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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Leeds Festival for a 17 year old

83 replies

Throwmoneyatit · 17/07/2026 18:15

Good evening everyone!

I need advice! Talk to me about Leeds Festival please!

I just want to start by saying that when I was 17, I was horse obsessed and didn't like to go too far from my horses so I've led quite a few sheltered teen years!

My son has asked for a ticket to Leeds Festival for his birthday. He will turn 17 a month before.

The thing is, I'm 3 hours away from the site and I'm working that weekend. Obviously if there were any problems, I'd leave work or pay for a taxi home (ideally neither of these things but this is where we are on emergencies).

There is return coach travel available to the Festival from a city about an hour away from me so it would be train and then coach. He knows how to catch trains, buses, read timetables etc.

I've taken him to Highest Point every year (and I think this is where he got the festival bug), went to Kendal Calling last year with his girlfriend and some friends. There was a parent at this festival and I'm less than an hour away, in the event of an emergency.

He has saved up and bought a ticket for Kendal Calling again this year, saved his spending money, bought a tent etc. He's an apprenticeship and works really hard. He will continue working during the holidays and has booked the weekend of Leeds Festival off.

He is kind, considerate, well mannered, reliable and sensible. I'm biased but I am so incredibly lucky to have a son like him. We are close and he tells me a lot. Dh thinks because of how he is as a person, he will be absolutely fine but this is our first child and I don't know if it's a sensible idea due to my teenage years.

He will be attending the events with his lovely girlfriend and their friends (mainly couples) who have a similar mentality to my son and I've met them all. They're all fabulous 17 and 18 year old.

I would book the train, coach, festival ticket and the powerbank swap scheme.

I know I can't have absolute certainty, and I don't know if I'm thinking too much as I suffer with diagnosed anxiety, but is Leeds Fest OK for a 17 year old?

OP posts:
Throwmoneyatit · 18/07/2026 18:30

Brokedownpalace · 17/07/2026 23:39

I went at 17, Reading. A long time ago now! My mates tent got robbed but other than that we survived.

Would advise him not to camp anywhere near toilets and far away from the main stage as others have said as it's louder and more people passing through the closer you get to the arena.

Thank you so much! I will add these to the advice list I'm compiling 😁

OP posts:
Throwmoneyatit · 18/07/2026 18:36

marthasmum · 18/07/2026 00:02

I have 3 too but a bit older than yours OP. Two of mine have been to Leeds fest and come home safe and sound…I was less worried the second time! He sounds great and it sounds like you’ve done a great job with him. Hope he and his friends have a fab time.

Thank you so much, I'm incredibly proud of him. I will let him take the credit for it though 🥰
So, it gets easier?! Thank god. Although I still have the other two to get to this stage 🥴
I'm really glad your children had a good experience there! Thank you! 😁

OP posts:
Throwmoneyatit · 18/07/2026 18:37

putitonthewrongway · 18/07/2026 07:58

Yes he will be fine I got the boat to the UK and my boyfriend drove us to Glastonbury when I was 17.

Wow! That sounds like an adventure! Thank you 😁

OP posts:
Blueyblueyblue · 18/07/2026 23:32

fashionqueen0123 · 17/07/2026 22:34

I went to Reading and had great fun and saw amazing bands at that age. Great memories! It was fine.

I went to Reading twice and loved it. Such happy memories.

ExitPursuedByABare · 19/07/2026 00:00

He’ll be grand. My DD went post GCSEs at 16 and at 17. She did get a bin bag full of shit thrown on her head one year but hey, that’s festivals for you. She moved on to Boomtown at 18.

Wemustbetherebynow · 19/07/2026 00:14

Recommend booking into the eco camp at Leeds fest for a slightly more sensible camping experience. Both my DSs went post GCSE and had a great time. Despite me worrying all the time 😂one of the group one year dislocated their thumb and got excellent help on site from the medical team.

OnTheBoardwalk · 19/07/2026 00:26

I’ve been to many festivals and I was at Leeds during the riots. It was fine and my car wasn’t one of the very few that was set on fire

it absolutely wouldn’t stop me going again apart from the fact I’m too old

all I would say is stick together with his girlfriend and friends. On the very very unlikely chance something happened they could all sort something out between them

BurntBroccoli · 19/07/2026 00:37

It’s mostly 17 and 18 year olds. I will say though that the year my YP went, some idiots were setting fire to tents and so they had to sleep in their car (they’d driven there).

Parents were also picking up their kids due to this.

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