Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Reading Festival 2023 ... hints and tips.

135 replies

sm40 · 14/08/2023 20:05

Apologies if chat already set up/this in in the wrong place.
I saw a thread like this last year and now it DS is going looking for any hints.
He's hardly camped, let alone done a festival Grin
He's 16 and we are heading down straight after GCSE results on Thursday.
Where do I drop off (not picking up so that's not my issue). What should I remind him to pack and any other stuff I should tell him. What about booze? Do they get checked on the way in. I'm trying to avoid him smuggling in vodka, and rather him take a crate of beers.
How expensive is it in there?
I've just ordered the daily phone charge pack thing for him
I've told DH he is having the chat about sex!
And any advice for me not to be stressed all weekend?
Thanks!

OP posts:
Briefhistory · 22/08/2023 10:07

@NameChangePoP That’s really kind & v helpful to know.

We are lucky to have friends whose boy is going & they are 15 mind away. I’m not far either, but they may not want to see their own mums!

Hey I reckon we need a virtual Street Pastor tent for us parents…

NameChangePoP · 22/08/2023 10:17

Briefhistory · 22/08/2023 10:07

@NameChangePoP That’s really kind & v helpful to know.

We are lucky to have friends whose boy is going & they are 15 mind away. I’m not far either, but they may not want to see their own mums!

Hey I reckon we need a virtual Street Pastor tent for us parents…

Oh definitely!

I remember the days when my girls went when they were under 18 - I was so worried about them, even though I was on site volunteering!
I've seen first hand some of the madness that people get up to at this event and it's always daunting letting them go off and do their thing.
We definitely need a parents support group so we can all look out for each other!

Ariela · 22/08/2023 10:51

Zimunya · 15/08/2023 15:04

Just a word of warning about the TGI car park - if you are there for longer than 30 minutes you get fined (there is a sign at the entrance stating this, but sadly I missed it!). There's probaby a way to pay on an app - but if you're thinking "pick up" as I was, remember your time limits :)

To echo this, the parking mafia are cruel. Do NOT leave the car park yourself, and DO buy something in one of the shops (Aldi, The Range) before you leave the car park as 'proof' you parked for the shop - if they see son and friends and camping kit leave the car/car park they will try and argue you left the site, impossible to prove one way or another, but if you have a receipt you're OK.

sm40 · 22/08/2023 12:12

DS has just decided he needs a silent disco ticket so all sorted!
He is also aware of silent pastors and have told him to use them if needed.
He's just told me the friends picking up are staying locally so they can leave easily if needed!
Just hitting home that my 2 most stressful parenting moments are happening on 1 day!
Will pick up plasters and diarrhoea tablets. Am leaving the vodka purchase and hiding to him.

OP posts:
sm40 · 22/08/2023 12:38

Also what about ID. DS is very tall and looks older than 16. What can he take (preferably not an original of anything). He has a railcard on his phone.

OP posts:
sm40 · 22/08/2023 12:42

Would a railcard be ok to prove he's 16?

OP posts:
wondabar · 22/08/2023 21:56

This is all so helpful. What is the phone package/ plan that is mentioned high up on the threads as that could be really useful

OP posts:
sm40 · 22/08/2023 22:03

And any good, not too manic drop off spots. Happy to shop if needed!

OP posts:
fernsandlilies · 22/08/2023 22:13

A tip from DS - get DC to change the lock screen picture on their phones to a screenshot of a mate’s number & message saying If Found Ring This Number.

wondabar · 22/08/2023 22:55

Thanks SM40. I have booked a charger. They're £25 now but I think will definitely be a good idea for the duration of the festival

TiredCatLady · 22/08/2023 22:57

This should probably go without saying and it’s grim but please ask your DCs to NOT pee (or the other) anywhere except in a toilet, even if they have to queue. Aside from polluting the ground, If the weather is dry then it reeks, if it’s wet then they’ll be wading through it. An overriding memory of Leeds/Reading (wet weather years) was groups of lads pissing against a fence at the top of a hill and it running into literal ponds then onward into peoples tents. The fence was next to some admittedly smelly but functional loos so no excuse but they seemed to think it was really funny.

Roads around the event are bad on access and egress. If you can try to collect them outside of the main egress time then you’ll have less of a queue.

Phone signal generally patchy to terrible - tell them to download the set lists and save them to their pictures beforehand as the apps might not work.

As someone else said about the phone Lock Screen with a mates details. Likewise if you’re a parent doing a pick up - best to have one of their mates numbers too in case your DCs phone has no charge/has got wet etc.

Good shoes! Open toed/flips flops/gelly shoes may seem like a great idea in warm weather but they blister/toes will get stood on and are easier to roll an ankle on uneven ground or after a few shandies…

Usual suncream, hat, sunnies , try to drink at least some water, some waterproofs and also something warm - tents can get surprisingly cold and damp at night after you’ve been huddled in a warm crowd all day, warm leggings/top/dry socks to slip into can be a relief.

Take nothing that they can’t afford to lose - unfortunately some people are opportunistic.

Encourage them to take their tent and kit home with them. (It’ll save them spending out again next year if nothing else…)

If they feel unsafe or unwell then the welfare crew are there to help. They’ve literally seen everything. There will be police on site. Again - they’re there to help.

Ear plugs! Not just to help with sleep but also to take the edge off near loud venues - you can get decent ones on Amazon or at boots for not much money at all.

Try not to worry too much - they’ll survive even if some will sleep for three days afterwards and very much decide they never want to camp again!

Top tip for parents picking up DCs if it’s been a wet one: couple of Bin bags on your car seats as they might be a bit soggy and a bin bag in each footwell for them to step into and remove their grubby footwear. Be prepared for a late night McDs or KFC trip… (get the second nearest one into the sat nav before you head off for minimal queueing…).

You can give them all the tools/advice but it’s up to them if/how they go about it. Most of them will have a great time. And for what it’s worth I hope it stays dry this weekend.

wondabar · 22/08/2023 23:34

What is a good water bottle to take to a festival? I'm looking for one that can be attached to them and not too clunky

Briefhistory · 23/08/2023 05:19

Incredibly helpful @TiredCatLady huge thanks. Bit concerned about wee issue but fingers crossed. He has an early bird ticket… goodness knows if he will have the stamina to last all the days.

@sm40 Railcard not really good. It says on the list. Passport or birth certificate.

Urgh I can’t wait for this to pass!

sm40 · 23/08/2023 06:57

@Briefhistory I'm reading that list of valid ID to prove they are 18, I'm wondering about valid id to get in.
It mentions 'age checks' to get in and then the next section is about their think 25 policy and valid id for that.
I was hoping the railcard would get past the age check along with a photo of passport.

OP posts:
sm40 · 23/08/2023 07:11

@TiredCatLady thanks for the list.

OP posts:
Briefhistory · 23/08/2023 07:12

Hi @sm40 yeah that’s the list I was referring to. Think we have same problem. Mine will take his passport as the railcard won’t be accepted. I wish it were - railcard & photo is passport would be much more helpful! I can’t remember what DD did… think she had her provisional by now.

RampantIvy · 23/08/2023 07:19

Avoid the red campsite.
DD worked at Leeds Festival one year, and things got so bad in the red campsite that they were told to avoid it when they were on night patrol.

HappiDaze · 23/08/2023 08:16

@RampantIvy there doesn't seem to be a red area now - would that now be yellow and orange area do you think ?

HappiDaze · 23/08/2023 08:17

Map 2023

Reading Festival 2023 ... hints and tips.
Reading Festival 2023 ... hints and tips.
Rollergirl11 · 23/08/2023 09:27

The red campsite is the Campimg plus area which you pay extra for and has tightened security. DD was in there last year and again this year.

Orange and Purple are the campsites that are the most boisterous/rowdy. It was Orange where all the tents were set on fire last year. People tended to want to go there as it was where the best silent disco was. But now the silent disco is in the main arena so perhaps not as much as an incentive now as further away from the arena.

With regards to photo ID, DD did take her passport with her last year as she didn’t have any other photo ID at the time. I don’t think anyone asked to see it.

Rollergirl11 · 23/08/2023 09:33

Also disposable vapes are banned this year so probs means tightened security going in.

sm40 · 23/08/2023 12:22

Last minute festival prep. Working out how to put your tent back in the bag by watching a you tube video in Chinese 😂. It worked though.

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 23/08/2023 12:26

They have obviously changed the campsite categories from when DD worked at Leeds Festival. The red campsite was for the hardened party goers and was quite dangerous at night. Some of the festival goers had surrounded one of the help stations and it was pretty grim. I think the police had to be called.

BelovedLucy · 23/08/2023 14:51

@Rollergirl11 Camping Plus sounds really good (thinking about next year). Do you know how much extra it costs? (I've tried looking online but as it's all sold out they aren't showing prices.)