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Original poster

Should a festival campsite be quiet

28 replies

Itchy99 · 04/06/2024 20:46

So I was recently at a festival where lots of people enjoy staying up late drinking and chatting with music blaring. Their routine seemed to be staying up till 5am then sleeping all morning.
So do you think this is ok or is it antisocial? As a dm with young children it was not ideal for my family but I understand others have a different routine.
People did complain and were told by organisers there shouldn’t be noise after 2am but that doesn’t help when your 6 year old is cranky after a few hours sleep.

OP posts:
thanKyouaIMee · 04/06/2024 20:48

What festival was it?

If it wasn't a family fun festival then yes that's totally normal, especially until the early hours. Festivals are just giant never ending parties really!

thehousewiththesagegreensofa · 04/06/2024 20:48

Was it a family festival or were you in a designated family area? If not, then staying up until 5am chatting and drinking is exactly what festivals are for.

Original poster
Itchy99 · 04/06/2024 20:51

It was the loud music that kept us awake. Not a family festival but families were there. There was no ‘quiet’ or ‘family only’ area to camp.

OP posts:

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CannotWaitToBeFree · 04/06/2024 20:51

I think its a bit uncontrollable tbh. People will do what they like in these situations. Get your child ear plugs 🤷🏻‍♀️ great experience for them tho. Definitely want to go to a festival with my kids

Octavia64 · 04/06/2024 20:52

Yes. normal for a festival. They're not quiet events!

Ragwort · 04/06/2024 20:54

I can't imagine going to a festival and expecting it to be quiet and wanting a good night's sleep ..... Hmm.

Festivals are my idea of hell ... surely they are full of loud music and loud behaviour ? I've (thankfully) never been to one and never world. I'm happy with camping (in the past - no longer!) but in in traditional campsites with a "quiet rule" after 11pm.

Boogiemam · 04/06/2024 20:58

As a frequent festival goer and someone who has managed festivals in the past, it totally depends on the festival itself. If staff (and presumably guidelines) say 2am and no family or quiet camping is offered then I think you were pretty naive to think it would be peace and quiet early doors. What festival was it?

pictoosh · 04/06/2024 21:00

I don't go to a festival to be mindful of people's children tbh. It's not for them.

Fooshufflewickjbannanapants · 04/06/2024 21:00

Sounds like a wild festival!

pictoosh · 04/06/2024 21:02

And I have taken my kids to festivals.
Wouldn't dream of complaining because my six year old is being kept awake.
Leave them at home then.

ilovelamp82 · 04/06/2024 21:02

If it's not a family festival, and it doesn't have a family field then I would totally expect there to be music playing until the wee hours. Festivals are a place for people to get away and enjoy themselves and escape restrictions like that.

I struggle to sleep at the best of times and it would drive me crazy if I was trying to sleep but that would be my issue.

Overthebow · 04/06/2024 21:02

That’s normal for a festival unless it’s specifically a family festival for children. I wouldn’t take young children camping at a non-family festival, it’s not really appropriate for them.

VivaVivaa · 04/06/2024 21:04

Not a family festival but families were there. There was no ‘quiet’ or ‘family only’ area to camp

Then no. I wouldn’t expect the campsite to be quiet. You need to choose a festival with a dedicated family area that is policed if you want that.

WestAtlantic · 04/06/2024 21:05

We go to several festivals every summer and my children have always managed to go to sleep around 9 or 10 despite very loud gigs still happening nearby. I've not got great sleepers by any means bit children can sleep through a lot surely? There's evidence to show smoke alarms are useless for waking most small children. I'd expect noise to die off around 1 or 2am.

KickHimInTheCrotch · 04/06/2024 21:07

If it was a family festival with a family camping area then there should be some attempts to keep it down but music festivals in general are aimed at 16-30 year olds and they should be allowed to let their hair down and stay up all night enjoying themselves. If you want a good night's sleep then look for a different sort of holiday.

Dizzy82 · 04/06/2024 21:12

That's why we stay in an air bnb when going festivals. Camps never quiet and silent discos are definitely not silent!

INeedToClingToSomething · 04/06/2024 21:13

"So I was recently at a festival where lots of people enjoy staying up late drinking and chatting with music blaring. "

Yes, they were at a festival. This is completely normal. I can't believe anyone would go to a festival and think that everyone will be silent and in bed asleep at night.

Original poster
Itchy99 · 04/06/2024 21:13

Boogiemam · 04/06/2024 20:58

As a frequent festival goer and someone who has managed festivals in the past, it totally depends on the festival itself. If staff (and presumably guidelines) say 2am and no family or quiet camping is offered then I think you were pretty naive to think it would be peace and quiet early doors. What festival was it?

I didn’t expect it to be quiet early doors, just after 2am. I didn’t expect loud music blaring till 5am.
Since lots of people seem to be comparing it to Glastonbury I guess I’d better fess up it was a folk music festival. So the average age is considerably more than the 16-30 suggested by one pp.

OP posts:
Churchview · 04/06/2024 21:15

The time to stop going to festivals is when you stop making the all night noise and start complaining about the noise.

pictoosh · 04/06/2024 21:24

Churchview · 04/06/2024 21:15

The time to stop going to festivals is when you stop making the all night noise and start complaining about the noise.

Spot on.

WestAtlantic · 04/06/2024 21:37

Itchy99 · 04/06/2024 21:13

I didn’t expect it to be quiet early doors, just after 2am. I didn’t expect loud music blaring till 5am.
Since lots of people seem to be comparing it to Glastonbury I guess I’d better fess up it was a folk music festival. So the average age is considerably more than the 16-30 suggested by one pp.

Show quote history

I've been to loads of folk festivals and never had much noise past 2am. For posters who haven't been, these festivals are actively trying to attract families to bring the average age down so tend to have a children's area on site but no separate camping. They're still going to be majorly noisy well past a child's bedtime just from the main stage though.

Maddy70 · 04/06/2024 21:38

Nope. Festivals are round the clock fun

mathanxiety · 04/06/2024 21:40

A festival isn't the first place that would spring to mind if my priority was a good night's sleep.

mathanxiety · 04/06/2024 21:41

Churchview · 04/06/2024 21:15

The time to stop going to festivals is when you stop making the all night noise and start complaining about the noise.

Haha, yes to this.

SpringerFall · 04/06/2024 21:55

No so I don't go, they would be great for people that was this but I am not one of them