But for some of the less experienced festivalgoers, who are yet to fine-tune their festival skills, the allure of these weekend celebrations still hasn't hit home. Many view the events as muddy, wet, loud, uncivilized, and, overall, not worth it.
If that's your opinion on festivals, then the chances are that you're not doing them right. Follow this step-by-step guide, and soon you'll be fully equipped.
1. Don't Get Duped
To avoid having your festival dreams crushed before you even get there make sure you buy tickets from trustworthy sources. To avoid fans having to use dodgy sites, some online vendors, such as Ticketmaster, now have their resale section, so this is a great option. However if this isn't fruitful, and you’re forced to look elsewhere, it’s worth using a well-reviewed VPN when browsing unknown sites, to encrypt your information and protect yourself from these potentially malicious domains.
2. The Perfect Pitch
To avoid this situation, follow these few simple rules:
- Aim to be far enough away from the main arena that you won’t be deafened, but close enough so the walk to nip back to your tent mid-set won’t be impossible.
- Avoid walls! These inevitably become toilets at some point during the weekend.
- Being right next to thoroughfares increases your likelihood of getting robbed. While these spots are ideal to find your tent, it's worth aiming to be a row or two back.
- Stay far, far away from the toilet blocks – they will smell and it won’t be pretty.
- Finally, chose somewhere you’ll be able to find in pitch black during the night. Landmarks such as flags or tall billboards are useful markers.
3. Know Your Community
Not only does it mean you’ll get to know some potentially awesome, like-minded people, it also forms a minor community in your little camping ground. Many a festival morning have I spent trading bacon for other essentials, such as torch batteries, with nearby campers – and it unquestionably transforms your experience.
4. Take It Easy
However, if you don’t want to spend all Sunday hidden under shade, with noise cancellers in ears, waiting for the horror to be over, then all you have to do is simply take it easy. Just because the line-up doesn’t finish till 6 in the morning, doesn’t mean you have to stay up that late, and there’s no shame in the occasional midday nap. Look after yourself and you’re sure to make the most out of the weekend.
5. Go Solo
If you’re not up for trying the whole weekend alone, see what happens if you let yourself get separated for a while. It's likely you'll stumble over some exciting new music and make some new friends along the way. Just make sure you all know to meet back at the tent eventually, or sync up each other’s phones with the ‘Find My Friends’ app so you can be located in case of emergency.
6. Try New Things
However, if you're willing to put down the lineup, and have a wander, you never know what you might uncover. There’s often exclusive late night DJ sets that you might stumble upon, or you could come across an early morning African drumming workshop that ends up being the highlight of your weekend. If you attack a festival with unfettered curiosity, then you're bound to have the time of your life!
So this summer, don't be afraid of the festivals. Use this guide and you'll learn to appreciate these summertime celebrations like never before. Do you have any more tips to help festivalgoers transform their experience? Be sure to leave a comment below and share your ideas with fellow music-lovers!