Being retired, I have flexibility for when I go Teardropping. In past years, I didn’t do much in July & August, preferring the shoulder seasons instead, but this summer decided to get out and attend a camp-in music festival. Here are my learning take-aways and advice for Teardrop camping at festivals.

For this first foray into festival camping, I chose something local—the Four Winds Music Festival near Durham, Ontario. I sure lucked out with weather, and I sure can’t imagine finding another music festival with a better vibe or broader range of acts than this one! This blog post isn’t so much about the music festival itself as it is about camping at one in a Teardrop trailer. Chatting with other campers also gave me a flavour of what the experience is like at other festivals.

Brush-up on Your Backing Skills

I’m listing this first because it’s something to do in the weeks before you go. Camping at a festival, there’s a good chance you will need to manoeuvre into a tight spot… it’s not like going to a conventional campground with designated sites intended for trailers large or small. What’s more, if you arrive later than sooner, you may also be driving around, and squeezing in amongst, other tents and trailers already set-up.

We Teardroppers all know that backing up a short trailer is tricky. Though it looks to others like it should be simple with such a tiny camper, having the trailer wheels so close to the pivot point (i.e., the hitch) in fact can make it more challenging than a larger trailer. There’s tutorials to be found online but really it’s a matter of practice, and for your own peace (and that of festival campers in your vicinity) if ever there was an occasion to practice backing in your little Teardrop camper this is it.

Semi-related, bring a few short planks of wood (I use cut-offs of 5/4 × 6 decking boards with one end bevelled) for levelling your trailer. Unless the festival is at an actual campground, don’t expect perfect, flat sites.

Arrive as Early as Possible & Permissible

The earlier you arrive within the check-in period, the better your pick of camp spots, and the less likely you will have to accomplish superhuman feats with your spatial aptitude to fit into a space. Trust me on this, do whatever planning and preparation is required to get there sooner than later.

When you get to the camping area, it can be worthwhile to take a few minutes to scope it out (on foot may be easier than driving around with your trailer) unless there’s a stream of campers coming in right behind you. Even a bit of privacy on one side is nicer than none at all, especially with a teardrop camper you can’t disappear into the way someone can with a travel trailer, so perhaps look for a spot on the perimeter or siding onto trees, shrubbery or vegetation of some sort.

Particularly if you have arrived ahead of the crowd, when picking a spot it is a good idea to look around and imagine where others arriving later on may be squeezing into spaces nearby you. You may also want to take note of where porta-potties are located, whether for convenience or for being mindful that the olfactory indications of their presence will intensify as the days progress. That, and the slamming door each time someone exits.

Take an Upgraded Camping Option, if possible

At the festival I went to, standard camping was essentially in a large field. There were separate areas for tents and for RVs/trailers, which seemed a good idea, and there were no water or power hookups. Talking to folks who had attended other festivals, this seems pretty much the norm. It is, after all, the festival itself which is the star attraction; overnight camping is just a convenience (and fun bonus!).

I paid $100 more on my 3-day festival pass for the “VIP camping” area which, while still crowded, was well worth it to be in the trees and by the river which ran through the property, and within a minute’s walk of the main stage. In this area, tenting and trailers were both allowed…. of course, great thing about our tiny Teardrop trailers is that we can fit into a variety of spots, with competent backing skills and levelling planks 😉

Meet Thy Neighbour

With all my talk of finding a good spot, and seeking even a bit of privacy, it could be missed that hanging out with others is part of what camping at a festival is about! Whether you’re naturally social or not, arrive with the mindset to meet others, be a good neighbour, and feel part of a temporary community. Maybe even pack some extra food and drink, in case there is opportunity to share.

Much as I lucked out with weather, I also lucked out with camping neighbour having the pleasure of chats about music and life with a guy who came up all the way from Georgia. I even had the goodfortune to enjoy the occasional tune Mike sang gently while playing his guitar. These kinds of experiences add to the magic of festival camping.

As you have likely already learned during your Teardrop travels, our tiny trailers attract questions and curiosity. Doubly-so when you’re camped out in close quarters with lots of friendly folks, so be prepared to answer questions and let invite them to check it out. There’s also a good chance you will also run into other Teardrop trailers—I found several, including this one-of-a-kind example of fine carpentry on wheels!

Privacy Strategies

Back to privacy for a moment, when preparing for festival camping, consider what activities you typically need to do inside and outside your trailer when camped and whether there is anything you should bring to allow you to better do those things in close proximity to others. Keep in mind, that space may be limited so large shelters may not be reasonably possible.

On a related note, keeping some ear plugs in the sleeper cabin may be a good idea when camping at a festival… in case your neighbours are loud or maybe you’re feeling too tired to stay up until the very last performance.

Managing Rain and Heat

Seeing as outdoor festivals with camping are mainly a summer thing (here in Canada anyhow), and seeing as you may be camped in a large field or other open area, another thing worth planning ahead for is rain and heat.

Rain, of course, is one of the challenges anytime when camping in a small Teardrop. You need someplace in addition to inside the trailer itself that you can be or else the experience can degrade into damp, confined misery in short order. Also, consider some sort of cover or add-on to the galley (like teardrop trailer “galley wings” available prefab or find plans online) so you can prepare food if it’s raining.

Heat can also be a challenge in summer, especially when humid or when it doesn’t cool down much at night. If you have on-board power you can run fans, either aimed at yourself to cool the body or beside a window/vent to circulate air. Also change-up your bedding style (go for cotton not synthetic) for hot weather. You might even add a layer of memory foam with those “cooling beads” embedded in it as a mattress topper.

Water and Power: Be Self-Sufficient

The festival I attended provided potable water taps, which is a nice convenience, and there may even be some festivals that advertise electrical hookups. These kind of things are certainly handy but my inclination is not to count on them being available/functional. Come prepared to be self-sufficient, just like on a Teardrop Trailer road trip, and it’s one less thing to be concerned about, and therefore one more way you’ll have a great time.

So, that’s how I do things with my Teardrop Trailer but by no means the full story or the best way. What about you? Add your own methods, ideas and experiences using the comment box below for the benefit of all readers.