Some words to the wise: Pack lightly, but be well prepared to attend the Hudson Project Festival this weekend. Take a look at the festival site map – now that’s an interesting layout. You might need to make a serious trek from your car to your campsite, so don’t plan on bringing your whole life along for the weekend. Stick to the essentials and throw in a couple of fun trinkets to make your festival pack complete. Here’s just some of what you’ll need:

1. A lock

Here’s something that all you campers out there could easily overlook, but bringing a lock is essential to keeping everything inside your tent just that, inside your tent. Theft prevention 101. (Note: Rest assured, there will be lockers available provided by the festival to keep your valuables safe and sound.)

2. Pre-Made Coffee Beverages (oh yeah, and a cooler filled with real nourishment)

We all know there will be some wake-and-bakers out there. I can’t tell you what you should or shouldn’t do, but caffeinated beverages will keep your energy up without the luxury of a coffee pot. Throw some Starbucks Iced Coffees in your cooler and call it a day—you won’t have the luxury of even instant coffee. But coffee isn’t all you’ll need to keep dancing all weekend long—food is essential. While there will be all sorts of yummy goodies served at the festival, no one wants to break the bank on every meal. Sandwiches, fruit, trail mix – you know the drill. The lower the maintenance, the better, but the festival grounds will provide BBQ grills for your use. There will also be places on site to buy ice to keep those coolers cold!

3. Water

I know everyone is probably considering how to bring in the most alcohol and such, but let’s be real: As of right now the forecast for the weekend is about 85° and mostly sunny. That’s a whole lotta heat. Now I don’t know about you, but I’m not too keen on paying for festival priced bottles of water to bring back to camp with me. Lucky for you, there will be water refill stations around the festival site. Don’t feel like getting a whole case? Bring a refillable water bottle for the most efficient option.

That said, alcohol is still an important matter of discussion. So, let me break it down, the festival is allowing 21+ers to bring alcohol “within reason.” What does that mean? The festival site explains everyone is permitted “one case of beer, a box of wine, or one liter of the hard stuff per person.” Keep in mind that it’s an or, not an and, meaning you can only bring one of those items. Also, no glass allowed. Sigh, say bye-bye to bottles.

4. Sunscreen and lip balm

See above. Need I say more? Here’s your friendly reminder.

5. Comfy shoes (and an extra pair)

You’re going to be standing, dancing and walking for an absurd amount of hours over the course of three days. No matter how appealing those flip-flops or flats or the likes may look now, sneakers are essential to get you through the weekend. An extra pair is a must in case of breakage. Trust me, it happens. On that note, a couple spare changes of clothes could also save the day

6. Plastic airtight bags

Why, you ask? No matter the forecast, rain is always a possibility. That could potentially be disastrous for all of your personal electronic devices and other sensitive items. Keeping your phone, cigarettes, etc. in an airtight bag will eliminate the possibility for destruction.

7. TWO pairs of sunglasses

Last year I made the mistake of only bringing one pair of sunglasses to a festival. That pair broke on the way to the festival. Learn from my mistakes.

8. A watch

Whether you know it or not, there will be a time when you plan to meet someone at a specified location. Cell phones die –a watch is forever (well…maybe not, but it will at least help you keep time all weekend).

9. Hand sanitizer

Keep it clean.

10. Coordinated arrival times

Okay, you caught me. This isn’t something that you need to bring, but it’s still a matter of critical importance for groups that plan on camping together. The festival won’t permit you to reserve campsites for your friends, so if you want to be in the same vicinity you’ll want to arrive at the same time.

Some Optional Items:

1. Disposable Camera
2. Face and/or finger paint
3. Glow sticks and/or other light-up toys
4. Hula hoops (for the real festival professionals)
5. Notebook and pen – no one wants to forget the whole weekend, which is totally possible under the circumstances. Do yourself a favor and jot down a couple of the highlights.

Stay tuned! We’re releasing a list of all of the must-see artists at the festival coming soon. Be sure to read through all of Hudson Project’s FAQ for everything else you need to know about the weekend. You can also make your own custom lineup so you’re not scrambling the day-of.