How to stay safe at your first festival

Summer festivals have become a rite of passage for Irish teens over the last ten years. Massive festivals like Longitude, Indiependence and Electric Picnic will see thousands flocking to country fields to party with some of the biggest names in music. Whether you’re off to Marlay Park to see Calvin Harris, or getting your wellies on to see Niall Horan in Stradbally, we’re here with our top tips for staying safe at music festivals…

Your Phone Is King

Our phones are so important at festivals. They’re perfect for taking pictures and videos of you and your friends, recording memories of our favourite acts, and of course keeping our Insta stories up to date. But keeping in contact with your friends when you’ve split up is arguably the most important. We all know phone batteries aren’t the most reliable, so a portable charger is a pretty good shout. There’s lots of power bank options to fit every budget. Some are so small they’ll fit in your pocket, which is perfect for when you’re in the middle of a party crowd.

Another good idea that went viral a few summers ago is to change your lockscreen to your friends’ numbers. Make a note on your phone with your friends who are with you, and their phone numbers and set it as your phone’s lockscreen. Then, if your phone gets lost, the person who finds it can ring your friend to tell them they have your phone.

Pick A Designated Meeting Spot

Outdoor festivals can be very different to concerts in arenas or stadiums. If you get separated from your group, you don’t have their seat number or standing section to know where they are. Picking a designated meeting spot to meet at if you get separated means in case of emergency, you’ll know where to find each other. Almost all festivals will have a designated meeting point in or around the different stages and areas. Or, your friends could choose a recognisable spot like a certain tent, food truck or entrance to meet back in if you get separated.

Drinking (water or not)

Festivals can be fun, but they can also be intense. If you’re old enough to be drinking alcohol at the festival, this might be one of your first big events where you’re drinking for such a long time. Obviously you don’t need to drink to have fun, but it’s especially important to stay safe when you’re drinking alcohol. Making sure you know where your drink came from is so so important, and only letting those you know and trust buy you a drink is the best way to stay safe. Drinking enough water in between alcoholic drinks is also crazy important, especially if you’re going to be in big concert style crowds. We’ve all seen the videos of security guards having to hand out water to crowds before things get messy or anyone gets hurt, so it’s important you get at least some water into you during the day.

Stay warm

Don’t get me wrong, outfits are arguably the best part of the festival weekend. But unfortunately, Ireland’s festival season doesn’t get the same type of weather as California gets for Coachella. Sadly, you’ll be better off with your wellies than your sandals for any Irish festivals. But that’s not saying you can’t party in style. You can be as glam as you want during the day, but our camping tip is to pack warm clothes for your night times around a campfire or for heading to sleep. Fluffy socks or even blankets will be your best friend, especially if you’ve been treated to some lovely Irish rain during your festival.