Get ready for Glastonbury 2024: 11 essentials to pack, plan and download

If you’re one of the 200,000 music fans who are about to get stuck into five days of partying in the Somerset fields of fun; congratulations for managing to bag a much-coveted ticket. An absolutely golden weekend lies ahead of you (well, once the tent has been pitched).

But while it’s probably as far removed from a Scouts’ camping trip as you can get, it’s still advisable to follow their old mantra – even for a slightly more debauched countryside visit – and be prepared. With mere weeks to go, here’s everything you should plan, download and pack to make it a truly incredible experience …

1. Power bank
You know that person who always begs to borrow your power bank as their phone’s about to die? Don’t be that person. For about £20, you can get one that when fully charged should just about see you through for a few days. That’s one option, or you could reserve a charging pack from Vodafone for the entire festival – collect on site, then simply head to one of three Vodafone locations to exchange your battery pack for a fully charged one every day.

2. Download the Official Glastonbury app, powered by Vodafone
Now that you’ve got the extra juice for your phone sorted, before you set off, download the brand new official Glastonbury 2024 app, powered by Vodafone, to help you plan your ultimate festival experience; as if Glastonbury had been tailored for you alone. With the latest full lineup, timings and an A-Z of artists (including the super-handy Now and Next widget), input your must-see shows to create your own personal lineup, and the app will ping you a reminder before each musical moment takes place.

3. Mates meeting map
The Official Glastonbury app, powered by Vodafone, also has a life-saving fully interactive festival site map where you can customise pins, as well as being able to share meeting point pins with friends. Set it up and share with your pals on your trip down to the farm, and never get separated from the pack after a toilet break again!

4. Tent topper
Picture the scene: it’s 4am and you’re ready to crash. As you trek up behind the Park stage camping area, it’s a horror scene: a sea of tents that to your tired eyes look identical. To avoid playing a pre-dawn game of Where’s Wally (the tent version), bring a marker to fly up from the top of your camping spot. A flag, portable LED lighting, solar-powered light or even a comedy windsock should help it to stand out from the pack, saving you valuable lost minutes – hours even – in the process. Don’t forget to double up by customising a pin on the interactive festival map to help you locate yours, or for that matter, on Monday morning, your car (if you’ve driven there).

5. Earplugs
Is there such a thing as too much music? Perhaps, especially if you’re trying to take a little disco nap in the afternoon. Also, never underestimate the amount of noise 50,000 people in a field separated only by tent canvas makes. Bring some earplugs (and an eye mask) in the hope that a tactical 40 winks will power you all the way through to SZA on Sunday night.

6. Electrolytes
Come on, you know by now you need to drink loads of water when out in the elements for a few days. This year, hack your water and help rehydrate and replenish everything that was shaken off on the dancefloor at San Remo the night before. Electrolytes, the tried-and-tested old raver favourites, come in sachets, effervescent tablets or, failing that, natural coconut water works as well.

7. Sunscreen
Will it be a sunny Glasto this year? That, unfortunately, is up to the weather gods. So while you’ll need to cover yourself just in case by bringing wellies and a poncho (which can also be fashioned as a make-shift ground cover to sit down on), don’t skimp on a bottle of factor 50 as well. Because you know what’s worse than being soaking and trudging round in the mud? Being sunburnt and trudging round in the mud. Expect all of the weather at some point over the festival, and prevent your face from being that shiny red moon beaming out from every single photo taken while you’re there.

8. Snacks
While there’s a veritable buffet of great food always on offer across the site – and for the first time this year, all the food and merch stalls are handily pinpointed on the Vodafone official app’s map – ask yourself, can you really be arsed to queue up for 30 minutes for a burrito while you’re already having to navigate the programming clash of Peggy Gou and Gossip? Obviously, don’t skip your meals (mid-afternoon is always the best time to hit the street food stalls, FYI) but the power of an energy boosting snack can’t be denied, so bring bananas, apples, dried fruit and nuts, cereal bars and crisps to munch on.

9. Socks (and blister pads)
Only a true masochist would track their steps at Glastonbury, as, covering all that ground, all you need to know is that your little tootsies are going to be humming by the end of the day. If it’s welly weather, the boots can rub, so make sure to bring extra thick socks, blister pads, and – if you’re extra bougie – a couple of foot masks to stick on overnight to put more pep in your step the next day.

10. Crossbody bag
It’s fashion, but it’s … also functional? The sartorial stars have aligned and the humble bumbag is back in business, albeit given a glow-up as a crossbody bag. Once again, they’ll be ubiquitous all over festival season, with just enough room for your phone, power bank and any other essential items needed for fun, but gloriously all hands-free.

11. Socials
Bragging rights on socials? It’s probably the one time of the year everyone will allow it. So once you’ve packed up your tent (remember: leave no trace) and trundled off to Castle Cary train station, it’s time to unleash the content. The Vodafone official app will generate Your Glastonbury Highlights that can easily be shared online for you and all your new festival friends to get misty-eyed over, and to start planning the 2025 Glasto reunion.

Connecting you to Glastonbury this summer
Vodafone is the official connectivity partner of Glastonbury festival. To find out more and to download the official Glastonbury app, head to vodafone.co.uk