Just turned 17yr old going to Leeds Fest

[ShittingHell]

She has never camped, hates sleeping out, loves home comforts etc etc but her mates are going and apparently it will be brilliant. I have no experience of it at all. Who else has let their younger teens go? Were they ok?

I went to that exact thing at that age and was fine. I had never camped but it's not really about that. Hope she has an aces time if she goes

I don't understand how a festival is allowed to happen at the moment.

I let my 16 year old go by herself. She didn't like it as we'd gone to better festivals in the past.

@KarenMarlow3

I don't understand how a festival is allowed to happen at the moment.

It was announced yesterday or the day before that Leeds and Reading festivals would go ahead in the Summer, which would be when the restrictions have been fully lifted (or lifted as much as poss by June 21). I'm guessing it's a suck it and see situation though as if infection starts to climb again they'll have to rethink.

How exciting though OP, I went to party in the park in Glasgow for my first festival experience at 17...it was brilliant

Obviously I meant T in the park, got my festivals mixed up lol

My daughter went a couple of years ago at 17 to Leeds and had a brilliant time. I like you was very nervous about her going but my policy now is you've got to trust them at some point. She came home very tired and dirty but full of how brilliant it was. She went with 3 friends and we gave them lifts there and back. The worst thing that happened was they had a deck chair stolen. As long as she and her friends are sensible they'll be fine.

My eldest DS went at 16 and 17 and had a bloody great time

Youngest - currently 15 but will be 16 is going this year too

It's at the end of August - by then there should be no reason why it won't go ahead.

As for the festival itself - it's pretty wild, there are lots of people selling drugs etc. so you really do need a really good drugs chat.

@KarenMarlow3

I don't understand how a festival is allowed to happen at the moment.

18y Dd has just got tickets. She knows that it may not go ahead and depends on what's happening at the time. They can get their money back if it doesn't happen.

Whether it's sensible for a festival to go ahead in August I don't know. It's too early to say. But if the road map happens as planned then it is assumed it is safe to do so, will go ahead and people will go. It may be that those going will be covid tested in arrival perhaps but again that will be decided nearer the time for large scale events.

They've got to be allowed at some point I guess.

I went when I was 17 OP (to Reading festival) it’s a very “my first festival” kind of festival. A large majority are first-timers and they expect a lot of the demographic to be like your daughter.

I went back in the day when it used to play (thankfully!) much more hard rock/heavy metal but over the last couple of decades it’s more of a indie/alt rock/pop rock festival so you are getting younger and younger crowds.

I think she will have a blast! Good learning experience!

Sounds fine to me. I remember going to festivals at that age in the 90s.

17 year old DS is going. He was meant to go last year when he would have been 16. He's going with several friends, lost will have just 17 (he's the oldest of the group - 18 in Nov)

I'm def feeling happier about him going this year, I was nervous about him going last. We're fairly local, so happy that if needed to we could get to him quickly - not that he'd want that!

Jesus, I wouldnt. But that's because I've only ever seen the aftermath of empty fields covered in tents and all the other shite these charming festival goers have left behind. Grim doesn't begin to cover it. I wouldn't want to mix with people who think that's ok, and I wouldnt want my child doing so either.

@KarenMarlow3

I don't understand how a festival is allowed to happen at the moment.

I think it's more a case of 'we're not cancelling yet and very much hope it will go ahead' because obviously they can't say for certainty that it will go ahead, just more a case of it will go ahead if everything goes to plan over the next few months, so we'll act as it is going ahead until someone tells us it can't. Like the people booking holidays for July onwards.

There's plenty of festivals and similar events planned for the summer before Reading and Leeds that will give an indication as to whether those will happen.

DS did when he was 16-17, DS said he was too old for it in his mid 20s, I think most that go are 16-20

@pinksparkly

My daughter went a couple of years ago at 17 to Leeds and had a brilliant time. I like you was very nervous about her going but my policy now is you've got to trust them at some point. She came home very tired and dirty but full of how brilliant it was. She went with 3 friends and we gave them lifts there and back. The worst thing that happened was they had a deck chair stolen. As long as she and her friends are sensible they'll be fine.

I felt like this too when my son went. Nervous but you've got to let them go. I silently worried until he returned!

Hopefully she's going with a good crowd, I think it's better if there are several who'll all look out for each other. It's well organised; security everywhere, first aid tents, water stations etc.

I don't think ds had any sleep, he slept for two days when he got home, after a very long bath.

It's great the teens have something to look forward to after a terrible, isolated year for them.

Nearer the time, there are some good (old) festival threads on here with advice, items to take etc. A battery pack phone charger was really useful.

I went at just turned 16. Its amazing and the perfect age to go! Nobody likes camping but festivals are different!

Most people there will be between 16-21. It’s a “young” festival. I’d not bat an eye about letting them go.

DD went to Reading at 17, it seems a rite of passage to get your GCSE results and head off at 16 around here. It is def a young festival. She had a fabulous time, came back filthy and exhausted and needed to give her liver a rest for a while!!

I can't see it happening this year though. Literally thousands and thousands of teens squashed together.

She’ll love it! Make sure she takes nothing valuable or that it’s insured up the wazoo. Tell her to embrace the dirt, no point fighting it.

How fantastic it’ll be for all the younguns getting to dance and laugh with all their friends. Makes me feel a bit misty eyed.

She'll be fine! I was 16 when I went to my first festival, had a brilliant time.

My son went to Reading at the same age and has done a number of times since (he is now 22). I understand the two are effectively linked. he had a great time. Ironically he would never have camped with us, but he was quite happy to do so with a group of mixed friends, and these days it does seem to be part of growing up. Take into account that they can come back absolutely filthy, so if you are picking up or dropping off have some blankets or plastic sheets ready, and the washing machine might get a bit of use.

@CallistoSol

Jesus, I wouldnt. But that's because I've only ever seen the aftermath of empty fields covered in tents and all the other shite these charming festival goers have left behind. Grim doesn't begin to cover it. I wouldn't want to mix with people who think that's ok, and I wouldnt want my child doing so either.

She's not a child she's very close to adulthood. Your kids have to make their own choices and be their own people I'm afraid you dont get to control what they want to do and who they want to be with !

and not all of them leave stuff behind to rot! Don't group everyone together like that.

I went at that age (well, I was 16 - my 17th birthday was the day after the festival), albeit in the year 2000 so a long time ago now. I think it's a bit of a rite of passage and I think it's fine.

17 isnt a young teen. There are help tents around My daughter used to go to the Christian one to get hot water for her pot noodle or for her coffee. Both mine went to Leeds at 17 and had a great time.