pedal to the metal on the first day might seem like a good idea at the time, but trust us, no one wants to be the person who misses half of day two because they’re curled up in the foetal position with a force 10 hangover. Switch between alcohol and water regularly and play the long game.

As any festival veteran will tell you, there are certain items that are more than worth their weight in gold at any festival. Hand sanitizer, wet wipes, tissues and small Ziploc bags to protect your devices from the rain all fall firmly into this category, so be sure to stock up.

While it’s never a bad thing to push the sartorial envelope, effortless cool is the order of the day when it comes to festival style. This is what slogan tees were made for.

There’s a certain charm in turning up at a festival with no plan or expectations, but if missing the best acts will haunt you afterwards, it pays to plan ahead. Checking the schedule and putting together your own personal hit list is never time wasted, even if you end up just going with the flow.

Even if you’re following your band itinerary to the letter, be sure to make time to wander, explore and get completely lost in the more offbeat areas of the festival. In our experience, it’s the weird and wonderful discoveries in the smaller stages and tents that you’ll remember long after the thrill of seeing the headliners has faded into the distance.