Music Festival Shopping List

A music festival needs more than artists, a stage and a sound system. Your shopping list must cover serving drinks, keeping food and beverages cold, powering equipment safely, lighting walkways and handling waste. Start with expected attendance, then separate supplies for guests, performers, volunteers and crew. The plan below helps you check physical items early, especially reusable cups, extension cords, cable protection, refrigerators and backup lighting—items that are easy to arrange too late.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

High tablesqty 12
Beer tablesqty 10
Chairsqty 120
Party tentsqty 4
Bar stoolsqty 12
Clothes racksqty 2

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 300
Platesqty 200
Cutlery setsqty 180
Coffee cupsqty 80
Pitcherqty 6
Serving boardsqty 12

Equipment

Stage
Speakersqty 6
Mixer
Microphonesqty 6
Microphone standsqty 6
Monitor speakersqty 4
DI boxesqty 4
Extension cordsqty 12
Power stripsqty 10
Cable traysqty 20
Generator

Lighting

Stage lightsqty 8
Atmosphere lightsqty 12
String lightsqty 8
Flashlightsqty 6

Kitchen

Refrigeratorsqty 3
Coolersqty 6
Coffee machinesqty 2
Kettlesqty 2
Food warmersqty 4
Cutting boardsqty 6
Chef's knifeqty 4
Pliersqty 8
Ice packsqty 24

Decorations

Festival Flagsqty 20
Stage backdrop
Plate holdersqty 12
Directional signsqty 10

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 16
Mop setsqty 3
Bucketsqty 6
Hand broomsqty 4
Dustpan and brushqty 4
Cleaning sprayqty 6
Hand soap dispensersqty 8

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 4 packs
- Decaf coffee - 1 pack
- Black tea - 2 boxes
- Herbal tea - 1 box
- Sugar - 2 kilos
- Milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 10 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Tonic - 4 bottles
- Ginger ale - 4 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 18 bottles
- Spa Rood - 8 bottles
- Apple juice - 6 packs
- Orange juice - 6 cartons
- Beer - 10 crates
- Alcohol-free beer - 4 crates
- White wine - 12 bottles
- Red wine - 8 bottles
- Rosé - 8 bottles
- Prosecco - 4 bottles
- Ice cubes - 20 bags
- Lemons - 3 kilos
- Limes - 2 kilos
- Apples - 6 kilos
- Bananas - 4 kilos
- Grapes - 4 kilos
- Cherry tomatoes - 3 kilos
- Cucumbers - 3 kilos
- Bell peppers - 3 kilos
- Carrots - 3 kilos
- Lettuce - 8 heads
- Baguettes - 20 pieces
- Mini pistolets - 100 pieces
- Wraps - 80 pieces
- Hummus - 12 tubs
- Cream cheese - 8 tubs
- Herb cheese - 6 tubs
- Young cheese - 4 kilos
- Brie - 2 kilos
- Ham - 3 kilos
- Chicken breast topping - 3 kilos
- Smoked salmon - 1.5 kilos
- Falafel - 3 kilos
- Vegetarian burgers - 60 pieces
- Hamburger buns - 80 pieces
- Hot dog buns - 80 pieces
- Hot dogs - 80 pieces
- Potato salad - 8 kilos
- Pasta salad - 8 kilo
- Raw vegetable salad - 6 kilo
- Paprika chips - 12 bags
- Plain chips - 12 bags
- Tortilla chips - 10 bags
- Salted peanuts - 6 bags
- Olives - 4 jars
- Pickles - 4 jars
- Mayonnaise - 4 bottles
- Ketchup - 4 bottles
- Mustard - 3 bottles
- Garlic sauce - 3 bottles
- Chili sauce - 2 bottles
- Barbecue sauce - 3 bottles
- Olive oil - 2 liters
- Sunflower oil - 3 liters
- Salt - 1 kilo
- Pepper - 250 gram
- Paprika powder - 250 gram
- Garlic powder - 150 gram
- Basil - 100 grams
- Oregano - 100 grams
- Napkins - 1000 pieces
- Paper straws - 400 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 3 rolls
- Cling film - 3 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Garbage bags - 120 pieces
- Hand soap - 8 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 6 bottles
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- Sponges - 20 pieces
- Cleaning cloths - 20 pieces
- Toilet freshener - 6

Tips

Plan at least 2–3 drinks per guest for the first hour, then 1 drink per person per additional hour. Add extra water for performers, volunteers and warm weather.
Allow one reusable cup per guest plus at least 10% spare cups. Buy or bring enough plates, cutlery sets and coffee cups for your busiest serving period, not just the average.
Check every power requirement at least 7 days before the festival. Count extension cords, power strips and cable trays, and confirm that the generator can handle the sound, lighting and catering equipment together.
Prepare cooling capacity before shopping for drinks and food. Use refrigerators for stock and coolers near service points, leaving enough room for ice and keeping a separate supply for artists and crew.
Pack practical lighting for setup and breakdown as well as the show: stage lights and atmosphere lights cover the programme, while string lights and flashlights help volunteers move safely after dark.

Frequently asked questions

How many reusable cups do I need for a music festival?: Plan one cup per expected guest, plus at least 10% spare cups. For 500 guests, that means at least 550 reusable cups, with more if there is no return-and-wash system.
How much alcohol and soft drink should I buy for a music festival?: Use 2–3 drinks per person for the first hour and about 1 drink per person for each additional hour. Keep water separate from that calculation and provide extra bottles or refill capacity for performers, volunteers and crew.
How many extension cords and power strips are needed for a music festival?: There is no safe fixed number without an equipment layout, but count one planned power route per stage, bar, catering point and lighting area. Finalise the count and cable lengths at least 7 days before setup, then add 10% spare capacity.
When should I arrange festival equipment and shopping supplies?: Reserve the stage, speakers, mixer, microphones, lighting and generator several weeks ahead if the date is busy. Complete the physical shopping and check all materials at least 2–3 days before the festival, while buying fresh and chilled items as late as practical.

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