Are you ever too old to go to festivals?

A friend of mine, in her mid to late 50s, goes to a couple of festivals a year, takes her little tent on her back, and never goes without her Shewee!

Well my Alnwick festival was cancelled as Jessie J suffering from fatigue poor lamb. Fatigue I tell you, she should try working on a production line in a car factory and then she would know fatigue ! the most annoying thing is we go every year and every year it rains, this year brilliant sunshine and the bloody thing was cancelled.

Never mind had a lovely lazy weekend in Alnwick anyway.

It doesn't really matter who's appearing ladybird9 we just go for the fantastic atmosphere. Jessie J is definately not my taste in music but we go every year no matter who appears.

I hope I'm not out of place mentioning it here, but Oxfam recruits volunteer stewards for festivals which makes the experience slightly nicer - usually a secure campsite just for their volunteers, hot showers, mostly clean toilets and the best bit - tea and coffee available 24 hours a day!
You're never too old to enjoy festivals, it's worth looking into as an option

karinu, hope you enjoy Glastonbury - I only did it once in my late 30s but had a wonderful time. It's so large, it's like a wonderful alternative city.

I'm now mid 50s, husband 60, and we still go to a festival most years, usually a fairly small one. The main thing for me is having a campervan - not sure I could cope with a tent any more - and camping chairs. The loos are survivable, and I can manage without a shower for a few days!

I quite fancy the Hay festival but no way would I be prepared to wade through mud for a music festival even though I enjoy all types of music. Even as a young person it didn't appearl. I like my hot and cold water and decent loos too much

morning Gillybob
wow........ your reply sounds 'jus lkie me' (a war baby) (1940-45), give it a go I say, each and every year I mention that I would love to go to an open air music festival, of course depends who is appearing, don't care much for the modern head banging 'stuff', but the atmosphere must be exhilirating, maybe I would only go the once, who knows, well done Gillybob, you only live once, don't you ???????
My other ambition is to climb the Himalayas, wanna come ??????

Mad person that I am, I'm determined to do glastonbury next year for the first
(and only?) time in my 65th year.

I read all the warnings about loos, mud and general mayhem - but I still can't
wait to go. Will tag along with son and girlfriend who are seasoned Glastonburyers.

Still a hippy deep down, I suppose!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI4UvsANYh8 Here is the parade we saw last year!

Thought Tony would be there. We've been to his talks a few times; I was so proud to shake his hand. I know of a wonderful video on utube of another march but don't know how to put it on here. If you google utube Hazel Winter 'The Candyman Walks' you'll find it.

It was great crimson !! Billy Brag and Tony Benn amongst the speakers /acts. Unions pareade down the street on the Sunday and there are good beer tents with music /poetry, the martys museum, food tents, big stage with speeches and music as well as stalls etc etc Big field where you can camp /park a camper van or car & stay in a local b&b..but book well in advance!

Well blow me sideways. I'd never heard of the Tolpuddle Martyrs festival until a week of so ago when someone mentioned it on another forum and here it is again . How come moi, with all my left wing sympathies and cnd marches had never heard of this before and now it's on my tick list of things to do! Come the revolution ....!

A gang of us went last year to the Tolpuddle Martys Festival..that was good fun... but of course you have to support the politics to really enjoy it!

Went to a women's festival on the Glastonbury site (after it) and it was absolutely great! That was in the 80s....don't think I would do it now...pity.

Not a camping person but in my early 70s went to Trowbridge Village Pump festival 2 yrs running .Slept in tent with DS and GS Enjoyed it immensely. Saw Bob Geldorf and Richard Thompson perform..I was child minder whilst DS sang with his a capella gp .Lots of families there. GS had great time.
I don't think I could have coped if it had rained .
Glastonbury No No No way! .

My son,who is 37, goes to a few, and he says he knows I couldn't
stand the showers and toilets, so I will never know what they are like.

It must be a gran thing but I too need a decent toilet within view and easy access at all times and, as for the noise!

Wow nanaej were you one of the very many happy muddy people who were trying to get home on Sunday night? I was trying to get home from the Albert Hall and missed the last train because of the traffic jams around Hyde Park. It was almost like Glastonbury!

The thought of the discomfort, the god-awful noise, and yes - the lavatory arrangements... No, I've never been young enough to want to attend any such event!

I went to a very early festival at Glastonbury but not sure what it actually was [far away in the mists of time]. However, I don't think I can live my life without actually doing 'The' Glastonbury Festival one day but, like everyone else it's more the loo problem that concerns me than anything else. We do have a little festival up the road from here called Off the Tracks which I always mean to go to but always seem to be away when it's on. It's not so much the live bands that I want to see as all the other things, like the healing field etc. I can't say that there are any bands around at the moment that I particularly want to see [maybe Tom Petty?]and, if I did I'd rather see them at an inside venue where I can sit down.

Me too, nanaej - those dreadful toilets!!
(Well, holes in the ground, I should say...)

Not a festival exactly but off to Hyde Park on Saturday and Sunday to see Bruce Springsteen & Paul Simon plus supporting bands. Hope it's not too wet!! Did IoW when young but not been back post kids!

I have to agree anagram I am really fussy about toilets and showers. Staying in a local hotel in Alnwick next weekend so not slumming it by any means. Still need to be prepared with wellies and raincoats though as we go every year and the rain never fails.

Sounds good, gillybob!
It's not the actual festivals I feel too old for, it's just the overnight aspect, plus the usual shortages of toilet facilities. If one was on locally I'd probably go.

No absolutely not. I can't resist a music festival or outdoor concert. We have an excellent local festival The Catherine Cookson festival which has live outdoor music throughout the "summer" (ha ha) . The festival park is literally 2 minutes walk from my house and although some residents moan about the noise I think its fab to be able to walk there complete with folding chair, wine, warm fleece, wine, food, wine...........and did I mention wine?

Oh and doing the Alnwick castle festival next weekend (that's if its not cancelled due to rain). Wellies at the ready.

There is nothing better than the atmosphere at a music festival but I am too fond of my creature comforts now,I must say that I would make an exception if some of the super groups got together,the nearest that I go now is August Bank holiday when I go to Liverpool for Beatles week-end something that I never miss.