There is no denying it; festival season is upon us. It is fair to say us Brits know how to put on a festival or two. This year is no exception – with a stellar line up of acts across the board, there really is something for everyone. For those of you out there who feel like dipping your toes into the vast pool of festival fun, then here are a few little handy tips to make the transition into festival chaos a little more smooth.
Be prepared
I cannot stress this enough. Preparation is king. The essentials i.e. a tent and wellies are just the start my friends. Festivals are often the chance for many young revellers to showcase their latest fashion endeavours. Fancy dress is aplenty and face paint is an absolute must. More importantly though is to make sure you have enough food and drink. Don’t think you can rely on the food stalls and bars provided at the festival because they will see no harm in charging you a fiver for a limp burger that has most probably been dropped on the floor several times. For those of you intending to drink at a festival (let’s face it that is probably all of you) then bring enough to last you the whole weekend. Oh, and a torch will be the single most valuable possession you could have at a festival. No one wants to be caught scrabbling to find the tent zip at five in the morning on the verge of wetting yourself. You will be left cold, ashamed and wishing you had listen to the age old wisdom provided by The Edge.
Choose your friends wisely
Festivals and alcohol are like siamese twins; you can very rarely prise the two apart. With that being said, make sure your mates know their limits. No one wants to be stuck at the campsite with the dribbling dickhead, stroking their head when they’re being sick and having to endure endless nonsensical conversations that all seem to end with ‘I just really love you, ya know’. Essentially you need to be with a group of mates who are there for the combination of the music and festival fun, not just a piss up.
Don’t just see the big names
For first time festival goers, it’s tempting to try as see as many big names as possible at a festival – these are probably the bands that attracted you there in the first place. While it is great to see your favourite band performing, don’t just stick to what you know. Music is available literally all day and there are a plethora of acts old and new for you to explore. Take a chance on a band you’ve never heard of and you never know, you might find your new favourite artist.
Be prepared for the crowds to get rough
This all depends on the festival you go to and the type of bands you see but sometimes crowds can get pretty rough. I have clear memories of being crushed at Reading 2010 after Dizzee Rascal performed. As I gulped for air I remember thinking ‘this is it, I’m going to die to the soundtrack of ‘Bonkers’. Not exactly an edifying experience. While I’m sure this won’t happen to you, be prepared to stand your ground. People can get pretty lairy so remember to stand your ground. Being at the front is not essential for having a good time.
Have fun!
Festivals are possibly the most fun thing in the history of the world. It may rain (let’s face it, it most probably will), you may get cold and muddy but once the festival spirit takes hold none of that will matter. The first time at a festival is always the best, so pack up your tent, grab a beer and have a bloody good time.
