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AIBU?

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Original poster

Fun police @ Music Festival. Full of rules!

129 replies

Exhippy · 09/08/2023 18:44

Me and my family (UK) have been going to a few weekend music festivals for years now and I’m starting to feel a bit irked by all of their rules.

This year we’ve received endless updates prior to arriving at the festivals about new rules concerning a full glitter ban, all the food vendors will be plant based food only (massive bummer), keep cups only or if you forget these and want to buy a drink on site you must buy one of their £10 keep cups £30 for whole family!

And so on.

Last year, DH finally found a stand that was selling canned drinks and bought one as he was really thirsty, only to be told that they had just noticed the drink was made by the Coca Cola company and that he would not be allowed to sell it. They said they’d take it back and destroy it! 🙄

What happened to the sensibilities of old school hippies- just go with the flow, let your hair down and try your best but mainly have fun- chill out?

Everyone seems so militant now.

This new breed of hippy may as well be evangelical Christians!

OP posts:
Original poster
Exhippy · 09/08/2023 22:44

TrickorTreacle · 09/08/2023 22:33

Name it, @Exhippy , like a few of us have already asked.

Show quote history

No.

OP posts:
Rogue1001MNer · 09/08/2023 22:51

Then I, and others, are going to assume its a goady thread designed to whip up froth amongst people who've either never been to a festival, or haven't been for a good number of years

Theimpossiblegirl · 09/08/2023 22:54

The op doesn't have to name the festival. This is an anonymous internet forum. It doesn't matter.

musicforthesoul · 09/08/2023 22:57

I think you just need to find new festivals to go to, whatever this one is clearly isn't your thing any more. I haven't come across any with rules like that (apart from vegan ones, but they're clearly advertised) so you should be able to find plenty that would suit you better.

Original poster
Exhippy · 09/08/2023 22:57

Rogue1001MNer · 09/08/2023 22:51

Then I, and others, are going to assume its a goady thread designed to whip up froth amongst people who've either never been to a festival, or haven't been for a good number of years

Okay. Quite a paranoid presumption, but you do you boo.

OP posts:
DysmalRadius · 09/08/2023 23:05

Woodstock was declared a state of emergency and was one of the grimmest, most dangerous events of its time, so I'm not sure the idea of 'peace and love' prevailing without fairly strict security has ever been a reality. Hippies are great at ideas, but execution leaves a lot to be desired...

Original poster
Exhippy · 09/08/2023 23:12

10HailMarys · 09/08/2023 21:03

So you like to immerse yourself in the natural world, but don’t actually want to do anything to preserve it? You don’t sound terribly bright, to be honest.

Show quote history

Thanks hun!

I think part of my resistance comes from a deep visceral frustration with our shitty government who won’t legislate for a better, sustainable world because they only care about money.

The bleeding hearts who run festivals are (TBF in good faith) trying to show people what we’d all need to do practically in order to make the world a better place, but it just feels like playing ‘pretend’ for the weekend.

I feel like shouting, NO- don’t YOU try and solve the rapid decline of our planet by buying your little keep cups, abstaining from glitter and not buying fizzy drinks from evil corporations. George Monbiot has written clearly about how it’s only governments who can make any meaningful improvements.!

It fills me with rage that the top 1% and the government COULD easily remedy many of the problems of this sick world, but they don’t because they are nihilistic pricks who only care about money.

The festivals assuage the eco-warrior’s guilt to some extent but they are paradoxically being good little consumers spending £10 for cheesy chips and £12.50 for cocktails etc all weekend, which the vendors are heavily taxed on. Where does this tax go? Hospitals? Schools? No, the government twats who only care about themselves.

it’s tragic that these naive festival consumers think they’re not complicit in the late stage capitalist hell-scape.

What cars are people driving up to festivals in? Electric? No. Old bangers, emission heavy campervans.

BEWARE the white man with dreadlocks.

OP posts:
CandyflossKaren · 09/08/2023 23:17

How dramatic!!

Not exactly 'endless rules' in the examples you've given!

calmcoco · 09/08/2023 23:24

Exhippy · 09/08/2023 23:12

Thanks hun!

I think part of my resistance comes from a deep visceral frustration with our shitty government who won’t legislate for a better, sustainable world because they only care about money.

The bleeding hearts who run festivals are (TBF in good faith) trying to show people what we’d all need to do practically in order to make the world a better place, but it just feels like playing ‘pretend’ for the weekend.

I feel like shouting, NO- don’t YOU try and solve the rapid decline of our planet by buying your little keep cups, abstaining from glitter and not buying fizzy drinks from evil corporations. George Monbiot has written clearly about how it’s only governments who can make any meaningful improvements.!

It fills me with rage that the top 1% and the government COULD easily remedy many of the problems of this sick world, but they don’t because they are nihilistic pricks who only care about money.

The festivals assuage the eco-warrior’s guilt to some extent but they are paradoxically being good little consumers spending £10 for cheesy chips and £12.50 for cocktails etc all weekend, which the vendors are heavily taxed on. Where does this tax go? Hospitals? Schools? No, the government twats who only care about themselves.

it’s tragic that these naive festival consumers think they’re not complicit in the late stage capitalist hell-scape.

What cars are people driving up to festivals in? Electric? No. Old bangers, emission heavy campervans.

BEWARE the white man with dreadlocks.

Show quote history

Goodness, that's a rant and a half.

You're sounding very judgemental towards people who are probably quite nice just trying to enjoy themselves.

As you said yourself What happened to the sensibilities of old school hippies- just go with the flow, let your hair down and try your best but mainly have fun- chill out?

Maybe the festival vibe is not for you any more.

DrCoconut · 09/08/2023 23:44

Not a festival but a country show near us banned picnics. You had to either buy food and drink there or go without. Not great for people with allergies despite the "something for everyone" claims, which don't usually include allergen free options. And it adds a huge amount to the bill for what used to be a relatively good value day out.

WhateverMate · 10/08/2023 00:12

Rogue1001MNer · 09/08/2023 22:51

Then I, and others, are going to assume its a goady thread designed to whip up froth amongst people who've either never been to a festival, or haven't been for a good number of years

This is exactly what it is.

Plant based food only 🙄

Original poster
Exhippy · 10/08/2023 00:15

WhateverMate · 10/08/2023 00:12

This is exactly what it is.

Plant based food only 🙄

Show quote history

Just because you find yourself experiencing this as goady, it was not my intention.
Sorry you're goaded.

OP posts:
BingoBangoFingoFango · 10/08/2023 00:21

Exhippy · 09/08/2023 19:32

Yes that is exactly what happened.
we didn’t question it because by that time we were on our 5th food place in search of a simple drink and were incredulous.
No cash allowed either.

Show quote history

Proper hippies wouldn’t ban cash 😂 There’d be a mutiny!

BingoBangoFingoFango · 10/08/2023 00:23

BingoBangoFingoFango · 10/08/2023 00:21

Proper hippies wouldn’t ban cash 😂 There’d be a mutiny!

Show quote history

However totally agree with the rest of your post. Can think of one festival in our circle that’s similar to what’s described.

babbscrabbs · 10/08/2023 00:25

It sounds like Shambala festival to me.

That's veggie and doesn't allow Coca Cola or Nestle.

Dramatic · 10/08/2023 00:25

I've never been to a festival and never plan to but yeah I'd be peeved at these rules too. First of all the price of a cup is extortionate. Second of all I'd be very disappointed at the vegan food, I am very fussy and meat is one of the only safe foods for me so I'd likely survive off chips for the entire weekend.

babbscrabbs · 10/08/2023 00:28

Dramatic · 10/08/2023 00:25

I've never been to a festival and never plan to but yeah I'd be peeved at these rules too. First of all the price of a cup is extortionate. Second of all I'd be very disappointed at the vegan food, I am very fussy and meat is one of the only safe foods for me so I'd likely survive off chips for the entire weekend.

But... You wouldn't choose that festival then?

If it's the one I think it is, they've been meat free for years and publicise it well. Also just bring your own reusable cup. You don't have to buy theirs.

Dramatic · 10/08/2023 00:54

babbscrabbs · 10/08/2023 00:28

But... You wouldn't choose that festival then?

If it's the one I think it is, they've been meat free for years and publicise it well. Also just bring your own reusable cup. You don't have to buy theirs.

Show quote history

That's true I suppose, I wouldn't. But then it sounds as though this festival has changed over the years that op has been going, I can see why that's annoying.

Ragwort · 10/08/2023 06:12

calmcico ... it's such a dismissive attitude to just say 'the staff clear up' after a festival Hmm. I don't rely on Daily Mail photos... like a PP I have seen the mess left behind at Reading Festival and was thoroughly shocked. All those so called 'green', free thinking, liberal individuals thinking it is acceptable to just dump unwanted tents etc. even if charities do collect the tents to redistribute (& I have links with a charity that used to do this) it is still a huge waste of labour, time and resources and not everything can be responsibly recycled.

Do you look at people dropping litter in the street and just think 'someone will sort that'? We actually live in a town that employs a full time street cleaner but surely it is still responsible not to drop your rubbish.

Hufflepods · 10/08/2023 06:13

The ranting is pretty ironic considering you attended this festival for years but seem to totally distance yourself from the festival goers.

floribunda18 · 10/08/2023 06:19

Glitter and reusable cups sound sensible, but surely it's ok to have something available for those who have forgotten, rather than them dying of thirst, and surely there should be drinking water freely available.

Re plant based food, it would depend what it was. Beanburgers - great. Fake meat and Quorn and pretend cheese = fuck off to the far side of fuck. Also I used to work with someone who couldn't eat pulses and beans so it wouldn't work for everyone.

FedUpWithEverything123 · 10/08/2023 06:20

I think you need to take a chill pill OP!
If you are so out of whack with these values, I dont even see how youve been going to festivals all these years, it's hardly a hardship for a few days to not eat meat or drink coke or use a reusable cup

floribunda18 · 10/08/2023 06:23

FedUpWithEverything123 · 10/08/2023 06:20

I think you need to take a chill pill OP!
If you are so out of whack with these values, I dont even see how youve been going to festivals all these years, it's hardly a hardship for a few days to not eat meat or drink coke or use a reusable cup

Depends if its proper sustainable values though or some kind of latest trendy thing shite posho trustafarian capitalist greenwashing and replacing one thing with another that is actually worse.

screentimehelpplease · 10/08/2023 06:27

Which festivals were these? It's not something I've experienced and you gave to be honest does sound quite far fetched.

BlastedIce · 10/08/2023 06:44

Stuff that, sounds bloody miserable!