🇬🇧 Donington Park, United Kingdom
What to Pack for Download Festival 2026
Built from about 15 years of weather records at the site: typical highs of 18°C, overnight lows of 10°C and around 3.2mm of rain per day.
The weather you're packing for
| Day | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 12 Jun | 18°C | 11°C | 4.0 mm |
| Sat 13 Jun | 18°C | 11°C | 3.5 mm |
| Sun 14 Jun | 19°C | 10°C | 2.1 mm |
Long-run averages for each festival day, not a forecast. Check the Download forecast page in the week before you travel.
Always in the bag
- Refillable water bottle — sealed or empty so it gets through the gate.
- Sunscreen SPF 50 — even a cloudy festival day is six hours outdoors.
- Power bank — your phone is your ticket, your map and your group chat.
- Earplugs — for the front rail and for the campsite at 4am.
- More socks than days.
Sun and heat
Highs average 18°C, so heat is rarely the main problem — but the warmest day still reaches about 19°C and shade is limited at most sites.
- A wide-brim hat and sunglasses beat a cap for full-day sets.
- Loose, light-coloured long sleeves cover more skin and feel cooler than a vest.
Rain and mud kit — don't skip this
Rain falls on roughly 100% of Download days, averaging 3.2mm a day and about 9.6mm across the main days.
- Wellies or waterproof boots, plus dry shoes for the good spells.
- A real rain jacket and a cheap poncho — the poncho covers your bag in a crowd.
- A tarp under the tent and pegs that hold in soft ground.
- Dry bags for phone, power bank and one sealed set of dry clothes.
Sleeping and night layers
Overnight lows average 10°C, with the coldest festival night typically near 10°C (Sun 14 Jun). Bring a 2–3 season bag rated to roughly 5°C comfort, plus an insulated mat — the ground is what makes you cold.
- An insulated mat — the ground takes more heat than the air.
- Thermal base layer and sleep socks that never leave the tent.
- A packable insulated jacket for the walk back from the last set.
- A hoodie you don't mind losing.
Why the Download site matters
Donington's clay-and-grass campgrounds are notorious for turning into a swamp — Download 2007 and 2019 are remembered as much for the mud as the music. Wellies and a waterproof are non-negotiable, and the lack of natural shelter on the campsites means tents take a beating in wind and rain.