AIBU to not see music festivals as a teenage rite of passage?

[musemusemuse]

to not understand the appeal of music festivals.

I hear that music festivals like Leeds are a right of passage for teenagers, I never went to one as a young teen myself and I don’t remember any of my friends going either. Is this a right of passage, did I miss out? Or AIBU to think they are not really a right of passage.

Mine too.
I took DS to his first Download when he was 14. He’s 26 now and we still go together most years.
He does Bloodstock every year too.
🤘🏻🤘🏻

I never really drank much, if at all, at festivals when I was younger. Mainly because I didn’t like feeling drunk and I didn’t want to deal with that on top of the sleepless nights and long days. No one cared if I drank or not and I still had the time of my life. As some others have said though, I went to rock festivals and I always felt so safe. I’m not sure if Reading and Leeds have the same vibe or not.

I never went and didn’t want to at the time.
1 of my kids loved it think the other one would hate them.
Sometimes I think in hindsight might have been good to go but even with Glastonbury not sure I could be bothered anymore.

Then what does it matter? It doesn’t have to a rite of passage for you, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a rite of passage for other people. What’s your issue?

Maybe it depends on how close you are geographically. Neither myself nor any of my friends did festivals in our teens as all the main ones were a 3 hour plus journey from where we lived and there was no chance at 16 that we could afford the travel and ticket prices.

I can't imagine any parent wants their teen there. Just a conclusion that they've reached the point where they need to stop helicoptering them.

Festivals are for all ages. There is no “perfect” age.

it Is around here (east London). Most of the teens I know seem to head to reading after GCSE’s and for the next few years. I did when I was 17, and I’ve been going to festivals ever since. Glastonbury every year, we out here last few years (incredible small festival), lots of others here and abroad. I love the music, and the way you just live in this bubble of fun and joy for 3/4 days. I’m 50 now and I hope I keep going for as long as I can do it. Not sure how my son will feel - currently 13 so he has a few years to go

My then 16 year old was adamant Reading was a rite of passage after GCSEs, I was happy for her to go with her group of friends - much better than then illegal raves I went to at 16!

DS didn't until he and his friends could drive at 17 as we didn't live near any and it was quite a trek on public transport. When I was 16 we used to hitchhike but that was the 70s and people did then. When DS was 18 he worked at Glastonbury for several years as you didn't have to pay then and could still watch it. He still goes to Glastonbury now, every year it's on, he is mid 30s.

None of my 3 have ever been to a festival or shown any inclination to do so. A lot of my DD's friends went and there are probably aspects of it she would have enjoyed but she never fancied the camping! DS1 is pretty antisocial and into mainly classical music anyway so it's not his idea of fun either. DS2 is very interested in music but when he's looked at festival line ups he's felt that it is a lot of money when there's only one or two bands he is actually interested in. He does go to a lot of gigs - a good live music scene was something he was keen on when thinking about where to go to University - but he's got a limited budget and would rather spend his money on going to plenty of smaller events throughout the year than a couple of festivals or stadium gigs.
I probably wouldn't have tried to stop any of them if they'd been desperate to go somewhere but I have to confess that I am quite relieved that none of them have ever wanted to.

If you don't even have a teenager then why do you care?

Because she just wants to spread a load of negative, judgemental energy

Why did you accuse me of posting another thread that was nothing to do with me?

So much depends on the festival - I'd be very reluctant if any of mine wanted to go to Reading or Leeds, as it seems to be a rougher crowd/ more violence, whereas, as others have said, rock festivals tend to have less trouble, and smaller local festivals are a better place to start.

If you don’t have the ability to explain that’s on you.

you really shouldn’t wrongly accuse someone of having started another thread though, and when that poster states they didn’t, you
shouldn't be passive aggressive.

You seem hung up on this "rite of passage" thing. A rite of passage marks the moving from one stage of life to another. Perhaps the "rite of passage" is really leaving school, or becoming a parent, or getting married. Going to a music festival might be something you do when you leave school, but it's not the ROP in itself (imo).

Actually with all these percentages you're quoting, but apparently only a casual interest in the subject I'm wondering if you're a journo?

My girls both went to T in the park many times as we lived nearby, had a ball. Also Leeds festival . They either love going or aren’t interested.
Nearest thing to a festival I ever went to was the Radio one roadshow on Torquay seafront, I loved it 🤣. Not quite the same, but there’s something about mass crowds enjoying live music in the open air !

No I’m definitely not a journo
I googled some stats after some of the posters responses.

I think you are right though, leaving school and starting work is a rite of passage.
im just not sure how going to a music festival is.

im not sure how much responsibility is learned when tickets are normally pad for by parents and they leave so many tents and belongings to land fill.

The first couple I went to were with slightly older male friends who looked out for me, and I wasn’t drinking, so I think that made it feel pretty safe. Sensible precautions apply: don’t leave valuables unattended, don’t stagger around wasted on your own, especially in the dark. Leave the good jewellery and the designer gear at home. Wear sensible shoes if you’re attending an event in a field. Find some way of identifying your tent amount thousands of near identical ones once the last band is done.

YANBU - but it’s ok for you not to like them/see them as significant and for others to find them transformative moments in their lives. Some of my most cherished personal memories are at the festivals of the late 90s, when I was an older teen. Yours are something else. Maybe a holiday with friends? That’s fine! We’re not all the same :)

Oh get real

Just turned 16 is not the perfect age

Of course … if you like music! They are for people who want to watch bands with their mates for 3 days on the trot. That’s not everyone; but it’s a lot of people.