Festival survival guide | Drinkaware (2024)

Good times in the sun (fingers crossed!) with great music and your mates – what more could you ask for? Festivals are the highlight of the music lover’s calendar and if you’re heading to one soon, you’ve no doubt got stacks of bands you’re hoping to catch. Follow these five tips and be in with a better chance of seeing them all.

1. Pace yourself

The best thing about a festival is the fact the music starts early and goes on until late, or in some cases, just doesn’t stop. That’s why drinking heavily early in the day or even in the evening isn’t a great idea. After all, you don’t want to lose your space in the crowd when you have to head to the loos! Try pacing any alcohol you drink with a soft drink or two in-between. Make sure you drink at your own pace – you won’t win any prizes by keeping up with your mates, you’re more likely to lose out on a great night.

2 pints of 4.5% cider is over 400 calories.

2. Drink lots of water

Dancing in the sunshine (or mud) has a way of making you thirsty. Keep a water bottle on you and fill it up every time you pass a drinking point – and make sure you have a good supply back at your tent. This is even more important if you’re drinking alcohol because it dehydrates you. If you don’t keep yourself hydrated, you could end up feeling awful – missing your favourite band.

3. Stay charged

Photos, videos, checking who’s on where and when – your phone is going to be working overtime and the last thing you want is to have it die on you when you most need it. For example, if you lose your mates. Arrange a meeting point and time in case you do get separated or want to catch different bands. Festivals usually have phone charging points but they often compete with the cash machine for the longest queue. So try and buy a battery powered emergency charger beforehand. They'll help keep your phone alive for more of the festival.

4. Enjoy the food

There’s a mouth-watering choice of food available at festivals and getting some food in your stomach is particularly important if you’re drinking. Food not only helps to soak up the alcohol, it tops up the salt and minerals your body loses while drinking alcohol. Don’t substitute food with alcohol – you need to keep your energy up so you can be the one dancing until the very end rather than being put to bed early.

5. Give yourself time to recover

If you do end up overdoing it, try and give your body a break. “Hair of the dog”, drinking on a hangover, just doesn't work – no matter what you’ve been told. All you’re doing is easing the alcohol withdrawal and delaying the problem. Treat yourself to some of the delicious smoothies and juices on offer instead to top up what your body is lacking.