V Festival ! Advice would be greatfully received!

[Coco]

My dd wants to go the the V Festival and stay in a tent with her group of friends. One of the girls is going to try to get tickets for them tomorrow if they bring in £180. I don't want to be a spoil sport, but I'm worried about her safety. I've never been to a festival, but I'd assume that there's alot of people getting drunk etc. My dd will be sixteen in June. I do feel under pressure to let her go as all her friends are going. I'm worried about letting her go, and worried about not letting her go ! Especially as we haven't been able to afford to go on any sort of holiday for several years and this year is not going to be any different.
Any thoughts anyone please !

[Nicola]

This is a tricky one! None of mine have been to V, but last year my 16 year old DS went to Leeds. Now THAT was pretty grotty - no trouble that he saw, but lots of high jinx, setting fire to people's tents, drunkenness and seemingly easy availability of soft drugs (I hasten to add, my DS neither smokes nor does drugs, and is probably the unlikeliest person I've ever met to give to peer pressure!) He had a great time, but was surprised at some of what he saw. He's also not begging me to go again this year, which maybe says something! He is 6'1" and a rugby player so could easily of taken care of himself in most situations that might arise, but when my 13 year old DD asks to go at 16, I think my answer would be "no".

Right, now that said, when I was trying to find out more about it last year, I was told that, by comparison to Leeds, the V Festival is almost a "beginner's guide to festivals". Because of the types of music on offer, there is a very different demographic. I know lots of 16 year old girls who go, and have a lovely time. I've not heard any first hand stories of problems at V.

If it was my DD, and she has good friends going, and they are going in a big group, then I think I'd say "yes" on balance to V. Even at Leeds, DS and the crowd that he went with had a wonderful weekend - they came back none the worse for their experience, albeit VERY tired, and managed to see some HUGE bands (well, huge to them anyway!!)

Just bear in mind that although the organisers say that baggage will be strictly checked and any alcohol confiscated, nobody checked anyone's bags at Leeds (at least for those camping) regardless of age, and some people were going in with trolleys loaded with beer!

Of course the cost issue is another matter!! Although the weekend camping tickets for Leeds were over £200, a lot had been sold to people who then intended to sell them on E-bay. When it came to the week before the festival, E-bay was crowded with people trying to get rid of these unwanted tickets, meaning there were some great bargains to be had for anyone prepared to wait until the last minute!

That's all quite waffly - I hope some of it helped?!!

[shortguy]

I found the whole thing very shocking when my DS started going to Reading Festival at 17 when he told me some of the stories but he assures me that as long as you are in a good crowd, their group is around 40 now, and you know what is right and wrong then it is a most fantastic weekend and well worth the cost for the number of groups playing. He says it is all very harmless and no different to drugs on street corners (very available I am told) or alcohol at parties etc. What some of the parents do at Reading is drop them off in the morning and pick them up late each evening, maybe thats an option, at least they get a shower!

[Coco]

Thanks v much for your thoughts guys, I really appreciate it ! Decided to let her go. Hope I'm doing the right thing. Only got to worry about it till august now !

[ash]

we go to lots of festy's, and my kids have grown up on festy grounds, even so personally i would go myself and be camped elsewhere so the kids have an adult to revert to if anything goes astray until 18

there are some problems at festivals but good awareness about not going off alone with people you don't knoe, yes even if you have been in the bar for several hours......and the security guys are always capable and good so to approach them with any issues plus the normal drug and alcohol advice should mean a safe festival.

[Coco]

The thing I'm most concerned about is people who are drunk or stoned getting into the tent at night when she's sleeping, Or her getting separated from her friends, Or getting caught up in fights breaking out, or her catching some terrible disease from the lavatories( or the food), or someone stealing her phone so she can't contact us for help, or someone spiking her drink ,or her getting crushed, attacked, abducted, or her tent blowing away with her in it . Apart from that I feel really positive about it now. O crap.What have I done ? !!!!!

[ash]

The thing I'm most concerned about is people who are drunk or stoned getting into the tent at night when she's sleeping, Or her getting separated from her friends, Or getting caught up in fights breaking out, or her catching some terrible disease from the lavatories( or the food), or someone stealing her phone so she can't contact us for help, or someone spiking her drink ,or her getting crushed, attacked, abducted, or her tent blowing away with her in it . Apart from that I feel really positive about it now. O crap.What have I done ? !!!!!

drunk or stoned getting into the tent at night when she's sleeping, ...............make her share with a mate
Or her getting separated from her friends....................go to security,
caught up in fights breaking out..................really rare, security again
catching some terrible disease from the lavatories .................nope just take toilet roll and a sense of humour
( or the food)...................take water bottles and immodium tabs
or someone stealing her phone so she can't contact us for help..................security, or ensure phone is in the charging lockers
or someone spiking her drink.............don't leave it alone
her getting crushed..............nope
attacked, abducted, .......stay with friends ......find security
or her tent blowing away with her in it,,,,,,,nope

most likely issues are hangovers, over indulgence and sun stroke and sometimes food upsets.....but most big festys have a fully equipped tented A&E unit on site

[JemsThaCooliest]

As a teenager who always goes to festivals, I honestly wouldn't worry!
If she's sensible she will be fine

[Coco]

Ok Thanks v much Ash and GTC for the virtual valium sandwich ! I may have to read your comments over a few times in august when I need another one !

[ActingMad26]

Hi, I'm 14 and going to V hopefully! My advice is to try & book a hotel/b&b nearby - most of the 'naughty' stuff seems to happen at night -- would be a shame to miss the AMAZING line up this year ( ) . Hope this helped!

[songbird]

my dd went at 16 all was fine I think V is little more commercial than Reading and you get all age ranges there - I was prepared for panic phone calls re lost funds or feeling ill but none came and they all came back happy if not a little tired and ready for the bath as others have said they have people on hand to help and they are a well oiled commercial machine as safe as anywhere where there is lot of people really

[Coco]

Thanks very much to you all for your advise. I feel a bit better now !