FESTIVAL TIPS

These are general tips for attending any festival. Treat it as a survival guide for any outdoor event, especially where camping is involved. This would be a "Top Ten Festival Tips" except there are more than ten.

Rhythm Festival is more civilised than most – flush toilets, virtually no crime or trouble, a high ratio of staff to festival-goers, and so on – but it still pays to be prepared.

Don’t arrive too early. Although it’s nice to be first, it’s pointless arriving before the festival is ready for you. You’ll just be in the way and chances are you’ll be asked to leave. But where? Rhythm Festival lets campers in from 10am on Friday and the Arena is open from 3pm (10am on other days).
Exchange your tickets for wristbands and pitch your tent as soon as you arrive. Otherwise, you’ll lose your ticket and find yourself shivering at 2am, trying to erect a tent in the dark – much to the annoyance of your neighbours.
If you can put up your tent safely and securely without using guy ropes, do so. People are less likely to fall over it.
Be prepared for all climatic conditions. When it comes to the weather in Britain, anything can happen, so bring along wellies (with long socks to avoid "welly-burns"), a coat and something warm for night-time, when temperatures can plummet, especially in the countryside. And don't forget the sun hat and sunscreen.
Keep your belongings safe. Only take with you what you really need: cash is usually more useful than credit cards. Keep all the important stuff on you – mobile, money, tickets and stuff – in a bum-bag.
Never leave anything valuable in your tent or on view in your car. Although the average music festival has more security than even city shopping centres, determined thieves have been known to swoop: especially at BIG festivals like Glastonbury, Leeds, Reading and V.
Don’t “secure” your tent with a padlock. A thief with a small knife can get into any tent in under 10 seconds, padlocked or not. If there are thieves about – and there are at most events these days – it’s like putting an advert in the Scumbag News saying: “come in and have a look round”. Even if you don’t have anything valuable in there, do you really want your tent slashed and trashed?
Take earplugs. They’ll help you sleep through noisy neighbours and are essential should you find yourself too near the main stage PA stack.
Take babywipes. Essential.
Don’t try to take a shower between 7.30am and 10am. The usual ratio of showers to people who want them is something like 300 to 1 (it's around 160-1 at Rhythm Festival). If the average shower takes ten minutes… you work it out.
Take a torch. Something cheap and small. Very useful, especially when there's no daylight.
Take a small medical kit and be prepared for wasp and bee stings, minor cuts and grazes. Every festival has a medical team for more serious ailments. At Rhythm Festival they operate 24 hours a day.
Don't be afraid to get help. If you are threatened or see something suspicious, it is in everybody's interests that you report it. The security people and staff are there to help you.

Woodstock Music Festival (no cellphones on view)