Festival Recessionstylin’

Posted on 9th Jul 09 by Aoibheann Maguire | 4

Gone are the days when everyone would meet in a field, get naked, and listen to a couple of old folksters lamenting about war and peace –Thankfully! Nowadays, festivals are huge corporate events that have moved far beyond their roots as hippie gatherings. You only need to pop along to your local supermarket – to see how bad those money grabbers are trying to get in on the act – by catering to the every whim of the festival-goer.

Nevertheless, when you get to that designated field and dodge your way past all the scary guards, dressed like culchie ravers circa ’94, and you make it, wellies on like a Kildare farmer, through the herds and the cattle crush. You’ll find that there’s still something quite nice amidst all the piss, shit and beer, and if you’re lucky and stay sober enough you just might catch some amazing music. Regardless of whether you’re on a budget or not, saving money is the new splurgin’ don’t ya know? So check out our money saving tactics and enjoy the walk home!

The cheapskates guide to festival fun

1 The first and most important item for anyone on a budget is undoubtedly – Buckfast – absolutely disgusting, and it’s bound to mess with your stomach, but if you are going to have it once a year it might as well be in a field where you can just lean over and well you know. Plus it gives you tons of energy for dancing – just don’t drink the whole bottle yourself.

2 Then you need to bum a lift off a friend of a friend’s ex-girlfriend in the clothes you borrowed from your Granny’s attic – well no one else is going to be wearing them: sweet.

3 The food is usually alright at festivals, but of course it will cost more than it’s worth. You need to get down to your local Lidil or Aldi to purchase bread bread and more bread and maybe some bananas.

4 Get yourself a free poncho, mini deodorant and toilet roll from one of the promotion teams on the way in.

5 Okay! So you have a few quid left (ahhhhhhhh but it costs at least five euro a pint) well you really should have been saving – ah no I’m not Eddie Hobbs. Twenty quid will get you loads of beer in your local offy. How to get it past the security guards? well I’m not going to give away everything I’ve learned now am I?

6 People are nice and friendly at festivals, so just go up and hug someone at the bar it saves a lot of queuing, and seriously who’s not going to buy you a beer after that.

7 Very important: print off the set times before you leave – this saves a lot of unnecessary hassle.

8 Get talking to some randomers then go and see bands you’ve never heard of. This doesn’t cost you anything once you’re in and is the best fun of all!

9 You can walk home, with the music from the festival playing over and over in your head, provided you don’t live in the Blasket Islands!

Tags: festival