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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that music festivals are bloody hard work and physically very tough?

160 replies

malificent7 · 27/06/2023 16:19

Just got back from Glastonbury and feel as rough as hell. I have been many times but this year at the age of 45 I might have to admitt defeat as much as I love them.

The media portrays this picture of unadulterated fun and freedom. The reality=
Lug your tent , clothes, food and booze for 30 mins( minimum,) from car to camping pitch.
Q q q for loos,food, drink etc.
Exposed to elements such as blazing sun with little shade.
Walk 25 miles a day.
Catch the lurgy as in close proximity to 1000000s .
Good job i love music but my body can't cope. I hate drugs and drank very little booze ..i'm more into Green smoothies but still feel awful today.

OP posts:
Loulou9021 · 27/06/2023 21:49

Said the person who's clearly never been to Glasto 😂 if you had been you would realise the sheer size of the place and how physically demanding the festival is !

BluebellBlueballs · 27/06/2023 21:51

You need to choose a smaller festival. Glastonbury is too big its massive

I prefer smaller festivals like womad where you can walk from the main stage to your tent in 10 mins

QuestionableMouse · 27/06/2023 22:02

Gymmum82 · 27/06/2023 16:28

Hard work and tiredness from lack of sleep sure. I never sleep well camping. Physically very tough? Absolutely not. Walking and sitting round in a field is not physically demanding. Nor is carrying stuff from the car

As someone with a chronic health condition, all of those things can be very physically demanding. You're presuming everyone is able bodied and fit.

AngeloMysterioso · 27/06/2023 22:17

YANBU but in fairness, I can’t think of any other festivals that are as big or as long as Glasto. I tend to think of it as the London of festivals- London is a vast city but it’s more a collection of distinctive areas. Covent Garden, Notting Hill, Shoreditch, Hampstead and so on, and Glasto is the same… The Park, The South East Corner, Silver Hayes etc could all easily be mini festivals on their own. And most other festivals don’t run Wednesday (or Tuesday afternoon for the truly hardcore) to Monday.

I’ve done Glastonbury pregnant (including this year) twice now, and they say pregnancy is the equivalent of running a marathon every day in terms of energy expenditure. So I ran a marathon and walked an additional average 35,000 steps per day in 27° heat this year, then slept in a twisty-ass sleeping bag on an uncomfy-ass camping mat in a tent surrounded by a quarter of a million other people, and used stinking toilets, and ate overpriced food, and stood for hours in enormous crowds. I’m exhausted today.

Had a fucking great time though Grin

Meltingpots · 27/06/2023 22:24

AngeloMysterioso · 27/06/2023 22:17

YANBU but in fairness, I can’t think of any other festivals that are as big or as long as Glasto. I tend to think of it as the London of festivals- London is a vast city but it’s more a collection of distinctive areas. Covent Garden, Notting Hill, Shoreditch, Hampstead and so on, and Glasto is the same… The Park, The South East Corner, Silver Hayes etc could all easily be mini festivals on their own. And most other festivals don’t run Wednesday (or Tuesday afternoon for the truly hardcore) to Monday.

I’ve done Glastonbury pregnant (including this year) twice now, and they say pregnancy is the equivalent of running a marathon every day in terms of energy expenditure. So I ran a marathon and walked an additional average 35,000 steps per day in 27° heat this year, then slept in a twisty-ass sleeping bag on an uncomfy-ass camping mat in a tent surrounded by a quarter of a million other people, and used stinking toilets, and ate overpriced food, and stood for hours in enormous crowds. I’m exhausted today.

Had a fucking great time though Grin

Are you young? You must be young.

If you're over 30 and did this I expect you to join the SAS and do the job you deserve!

elodiedie · 27/06/2023 22:35

I thought the Elton crowd summed up Glastonbury now. The other stages were left with very small audiences. In years past there were loads of people who weren’t interested in such a mainstream act and the crowd was more evenly spread. Now it’s all about ticking a box to say you’ve seen a mega star.

lightisnotwhite · 27/06/2023 22:38

AngeloMysterioso · 27/06/2023 22:17

YANBU but in fairness, I can’t think of any other festivals that are as big or as long as Glasto. I tend to think of it as the London of festivals- London is a vast city but it’s more a collection of distinctive areas. Covent Garden, Notting Hill, Shoreditch, Hampstead and so on, and Glasto is the same… The Park, The South East Corner, Silver Hayes etc could all easily be mini festivals on their own. And most other festivals don’t run Wednesday (or Tuesday afternoon for the truly hardcore) to Monday.

I’ve done Glastonbury pregnant (including this year) twice now, and they say pregnancy is the equivalent of running a marathon every day in terms of energy expenditure. So I ran a marathon and walked an additional average 35,000 steps per day in 27° heat this year, then slept in a twisty-ass sleeping bag on an uncomfy-ass camping mat in a tent surrounded by a quarter of a million other people, and used stinking toilets, and ate overpriced food, and stood for hours in enormous crowds. I’m exhausted today.

Had a fucking great time though Grin

You know your unborn child is going to hate this. “ Mum says I’ve been to Glastonbury” they’ll say with an eye roll as they book rooms for Chess tournament in Swindon.

mrsbyers · 27/06/2023 23:04

Glastonbury is too much for me these days , tried a couple of smaller festivals more recently and even they were a challenge with some health issues so resigned to watching on tv

MadCatLady27 · 27/06/2023 23:19

Someone on another thread came up with a cracking sentence that if you devised their personal hell it would be Glastonbury

That is exactly the same for me except insert any festival. You'd have to pay me to go to Glastonbury - with the condition it was to stay in a campervan!

-the toilets. Just no. I did Badminton horse trials when I was younger and that was traumatic enough

-the camping. I categorically do not do camping. I need a BED. The thought of some strangers tents being right outside mine..urgh

-the lack of sleep. I'd be in a vile mood from it

-how peopley it is. Just no. Especially the huge crowds. Especially as a lot are on drunk and drugs.

-standing for hours on end and walking. The Louvre in Paris killed my back even.

I really enjoyed watching Elton on the TV from my nice comfy bed, clean toilet accessible. He was fantastic. Being there for me would most definitely not be fantastic!

I go to football matches but at least the toilets flush and you get a seat, sometimes even padded 😉

MadCatLady27 · 27/06/2023 23:26

heartsinvisiblefury · 27/06/2023 18:14

Me too! I was getting pissed off on behalf of the people behind those people. My kids think it's hilarious but I was shouting at the tv for them to get down 😂😂😂😂.

Show quote history

I'd have lost my rag if I were stuck behind one of them and they blocked my view. Selfish imo

Hence why it's for the best it's my idea of personal hell

89redballoons · 27/06/2023 23:29

I've only been to Glastonbury once since growing up, but I had a bit of a crap time due to this. We were camped an hour's walk from our car, spent so much time walking and queueing, and on the Saturday night we went back to our tent at 1.30am "to rest our feet" and never made it out again. Lame.

That was when I was 27 so not old and past it yet.

However, Glastonbury is a bit of an exception to the rule. Smaller festivals don't have this problem - Shambala, Glade while it was still running, even Boomtown and Green Man and Secret Garden Party are loads smaller than Glastonbury.

i haven't been to a festival since having DC 4 years ago though, so might be out of the loop.

tillyandmilly · 27/06/2023 23:35

I wouldn't go even if someone paid me a million pounds! Sleeping in a 🏕️with creepy crawlies - no washing facilities, queuing for the toilets, queuing for food, the list goes on! Never……

HerNameIsIncontinentiaButtocks · 27/06/2023 23:39

Went last year (my mid 50s), did about 15 miles a day wednesday-sunday, came home and went down with covid next day🤘
Glamped just offsite with proper showers etc - which was over twice the cost of the ticket, but totally worth it even though it added about 2 miles to the day.

Original poster
malificent7 · 27/06/2023 23:51

I had D and V last night so not going to work tomorrow. Hope they don't think I got high...i hate drugs. Could be norovirus.
I had a world map tongue so obviously run down even after daily kale smoothies!
I do love it...my fav bit was the d and b rave at theTemple on Thursday night but my body can't take it atm.
Going to a small folk festival in 2 weeks which is georgeous.

OP posts:
Original poster
malificent7 · 27/06/2023 23:52

If i got rich i'd go glamping...but actually would probably spend it on a Maldives trip!

OP posts:
Summerfun54321 · 28/06/2023 00:18

If you don't leave Glastonbury crawling on your hands and knees feeling like you've run a marathon and been through a mangle, then you haven't done it right.

PandaG · 28/06/2023 00:20

Smallish local 3 day festival I can just about cope with - but as they don't allow chairs I'm selective about who I really want to see as just can't stand for hours on end - I can catch a bus with approx a 10 min walk at either end so go later or leave earlier than husband or (adult) kids. Very small local 1 day festival I love - can rock up with camping chairs and a huge picnic. I've also learnt to take a book - I can happily read through the band's I'm less bothered about but enjoy the music in the background, and dash to the front to dance to my faves. I know some people would think this a waste, but for me it makes for a lovely day (as long as it's dry!)

Allmyghosts · 28/06/2023 00:24

Yeah, I'm 42 and could not be slightly arsed. Glad I went to a lot of gigs when I when I was young, don't feel like I am missing out now. Il happily watch on telly.

Tbh gasto hasn't ever appealed, not my tastes mostly.

Wellgoodforyou · 28/06/2023 00:30

HNRTFT but I watch Glastonbury every year and it gives me such a buzz seeing so many people having fun. My children come back from festivals inc Glastonbury feeling shit but the memories will last forever! If I could glamp with the VIPs I would definitely go …am nearly 60 !

Allmyghosts · 28/06/2023 00:34

I have lost the fomo. I remember going into a gig and a bloke in front had dropped his ticket. I tapped him on the shoulder to tell him and he shot me a heteful look, so I yoinked his ticket over my shoulder and carried on haha. Cheered me up.

squishee · 28/06/2023 00:38

There's a German comedy rock song (by JBO) about how tough the Wacken festival is. Putting up tents, fetching water, not enough sleep, proper food, showers or toilets... But hey, it's only once a year.

Mamai90 · 28/06/2023 00:43

These are the very reasons a musical festival has never appealed to me, even when I was younger. Now I'm 40 I can't think of anything worse but my DH still enjoys them. Different horses and all that.

Chickenkeev · 28/06/2023 01:09

Went in 2009, was a bit of a trek as had to fly over. Had an absolute blast but i was wrecked when i got back, i really had no understanding of the scale of it. I wouldn't be able for it now but really glad i went.

TheCatterall · 28/06/2023 02:17

@CaveCanem can you recommend some of the smaller UK festivals. I loved Dent festival and other small ones. The chaps doing Giles Petersons - We out here festival but it’s too big, noisy and full on for me. The smaller ones are what I crave!

AngeloMysterioso · 28/06/2023 09:42

Meltingpots · 27/06/2023 22:24

Are you young? You must be young.

If you're over 30 and did this I expect you to join the SAS and do the job you deserve!

Show quote history

😂 I’m nearly 38