Stewarding at festivals

[oxford_fan]

I have most of the summer off probably, but finish my teaching course too late to go back to summer camp in Boston, USA. So instead I'm thinking of doing some festival stewarding, namely at Latitude and Big Chill which are wickedcool festivals. Maybe Reading too but probably not depending on how the others go, and if I can be arsed any more. You don't get paid, but you do get in the festival for free, which is good enough for me.

Has anyone ever done this kind of thing before, and what was it like? Cheers

[DMR]

My housemate did it last summer, and the 'not getting paid but get in free' bit was fine until he lived on booze and pills all summer and subsequently came back yooooni a penniless fuck.He had a laugh though.

[Sippo]

A colleague at work did it at Glasto last year, and he said never again and would rather fork out for the ticket. He was doing rubbish collecting.

[BrightonRed]

I did Leeds last year and worked behind the bar. We had 3 six hour shifts (two evening, one morning) which sounds a bit shit on the face of it.. but in fact was absolutely brilliant. We had the closest bar overlooking the main stage so spent our shifts watching the headline acts (very few people buy beer during the last three or so bands). Whilst everyone else was stood in the pissing rain we were helping ourselves to sneaky whiskeys and staying dry. After our evening shifts we were given whatever lager/cider had been poured and not bought (about 4 pints for me) and went to the various tents that stayed open until 3/4am. After our morning shift we got fucked up and watched Yeah Yeah Yeahs, bloc party and radiohead.

As part of the deal we got free coach travel from London, free festival ticket, our own secure camp site with decent toilets, showers and a dirt cheap bar, free soft drinks all weekend (useful as mixer) and two hot meals a day. We also had our own entrance to the arena which meant no searching etc..

We were also given two free drinks vouchers after every completed shift but to be honest I came back with all my tokens as if you showed your lanyard to someone behind the bar who knew what they were doing all your drinks were free anyway.

We also blagged a queue jump (past about 3,000 people) to the silent disco.

We worked the late shift on the final day and were told after our shift that if it was open it was ours (vodka, whiskey, wine, lager cider).. I left will 3/4 of a bottle of bullet and about 15 mini bottles of wine..

Oh and there was a free BBQ on the last day.

All in all a fucking shit hot weekend.

[4D]

Are you allowed to wear your Oxford shirt?