Festival season is almost here. Whether you are heading to a huge weekend camping festival or a local one-day event, the right preparation makes all the difference. Most packing lists focus on wellies and glitter, but a few extra items and a bit of planning can also help keep you and your friends safe. This guide covers the safety essentials to pack, the plans to make before you go, and what to do if you or a friend feel unwell on site.
Key takeaways
- A charged phone, a group plan and knowing where help is on site are your most important safety tools.
- Pack for the weather as well as the fun: heat, rain and tiredness can all make you more vulnerable.
- Spiking can happen at festivals, just as it can in bars and clubs.
- If you feel unwell, go to the welfare or medical tent, tell staff and report it to the police.
The safety essentials to pack
- Portable power bank and charging cable. Your phone is your map, your way to find friends and your way to call for help.
- Refillable water bottle. Staying hydrated helps you cope with the heat, the walking and the late nights.
- Torch or head torch. Campsites are dark, uneven and easy to get lost in after the music stops.
- Waterproofs and warm layers. British summer weather can change fast, and being cold and wet at 2am is miserable.
- Sun cream, hat and any regular medication in its original packaging.
- A small cross-body bag or bum bag that keeps your phone, money and drink test close to your body.
- A written list of emergency contacts in case your phone dies.
- Drink spike tests, such as SpikeStixx, for extra peace of mind.
Always check your festival's official website for its list of banned items before you pack. Rules differ from event to event.
The plans to make before you go
- Agree a meeting point. Choose a landmark you will all recognise, such as a particular flag, food stall or stage, in case you get separated and your phones die.
- Set check-in times. If anyone goes off to see a different act, agree when and where you will meet again.
- Save the important information. Take a screenshot of the site map, and know where the welfare, medical and information points are.
- Plan your journey home. Know your coach or train times, and make sure whoever is driving has had enough rest and is not over the limit.
- Tell someone at home where you will be and when you expect to be back.
Spiking at festivals
Spiking can happen anywhere people gather to have fun, and busy festival bars, crowded arenas and late-night campsites are no exception. Across all settings, police in England and Wales received 6,732 reports of spiking between May 2022 and April 2023, and the government recognises that many incidents go unreported.
The UK government has also published spiking guidance for venues and festival organisers, which says staff must always act if a spiking incident is reported, should never be judgemental towards the victim, and should help with medical support, finding friends, a safe space and getting home safely.
Simple habits that help
- Keep your drink in your hand and watch it being poured.
- Be cautious about accepting drinks from people you have just met, however friendly the campsite atmosphere is.
- If you put your drink down or lose sight of it, get a new one.
- Look out for friends who seem far more drunk or out of it than they should be.
- Be aware of people pushing unusually close in crowds, and move away if something feels wrong.
Signs to look out for
The GOV.UK spiking guidance lists signs including confusion and disorientation, nausea and vomiting, hallucinations and paranoia, poor co-ordination and vision, being unable to communicate clearly, and memory loss or blackouts. At a festival, these can easily be put down to heat, tiredness or alcohol, so trust your instincts if something does not add up.
What to do if you or a friend feel unwell
- Stay together. Never leave a friend who is unwell alone, and do not let them wander off with someone you do not know.
- Get help on site. Go to the nearest steward, security team, welfare tent or medical tent and tell them you think someone may have been spiked.
- Call 999 in an emergency if someone is seriously unwell or getting worse. For urgent medical advice, call NHS 111.
- Report it to the police as soon as you can, either to officers on site or by calling 101.
- Act quickly. The Home Office notes that some drugs can leave the body in as little as 12 hours.
If you think you have been injected with a needle, the Metropolitan Police advises that you may want to get tested for HIV, hepatitis and other possible infections, so tell the medical team.
Add SpikeStixx to your festival kit
SpikeStixx are discreet, pocket-sized drink spike tests that are easy to carry in a bum bag. Dab a clean finger in your drink, dab it onto the yellow tip of the stick and wait 5 seconds. If the yellow turns dark orange, your drink may have been spiked: do not drink it, and get help. Going with a group? The PartySafe bundle means everyone can carry their own.
Have a brilliant festival season, and look after each other.
