AIBU to not see music festivals as a teenage rite of passage?

None of my 3 have ever been to a festival or shown any inclination to do so. A lot of my DD's friends went and there are probably aspects of it she would have enjoyed but she never fancied the camping! DS1 is pretty antisocial and into mainly classical music anyway so it's not his idea of fun either. DS2 is very interested in music but when he's looked at festival line ups he's felt that it is a lot of money when there's only one or two bands he is actually interested in. He does go to a lot of gigs - a good live music scene was something he was keen on when thinking about where to go to University - but he's got a limited budget and would rather spend his money on going to plenty of smaller events throughout the year than a couple of festivals or stadium gigs.
I probably wouldn't have tried to stop any of them if they'd been desperate to go somewhere but I have to confess that I am quite relieved that none of them have ever wanted to.

DS didn't until he and his friends could drive at 17 as we didn't live near any and it was quite a trek on public transport. When I was 16 we used to hitchhike but that was the 70s and people did then. When DS was 18 he worked at Glastonbury for several years as you didn't have to pay then and could still watch it. He still goes to Glastonbury now, every year it's on, he is mid 30s.

My then 16 year old was adamant Reading was a rite of passage after GCSEs, I was happy for her to go with her group of friends - much better than then illegal raves I went to at 16!

it Is around here (east London). Most of the teens I know seem to head to reading after GCSE’s and for the next few years. I did when I was 17, and I’ve been going to festivals ever since. Glastonbury every year, we out here last few years (incredible small festival), lots of others here and abroad. I love the music, and the way you just live in this bubble of fun and joy for 3/4 days. I’m 50 now and I hope I keep going for as long as I can do it. Not sure how my son will feel - currently 13 so he has a few years to go

Festivals are for all ages. There is no “perfect” age.

I can't imagine any parent wants their teen there. Just a conclusion that they've reached the point where they need to stop helicoptering them.

Maybe it depends on how close you are geographically. Neither myself nor any of my friends did festivals in our teens as all the main ones were a 3 hour plus journey from where we lived and there was no chance at 16 that we could afford the travel and ticket prices.

Then what does it matter? It doesn’t have to a rite of passage for you, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a rite of passage for other people. What’s your issue?

I never went and didn’t want to at the time.
1 of my kids loved it think the other one would hate them.
Sometimes I think in hindsight might have been good to go but even with Glastonbury not sure I could be bothered anymore.

I never really drank much, if at all, at festivals when I was younger. Mainly because I didn’t like feeling drunk and I didn’t want to deal with that on top of the sleepless nights and long days. No one cared if I drank or not and I still had the time of my life. As some others have said though, I went to rock festivals and I always felt so safe. I’m not sure if Reading and Leeds have the same vibe or not.

Mine too.
I took DS to his first Download when he was 14. He’s 26 now and we still go together most years.
He does Bloodstock every year too.
🤘🏻🤘🏻

I think 25 plus is the perfect age for a girl to go to a festival. Not just turned 16.

My teen has no interest. Finds festivals stressful. I wonder how much is parental pressure to ‘do the festival’ particularly mums who wish they were there.

I have been to tonnes of concerts in my life starting as a teen but never ever wanted the hassle of a festival. I’m not a happy camper and it just looks cold, wet and miserable. Never felt I missed out honestly!

I think in recent years (and by recent I mean around 30-40 years ago) they're fairly a middle class thing. Not exclusively obviously because there'll be tons of posters now trying to be the exception to the rule, but when you read on this site of things like this being a rite of possage, its because kids in those MC families tend to have the money or time for it, when some will be needing to work or just wont have parents who can afford it or facilitate it.

If not your bag, then fine. My friends and I were big into the live music scene and would go to gigs most weekend so Leeds and Glasto was really good fun.

It's considered as a rite of passage because it's generally the first time kids are without their parents, they enjoy freedom, fun and consequences of their decisions, with other kids.
After that, for some of them it'll be college / uni, and a foot into early adulthood.
For some, it's music festival, for others it might be first ski trip, spring break, or a trip to South America during a gap year.

Kids are leaving childhood to get into adulthood, simple as that.

I think festivals for young people can absolutely be a rite of passage. Usually it's the first holiday they arrange themselves with their mates. Some will do festivals, some will book a holiday overseas with their mates. It's the fact they are making arrangements themselves (even if their parents drop them off and pick them up) thats the passage. When you change from other people deciding and arranging your holidays and then you start doing it for yourself.

Do you not understand that the concept of a ‘rite of passage’ is entirely subjective?

‘Rite of passage’ is merely a turn of phrase. It’s not an official designation. Something can be a rite of passage for one person but not for another.

Why does this matter to you? Are you trying to prevent your teenager from going to one because you’re over-protective?

This post has given me a flashback to Reading ‘97. My mum wouldn’t let me in the house until I’d stripped off and left the clothes I’d been in for 5 days in the greenhouse. Good times.