There is nothing quite like doing the big ‘Festival Shop’. Stocking up on crates of beer, cereal bars, pot noodles and the painkillers we’ll inevitably need for the impending hangovers. We miss festivals of all kinds. The day raves to week long stints in a muddy field. Festivals bring people together over their love of music and their determination to enjoy it no matter what the weather brings.
Our team at The Fair are itching to get our wellies on and have a colourful wristband clamped on to our wrist (too tightly of course). We’re craving the queue at the bars, the instant friendship you make with that girl by the portaloo who shares your desperation, and dancing until 3am in front of the speakers with that guy in a sailor’s hat and sparkly hot pants.
Not only do festivals provide us with a fun packed few days but they also benefit our mental health. Festivals provide an escapism from the ‘norm’. A chance to open your mind and experience new music, meet new people and make long lasting memories. With the absence of the festival season, many are struggling to find an outlet that fills the festival gap. Unfortunately, the kitchen rave with an old school Soundcloud mix just doesn’t seem to cut it.
Festivals are so important not only to the attendees, but also the industry behind the scenes who make them happen. Its people’s livelihood, and our team not only professionally want to be back on site but want to enjoy some downtime at their favourite shows.
We’ve spoken to our team and have collated a few festival experiences below, to try and keep the magic alive until we step back through those entry gates.
Make sure to listen to our festival throwback Spotify playlist here bit.ly/festivals-we-miss-you to keep you remembering the good times on those down days.
Sarah
“I miss the feeling of complete escapism. The joy of walking into a festival and knowing thatfor the next 72 hours you can forget about everything going on outside. It’s the unadulterated joy of existing within that microcosm where all that matters is having a really great time!”
Luca
“No in reality…The anticipation during a well planned, fun build and successfully getting to the moment that doors have to open. Seeing a space go from nothing, to absolute madness then back to nothing.Plus, the feeling during soundcheck when you first hear the rumbling of the subwoofers.That’s when you know it’s about to happen.”
Jan
“As a punter it’s that feeling you get once you pass security and you’re in! You’re excited, filled with joy that you know this will be the wildest day or weekend. Thinking right let’s get going with the music, the dancing, the laughter and the great chats in between.As a festival producer, it has to be when we all get on main stage for the last tune and best5min boogie with the team. Congratulating each other on another successful event and watching the audience having a good time. Thinking“this is why we do this!”
Robyn
“There are two things I really miss about festivals. The first is doing the big shop for food, wet wipes and booze and then trying to cram 3 weeks’ worth of stuff into a hiking backpack the morning of the festival. The second, is dancing into the small hours with my best friends.”
Millie
“The thing I’m missing the most about festivals is that first point when you get a bit of breathing room to walk the site. Seeing everyone smiling and dancing, just really enjoying themselves and being able to think ‘we did this!’ Just creating that environment for people and seeing it come to life after months of work. That’s the thing I miss about festivals the most, knowing I was key to creating that memorable space for the attendees!”
Christian
“I miss being in a field with a close and committed team. It always has amazed me how we can turn a piece of land or grass into a small town for a few days every year. In terms of our audiences, people are social beings. They make memories in these temporary towns and it’s been really hard watching music and culture be put on hold through 2020.”
Rob
“The thing I miss most about festivals is the huge sense of accomplishment once egress is over and done with.”
Nick
“What I miss about festivals is working with the team on site & brainstorming any issues. Basically, getting to the end of that show and all celebrating what we’ve just pulled off together. It’s a huge task we’re undertaking to get 5000-25,000 people in a field safely. Look after them throughout the whole day and then safely egress them. So, I think it’s the sense of achievement after completion of a show is what I miss most, with the team of course!”
Yas
“I miss the feeling you get when you realise the inevitable hour-long-pre-door-rush has finally ended, the doors are open, you can stop to drink some water and have a wee. The celebratory team hug of ‘we did it’ and then the first call from Event Control comes in and you realise it’s actually all only just begun.
As a punter… I miss late Saturday (or early Sunday) when I’ve finally managed to escape the festival ops comparison game of taking photos of clever ‘Festival Hacks’ I’ll be taking on to my next site… and finally I’ve escaped into the very special alternative reality that festivals have to offer.”
Louisa
“I’m missing the live music and seeing the amazing talent – also from a production perspective, just the general buzz and energy of being on site. And obviously cruising in gold buggies!”
By WATF in Uncategorised
10th February 2021
