Reading Festival at 16...

[asneakysnickers]

Hello
DS has just asked if he can go to Reading Festival.
He will be 16 and just free of GCSE's.
When he was young we went to lots of folk festivals (a bit quieter!) and we went to Reading together a few years ago.
He's a sensible chap and has an assortment of friends, both male and female, who don't know one another.
I'm not worried about him doing anything untoward, but I am worried about other people! Has anyones teen been recently who can allay my concerns?! Thank you

the 'riots' all get shut down fairly quickly these days- fires are banned on the Sunday nights so when I was there in 2016 there was no real issues on the last night. I went when I was 16 and then again when I was 17 and had the time of my life and have such lovely memories, of all the festivals Ive been to reading is the one where Ive felt safest. As with any festival, people do stupid things and incidents do happen, but if you want to look at it that way we're all at risk of people doing stupid things and causing us harm every time we leave the house- if you let him go it'll be great for building his independence and celebrating the end of a hard year of school with his mates, in a field full of other 16/17 year olds doing the same thing

JDilla, I am amazed that you say it is family-friendly - both my teens have been and said it is almost all 16-18's. Some off their faces, others managing themselves a bit better! It is a rite of passage for those who want to go.
Neither reported any Sunday riots, and on the 3 pick-ups I have done very early on the Monday morning, I saw many very tired and dusty/muddly youngsters very relieved to see their mums/dads

DS went to Latitude earlier last summer, and said that was very family friendly.

Crikey, my 14 year old wants to go, and I actually want to see a couple of the bands there; they now offer a pay by instalments ticket deal which I was thinking of starting soon to buy the tickets. She tells me that other friends of hers went last year, so these would have all been 13 year olds, a parent and other adults went too but they stayed in separate campsites! The trashing sounds scary, and judging by what other posters are saying here 14 is too young. She's really pushing me thought, she wants to be out and about more than I want her to be right now; I'm trying to reach a compromise with her, but I think Reading seems a bit too far. Maybe we could go for a day on the day that most of the bands we both want to see are on.

take him to leeds fest, in my opinion much safer and child friendly

It’s full of 16 year olds on a post GCSE results frenzy. They either pick up their results and go straight from school on the Thursday or celebrate/commiserate with parents that night and go Friday morning. If you want him to avoid the Sunday night thing, then get him to come back on Sunday afternoon - he’ll still have had a good time there, will be shattered and will probably be glad to have a proper loo and bath! Lots of kids don’t stay right until the end so he won’t be the only one.

Reading sounds like it's changed a lot since I last went in 98

I'd imagine 16 is fine if they've got their head screwed on and groups of friends stick together.

I can speak from experience when I say it doesn't matter what age he goes, there is A LOT of alcohol and even more drugs!! It is a fantastic time and if you trust your son then go for it but just be aware of the environment.

I first went at 16yrs along with other festivals that summer. If he’s a sensible chap as you say he’ll stay away from any potential dodginess!

Reading is almost all teenagers. I went when I was in my 20s and felt old as fuck.