To be at a festival and wish everyone would just grow up!?

[bumbleclat]

Each year I'm 'lucky' enough to be given free tickets to a very well known music festival which runs over four days (live nearby so organisers give local residents tickets to keep them sweet).

It's your usual hippy fest with lots of workshops, vege food, healing yurts and a variety of music.

Each year I go, I become more bored of the cliche hippydom, for example faces full of glitter, posh white youths wearing ironic vintage clothes, dub beats in the background, overpriced drinks, pious recycling regimes, home educated children called 'Oak' and 'Cloud' being wheeled around in metal wagons with fairy lights around the edges at 3am, the constant wondering from tent to tent, the illusion of freedom and the naive art work everywhere.

I must be getting old but these events just don't do it for me anymore, I see men and women in their fifties and sixties wearing fairy outfits and elf ears and it just gives me this, 'oh just grow up' reaction inside.

I dislike this judgemental threatened Katie Hopkins like beast that seems to rise up inside me each time, but I think next year I will just sell my much coveted ticket to a more appreciative visitor.

I am BU aren't I!?

Festivals are a bit of a time out from reality. People act completely differently to the norm ime. When else can you drink all day wearing a silly hat and a ridiculous slogan tee-shirt?

Maybe I'm just jealous because Im pregnant and can't drink!

We took the kids to Disney today. There were adults there without kids. Ok I suppose with the big rides I sort of get that. But some were going on the get to drive a car ride and spinning tea cups for under sevens. Without kids. Dh and I were . You can drive a real car if you want!

I do question how fun something truly is if all participants need to get wasted to fully enjoy it though.
Mutter mutter

KERALA1 I know a couple like this who do proper kids day out day trips to places like the zoo and Levi land without children!!!
I always think that there's enough of that endurance of hell when you actually have kids, why put yourselves through that now?! Saying that one member of said couple still has all childhood teddies.

Lego not Levi!!

Maybe you are, but I liked your post all the same :)

I think you're one of those people who has trouble suspending their disbelief, you always see the Wizard orchestrating it all and not the fairies and the yellow brick Road . I'm the same. I don't really go to to festivals but I dislike fancy dress parties for similar reasons.

Someone will call us killjoys shortly, OP.

I'm the same and I also hate Disney movies and adults who crap on about Pokemons and bacon.

Shoot me.

You can't go to a festival sober. Heaven forbid.

I think you're right, it just doesn't do it for me anymore but it did when I was 15/16 (now 32)
Just need to figure out what does do it for me in the same way as all this nonsense used to.
I sat on a bio toilet earlier and it stank of vinegar, poo and sawdust, had a wet toilet seat which got all over my thighs and of course there was no loo roll so I had to use TK Max receipts that were in my bag so now if I want to bring that rug and questionable kaftan back, I can't because the receipts are covered in wee, vinager and sawdust.

Of course they are.

Koala I don't want to shoot you. In fact, I'd give you a high five if they weren't so cringeingly naff.

KoalaDownUnder I too hate Disney movies and was recently accused of 'having a heart of stone' by a 45 year old colleague who used to have Rugrats marathons in her spare time because I admitted to hating Disney films in the staff room.
I would rather have a heart of stone than waste my life on such fluff!

Teddies on grown women's beds. Don't even get me started!

OP I know what you mean - It's like that Lily Allen song LND kmn

Well I think you sound like a right miserable sod! I wouldn't be caught dead at a festival now, but I used to go to loads up until my thirties and had a bloody great time, so I certainly wouldn't be a sour puss about letting people have their fun now. If you don't enjoy it any more, then don't go, but allow others to have their bit of enjoyment, and if they are getting on a bit, what's the problem? We all like different things. I'd rather die than, for example, go on a hiking holiday, but I'm not going to piss on the chips of people that do! Same goes for people that like Disney, or whatever, let them have their fun. Nobody likes a joyless fun sucker!

I feel I don't fancy the whole parking miles away from your tent any more and as I don't want to be actually drunk that side appeals less too..

However I had no idea you were supposed to have kids to visit the zoo....

really not sure why you bother going if you don't like it!

also not sure about the relevance of older people enjoying themselves

what are you offended by??

its a music festival - so most people are there for the music, surely?
I'm 48 (not far off those sad people in their fifties...) and was at a festival last weekend (not in the UK), and it was amazing! Singing Creep with Thom Yorke with 30,000 other people was something not to be missed

Out of interest, do you also get cross at photos of people showing off having fun on Facebook?

I think part of the problem is the fact you go year after year to an event you have never really chosen to go to, you just had free tickets. You are right, sell tickets next year.

I think people who attend things just because they're free are as bad OP!

Stop bloody going!

I'm not advocating the use of elf ears on adults...nor posh wheelbarrows for Oak and Zion....but FFS don't go!

You'd hate my village. I live in Australia in what is an old pioneer town...it's a mecca for hippies and new age healers.

I just step over their nuclear protest signs and carry on my business!

Hmm I don't like Pokemon or Disney movies but do have my childhood bear next to my bed. And a cuddly toy I [shock horror] bought as an adult (in my defence it's a souvenir!) Not sure where that places me on the immaturity scale. Erm I left home at 18 and have always paid my rent on time and done housework if that helps?

it just doesn't do it for me anymore but it did when I was 15/16 (now 32). Just need to figure out what does do it for me in the same way as all this nonsense used to

What really gets me is the sort of shallow commercialised hippie thing. The idea of being open minded, accepting, in tune with nature, not into material possessions, blah blah - none of that, just stick on some glitter and flowers in yer hair and pose for a selfie on your latest generation iphone. Oh goodness, now I sound like the old hippie man I met who was moaning that backpackers in India weren't the same anymore because they weren't chucking their passports into the sea and had a ticket home booked!
Am a weird anomly - quite middle class (not income wise!), fairly sensible, but with a "hippie" heart, you might say if you wanted to sound like a wanker. Fuck - is that a hipster? Anyway... am I the only one?

Incidentally I did meet a lovely older couple who had been to India in the 60s/chucking passport into sea with whoop of freedom days. They returned to visit 40yrs later - they seemed to have retained a relaxed sense of adventure and wonder at the world, without being irresponsible, immature, or morons.

Please complain more, I like the way you do so and am very entertained!

Dont do festivals as dont like the loo idea but certainly wore a pair of fairy wings in my time for parties Op i suggest you get some wings, its such amazing feeling in the summer walking around the garden at a party wearing wings Some beauties out there...i wanted to wear them every day. Every adult should wear fairy ones once a year...it should be a law! Fairy wing day. Wonder if we could get a national holiday out of this! 😜

See what you missing op