Reading Festival - after GCSE results

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Minesh
Posts: 89
Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2010 9:02 pm

Reading Festival - after GCSE results

Post by Minesh »

DC wants to go to Reading Festival in August - DC will just be 16 (July born)

I am reluctant to say yes; correct me please those in the know and with experience but is it just a drinking/lads week-end and if so i think they are too young,
DC is not particularly sensible or silly but i think anything can happen when away from home, no adult, under influence of friends and with alcohol in abundance

Maybe i am old fashioned but i was likewise shocked at price - ticket and tent pp 369 (the sign looked euros which i hope it is as bad enough if £s)

Any thoughts?
Thanks :mrgreen:
Reading Mum
Posts: 1841
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2011 9:44 am
Location: Reading

Re: Reading Festival - after GCSE results

Post by Reading Mum »

The festival will be full of teenagers due to the timing. The queues at the bar and prices limit the drinking somewhat!
Usually the main issues are tents/gear being stolen rather than more serious trouble. There is a fair amount of security to keep an eye on things but I can understand your concerns - we always make plans to be somewhere other than Reading for that weekend as the traffic is awful and if it is raining then town is full of smelly, muddy teens trying to clean and warm up.
Weekend ticket is £200
pheasantchick
Posts: 2439
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 10:28 pm

Re: Reading Festival - after GCSE results

Post by pheasantchick »

Do they have to go for the whole weekend? Couldn't you get just a day ticket?
scary mum
Posts: 8842
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Reading Festival - after GCSE results

Post by scary mum »

It seems to be a rite of passage around here. Thankfully my DD was not interested and so I did not have to face the decision. I may have to with DS1 though. Part of the issue is cost - none of mine would be able to afford it on their own and I'm not paying for it :). Many do it as a "Well done for working hard in your exams" or "Happy 16th birthday". And yes, I'm afraid it is a weekend of drinking and losing phones, from what I gather. Sorry not to reassure you, but I do think 16 is too young (ask me again next year when DS wants to go). Day ticket would be better.
scary mum
scary mum
Posts: 8842
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Reading Festival - after GCSE results

Post by scary mum »

You seem to have 2 threads the same, you might want to ask for them to be merged. Also, aren't the tickets all sold now?
scary mum
aliportico
Posts: 888
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:19 pm

Re: Reading Festival - after GCSE results

Post by aliportico »

There are a lot of 16/17 year olds there. You can't buy alcohol inside the arena unless you have an 18+ wristband, and you need proof of age for that. You can't take alcohol from the campsite into the arena. So the amount of drinking depends on whether your child or their friends can buy much outside to take into the campsite. Also depends on how into the music your child is, or whether they would be mostly going for the social experience!

The campsites further away from the arena are the quieter, more civilised ones. Last year I did a bit of salvage afterwards at one of camping fields nearest the arena, and it was truly disgusting - looked as if no one took anything home with them.

My dd has been for the last 2 years, but just for each day (she was 14 and 15, June birthday), and she's going again this year. Last year she said she was going to camp this year, but over the year she's decided to come home each night again - helpfully, she is going with a friend whose parents didn't want her to camp! We are close enough that it's probably quicker to walk back to ours than to the further away campsites that she would have wanted to stay in :) I would have let her camp, but I'm glad she's not.
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Reading Festival - after GCSE results

Post by southbucks3 »

Definitely start her off with a day ticket, then she can totally blame you for looking g uncool if she really wants to come home later, plus all the drinking etc is on the camp site, so she would miss that, as day ticket holders not allowed on camp site...she would of course need a like minded friend.

I went for first time at 17..to glasto... predictably got stoned, drunk and robbed, but I hope to think they are a little less gung ho than they were then.

There are loads of smaller, local summer festivals for her to get the feel of camping at events, before the big squashed up ones, have a search on line in your area....You could even join her!
Sportsmum
Posts: 99
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:00 am

Re: Reading Festival - after GCSE results

Post by Sportsmum »

A lot of post GCSE teens feel it's a rite of passage!

We said no - partly the cost and partly logistics - and I daresay we're going to have the same conversation with DS2!

I know of a lot of parents that have allowed themselves to be "bullied" into buying tickets for their DCs - but as DS1 wasn't able to pay for it himself and needed new kit for his new school - that took financial priority and was an excuse/reason he could appreciate! He soon got over not going!

As for not buying booze on site - most of the underage kids I know that have gone load up at supermarkets etc before going into the campsites.
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Reading Festival - after GCSE results

Post by Amber »

This is when I am really really glad that I have kids that don't want to do it. I suppose I would say yes, though probably not to camping there at just 16, but I am glad I don't have to. I would be up all night worrying I think. My lot do Scout camps instead and while I don't delude myself that it is all singing 'Ging gang gooly' round a camp fire, I don't have to face the s ex and drugs and rock'n'roll just yet, thankfully. And my kids are funny about alcohol too so that wouldn't appeal - consider drunk teens 'sad'. Like Scary I definitely wouldn't pay for it (at those prices that would probably be the end of that) and if I were you I would try and book the family holiday to somewhere irresistible to escape it.
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Reading Festival - after GCSE results

Post by southbucks3 »

We take our kids to a couple of festivals a year....guess we are fuelling the fire! Two love it, one gets bored and annoying unless he has his mate with him. I know this will sound sad, but we will probably be in the old farts field, when it is their turn for reading, as we often go any way..texting him every hour to make sure he is alive, and embarrassing him by bringing food to his tent! Have to fess up, even when camping, I pop hone for a shower and to use my own loo...have done ever since I got my own car at 22!
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