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Original poster

At what age would you let DC go to festivals?

87 replies

BentlyandPalmers · 19/09/2019 09:11

DD wants to go to Glastonbury next year (with her boyfriend, both the same age). Tickets are on sale next month so I have to decide.

As it’s so long in advance I do wonder whether she will still be with her boyfriend by then. So it may be her and a girlfriend going together...

Have not put DD’s age on purpose. Will do later.

OP posts:

VioletCharlotte · 19/09/2019 14:53

I think festivals are actually pretty good value for money if there are a lot of acts that you want to see.

itshappened · 19/09/2019 14:56

Wilderness might be a safer option. Drugs and booze still going to be a temptation, but it's a small festival with a nice family vibe in the main.

Bear2014 · 19/09/2019 14:59

I think going along yourself is a great idea. You wouldn't have to camp anywhere near them or even see them the whole time but she would know you were there as a back up.

Reading/Leeds are absolute carnage.

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MrsFezziwig · 19/09/2019 15:18

Glastonbury is vast, so from that point of view may be a bit overwhelming, but I would say it would be more manageable for the first timer as there is a greater mix of ages and types of people (families etc) rather than just gangs of kids going wild (I’m far too old for Leeds/Reading but my 20 year old relative described it as “carnage”). There are also lots of places at Glastonbury where you can go to chill out quietly if it all gets too much.
If you did fancy going yourself your DD really wouldn’t have to see you at all as it’s so vast, but you would be there in an emergency.
Console yourself with the fact that Glastonbury is always heavily oversubscribed (probably even more so this year as it’s the 50th anniversary) so she probably won’t even get tickets!

EmmaStone · 19/09/2019 15:40

TBH, the chances of getting a Glasto ticket are so extraordinarily slim, it might be a moot point anyway.

We've been taking the children to Glasto since they were babies, so to a certain extent they know how it works (we don't camp though). It would definitely depend on the type of teenager DD (and boyfriend) are. I know a massive group of post-GCSE kids went last summer and it looked like great fun, but I think it put a lot of them off going to another one!

stucknoue · 19/09/2019 15:42

Check the details, some require under 18's to be with an adult (over 25 usually) but I recommend a smaller festival for her first that doesn't require buying tickets so far ahead, they are non transferable.

Teenangels · 19/09/2019 15:49

End of year 12 for my son, he was not mature enough at the end of year 11, he went to Reading and described it as hectic and the amount of drugs that were flying around was terrifying. He had a great time and was upset that he didn’t go this year.
17 for me is about right

Hoppinggreen · 19/09/2019 15:52

I’ve told DD she can go to Leeds festival after her GCSE’s, so 16
I will be very very worried but I will let her

Drogosnextwife · 19/09/2019 15:54

18 because then they can legally drink alcohol, which they will do a lot of. Plus drug taking is rife, people who try to kid themselves that their kids would never do drugs are niave.

MargoLovebutter · 19/09/2019 15:56

I didn't think there was a legal age for drinking alcohol. I thought that under 18s just couldn't buy it. Or, I have I got that wrong?

EmAreSea · 19/09/2019 15:58

I was at Leeds a few weeks ago, the night the 17 year old died.

After what I saw I wouldn't let my kids go until I couldn't stop them going. Definitely not before 18 and preferably not til their 30's!

The FB group for the festival was full of Mom's worried about their 15 year olds and all I could think was, you should be very worried.

To be fair, Leeds and Glastonbury couldn’t be more different. Leeds was my first festival when I was 16 and it was pretty hardcore then, if I were OP I’d feel much better about my teenager going to Glastonbury. And would definitely use it as an excuse to go myself!

historysock · 19/09/2019 16:03

Depends which festival. I would t let a 16 year old go to Reading-or Leeds-they are the worst of the lot for drugs and ridiculous behaviour-purely because there are so many young people at them off the leash for the first time. Just horrible drunk kids being vile-and I've always thought that even when I was a teen and went (not just being an old moaner). Latitude, Isle of Wight, Bestival or any of the smaller ones I'd think about. Also depends on the 16 year old of course.

fatulousatforty · 19/09/2019 16:48

Honestly Glasto is so much Tamer than Reading or Leeds

JorisBonson · 19/09/2019 17:08

While Glastonbury is super fun and all, it's a real endurance test. 5 days, no mercy. Maybe start her on a smaller festival to see if it's her cup of tea?

JorisBonson · 19/09/2019 17:09

But yeah, not Reading

Hoppinggreen · 19/09/2019 17:11

I take it back, she’s not going to Leeds!

EmAreSea · 19/09/2019 17:16

While Glastonbury is super fun and all, it's a real endurance test. 5 days, no mercy.

There’s no law saying you have to get there on the Wednesday...

SmiledWithTheRisingSun · 19/09/2019 17:20

18 if I HAHE to 😳

SmiledWithTheRisingSun · 19/09/2019 17:22

(HAVE)

SkaterGrrrrl · 19/09/2019 17:28

Very experienced festival goer here. Let them go to a smaller festival. Wilderness, Shambala.

Tell them if they do take drugs, to look out for each other.

MotherSpider · 19/09/2019 17:40

Reading / Leeds are FULL of 16/17/18 year olds and not all that many older. I'd have been worried about DD at 16 but 17 felt ok.
Glastonbury is for all ages, but generally has an older vibe (20s). For one thing it's in term time which means that school-kids could not go apart from in a post-exam summer.
I would let them go at 16-17 but they might not actually enjoy it as much as they would Reading or Leeds.
It's Glasto's 50th anniversary next year so tickets will be even harder than usual to come by. Plus, as PPs have said, tickets include your photo and are non-transferable. What if she splits up with her BF before next June?

Giapia · 19/09/2019 17:57

17 at the youngest. Preferably 18. Thankfully my kids never showed any interest

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 19/09/2019 18:00

Reading def a "starter festival"

Lots of post GCSE students so young.

My DC went after GCSEs but then move on to other festivals as it is a young one. Having said that they both said drugs are absolutely rife.

YobaOljazUwaque · 19/09/2019 18:04

For a first festival experience being without a parent - a lot of 16 year olds wouldn't be OK. Some would.

Book to go to one of the tame, naice festivals like Latitude, go as a family but have a teen tent next door to your grownups tent. Let her first festival experience be something a bit less full-on and more supported. Then she will hopefully be ready to take the training wheels off next year.

Weepingwillows12 · 19/09/2019 18:07

Depends on who else they know that is going and how far you are in case they want collecting. If far away then maybe 16/17

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