The Essentials

Reading Festival 2027 will take place on Thursday, 26th – Sunday, 29th August 2027 at Richfield Avenue in Reading. Weekend Camping + Early Entry Ticket holders can access the campsites from Wednesday 25th August.

Campsite opening hours:

• Weekend Camping + Early Entry ticket holders: 18:00 on Wednesday 25th August 2027
• Weekend Camping Ticket holders: 08:00 on Thursday 26th August 2027

There is no access to the campsites for holders of Weekend Non-Camping tickets, 2-Day tickets or single day tickets.
Campsites close at 12:00 Noon on Monday 30th August 2027 for all camping ticket holders.
If you are leaving and returning after 8pm on Sunday evening, don’t forget to get your hand stamped on your way out to be able to return later on.

Arena opening hours:

Friday 27th – Sunday 29th August 2027
Opening time: 11:00
All times are subject to change.

With a Single Day wristband there is no readmission, so once you leave, you cannot re-enter the arena.

With a Weekend Non-Camping wristband or a Two-Day wristband there is no readmission so once you leave you cannot re-enter the arena that same day.

With a Weekend Camping wristband, you can leave and re-enter the arena and campsites.

We welcome all ages to the festival. However, there are entry restrictions for under 16s and we do advise not bringing young children. All under 16s (15 years and under) must be accompanied by an adult ticket holder aged 18 or over who must remain on site throughout the weekend as the under 16-year-old's guardian. No unaccompanied under 16s are allowed on site. Under 13s (12 years and under) are admitted free but must be accompanied by a paying ticket-holder aged 18 or over at all times. ID may be required to prove Under 13's. It is the responsibility of the adult(s) to determine the correct ratio of supervising adults to under 18s, taking into account the age, needs and abilities of the children, the nature of the Event and any applicable guidelines. We do not act in any parental or supervisory capacity for under 18s on site. This does not affect our legal duties to any attendee in respect of, or obligation to comply with, any applicable laws including health and safety or licensing laws.

For information purposes only, age checks will also be carried out on the entrance gates.

Please note our policy has changed from Challenge 21 > Challenge 25.

Please bring ID if you look under 25 years old and remember that legally there is no automatic right to be served alcohol. Service is always at the discretion of the licensee for whatever reason they decide, and the licensee is under no obligation to explain the reason.

The following forms of identification are accepted:

A Passport (Not a photocopy)
Full Driving Licence or Provisional Licence
A Proof of Age Card bearing a PASS hologram
A Ministry of Defence identity card
A National identity card issued by an EU member state
Please bring the original document as you won’t be able to use a photocopied version. If you don’t have any of these, or don’t want to lose valuable documents on site, we suggest that you apply for a PASS approved ID, some of which are free to get.

Please note, your ID must be in date in order to be valid.

Young Children
Whilst we do allow under 13s to attend for free, we do suggest that this event is not suitable for young children. If you do want to bring children along we advise camping in one of the White Campsites which tend to be our quieter campsites.

On entering the event, children will be given paper wristbands which have space for you to write your telephone number (as a parent or guardian). We can use this as a primary contact to reunite you. Replacements can be picked up at the Welfare Tents or info points.

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Pleaste note: 

‍Empty Resuable Plastic and Metal Bottles areallowed into the campsite and arenas

Coffee cups must be empty

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CAMPING STOVE UPDATE

Reading festival have decided that due to the change in weather conditions, camping stoves compliant with the ‘What You Can and Can’t Bring’ section of the website will be permitted into the campsites.

Only permitted types of camping stoves will be allowed, so please take time to check the requirements in advance or your stove may not be allowed in.

Reminder: Disposable BBQs are not permitted on site. Please do not bring them.

Campfires are not permitted and anyone found lighting one will be evicted.

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Please be mindful of cigarette disposal and do not dispose of cigarette butts on the ground.

There will be no receipts issued for any confiscated/surrendered items and they will not be available to collect after the festival.

You may be subject to more enhanced searches of bags and personal belongings. We request that you cooperate with any security requests and searches. Please pack light!

Please note, campfires and disposable BBQs are banned from both the campsite and the arena in 2026 For detailed guidance on camping stoves and fuels please see here.

Prohibited  Items for Arena & Campsites

• Aerosols (over 250ml)
• Air Horns
• Animals (other than registered hearing dogs or  guide dogs)
• Any goods for unauthorised trading with  unauthorised Reading Festival logos
• Anything that could reasonably be considered for  use as a weapon including oversized lighters or any item which may cause  danger, offence or disruption to any other person
• Balloons
• Balaclavas, ski masks, face coverings
• BBQs of any kind
• Blowtorches
• Candles & Incense
• Catapults
• Chinese / Sky lanterns / Paper Lanterns /  Kites
• Clothing/Garments/Items which promote Cultural  Appropriation
• Drones and other flying devices
• Excessive amounts of food (i.e. more than for  personal consumption)***
• Fitted Gas Canisters/Cylinders are only permitted  in Campervans in the campsites
• Firewood
• Fire / Campfire / Fire baskets / Fire Pits /  Chimeneas
• **Flat based cooking stoves (for personal use only): Meth  Stoves, Trangia Stoves, Solid Fuel Stove / Hexi Stoves (with fuel  blocks/firelighters), Gel Fuel, Greenheat Basecamp Cooker, Firelighter Stoves  are only permitted in the campsites.  Please note – fuel limited to maximum of 1L per stove and maximum and only  gas canisters of 250g or less
• Fireworks/Pyrotechnics, Flares/Distress Flares, Smoke Bombs
• Gas Canisters for cooking stoves (250ml or less –  maximum of x4 per stove) are only permitted in the campsites
• Gas cylinders / canisters of any size for non  cooking purposes (including nitrous oxide)
• Generators (unless fitted in campervans)
• Glass bottles, jars, containers over 100ml. Items  under this measurement, such as small perfume bottles, nail varnish, and  small mirrors will be permitted
• Illegal Substances (drugs) and legal highs, herbal  highs, new psychoactive substances and unidentifiable substances.
• Megaphone
• Motorcycle Helmets
• Nitrous Oxide and any items associated with the  taking of NPS and/or NOS (including but not limited to balloons, whipped cream  dispensers, water crackers/CO2 dispensers)
• Penknife / Multi-tools
• Petrol Burner
• Laser equipment and  pens
• Large sound systems are prohibited. Small, battery-powered  portable speakers are permitted for personal use only in the campsites if  they are handheld (max 20cm x 20cm x 20cm), cannot be linked to other  speakers, and are used at a low volume that does not disturb others;  non-compliant items will be confiscated.
• Single use Vapes – refillable vapes still  permitted.
• Skateboards and rollerblades, hover-boards,  scooters, bicycles, and other personal motorized and non-motorized  vehicles
• Spray cans
• Unauthorized professional cameras, film or video  equipment. Including professional camera equipment (e.g., camera stand,  lenses), radios or walkie talkies
• Unauthorized solicitation or marketing materials  (e.g., handbills, flyers, stickers)
• Unofficial tabards and reflective/high vis  jackets
• Weapons
• Cameras, film or video equipment with lenses more  than 6 inches. **Please note, professional cameras and video / audio  equipment are strictly prohibited
• Excessive amounts of cigarettes (ie. more than for  personal consumption) will be confiscated

Prohibited  Items for Arena ONLY

• Alcohol for personal consumption
• Audio Recorders
• Bags larger than A4 size***
• Blankets
• Camping Equipment including cutlery, tin openers  (permitted in campsites for weekend camping ticket holders only) - Leatherman  style multi tools are not permitted
• Cans
• Chairs / Stools / Inflatable Loungers/ Floor  Seating / Shooting Sticks
• Sealed drinks bottles (No Glass) - Only sealed  soft drinks under 500ml are permitted into the arena***
• Flags, flags with poles, banners
• Gazebos and parasols
• Selfie Sticks
• Golf Umbrellas

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** Stove fuel limited to maximum of 1L per stove and maximum of x4 gas canisters of 250mls or less per stove. Any liquid fuel such as Meth Stoves (with 1L methylated fuel/spirit max) and/or Trangia Stoves (1L Trangia fuel max) should be in an appropriate approved container to ensure that it can be used and stored safely.

Accessibility Customers – Prohibited Item Policy

Food:
All customers are permitted to bring a small amount of food for personal consumption into the arena.
Accessibility customers are permitted to bring additional food in excess of the usual amount into the arena.
(This increased allowance applies to accessibility customers only and not to essential companions or friends and family).

Drink:
All customers are permitted to bring a sealed, unopened 500ml bottle of water or soft drink into the arena.
Accessibility customers are permitted to bring one sealed, unopened bottle up to 1.5l of water or soft drink into the arena.
(This increased allowance applies to accessibility customers only and not to essential companions or friends and family).

Bag Restrictions in the Arena:
For security reasons, we ordinarily only permit customers to bring a small bag (A4 size) into the arena.
Accessibility customers are entitled to bring a bigger bag into the arena.
(One bag only per accessibility customer).

Festival Republic do not condone any usage of drugs at Pepsi MAX presents Reading Festival. Drug Detection Dogs will be operating throughout the event. Please don’t be alarmed; they are here for the safety of everyone.

We operate a Challenge 25 policy. The following forms of identification are accepted:

A Passport (Not a photocopy)
Full Driving Licence or Provisional Licence
A Proof of Age Card bearing a PASS hologram
A Ministry of Defence identity card
A National identity card issued by an EU member state
Please note: This may vary with certain establishments/traders onsite. Please be aware that bar staff always reserve the right to ask for proof of age if you look under 25.

Please note, your ID must be in date in order to be valid.

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Make sure you download the official festival app to keep up to date with set times, announcements, maps and special offers.

Entry into campsites:
We do not have bag size restrictions for first time entry, although we do advise packing as light as possible. Please take note of our full list of prohibited items (in ‘What You Can and Can’t Bring’ category above).

Arena:

We strongly advise you do not bring a bag into the Arena as there will be long queues while all bags are searched. If you do wish to bring a bag, please ensure that it is no bigger than A4 (sized 8.27”x11.69”). There is a limit to one A4 sized bag per person permitted into the Arena.You and your bag maybe subject to a search upon entering the campsites and arena. CCTV is in operation throughout the festival site. Please be patient if there are longer queues than normal. We request that you cooperate with any security requests and searches.

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You and your bag maybe subject to a search upon entering the campsites and arena. CCTV is in operation throughout the festival site. Please be patient if there are longer queues than normal. We request that you cooperate with any security requests and searches.

At Reading Festival, we are committed to creating a space where everyone feels welcome, valued, and safe. We operate a strict zero-tolerance policy towards any form of harassment, discrimination, or violence.

Anyone failing to comply will be evicted from the festival.

We encourage everyone to look out for each other and speak up if something doesn’t feel right. If you see or experience inappropriate behaviour, report it to festival staff, security, or your nearest AIR Hub.

Let’s work together to ensure Reading Festival is a space where everyone can enjoy themselves in an environment built on respect and inclusion.

We hope it doesn’t, but if your phone goes for a walk over the weekend, make the situation the best you can by writing down your IMEI number for your phone – on a piece of paper, not in your phone’s notes! – and, if you have an iPhone, install the Find My iPhone app in advance. This will really improve the chances of us reuniting you with your phone.

Not sure how to find your IMEI number? It depends on your phone, but Google has a long list of helpful articles to point you in the right direction.

If you have a lost property enquiry after the event, please fill out this form Foundbase - Lost property services

Please Note – lost property can be retrieved within 28 days post show.

The Event is produced for the enjoyment of all attendees. We reserve the right to evict anyone from site for the reasons outlined below. The decision whether to evict will be at the discretion of the Eviction Team / Security Coordinator following advice from security personnel.

Reasons for eviction:

• Entering or being inside the Event without a ticket or relevant pass/ wristband;
• Unacceptable, disruptive or anti-social behaviour; *
• Having been arrested or cautioned in connection with a criminal offence, pending or post-hand-over to the Police.
  *Unacceptable behaviour that can lead to eviction includes but is not limited to:

Illegal activity;

• breaching the terms and conditions of entry;
• failing to submit to a search as a condition of entry:
• harassing or causing distress to staff or other attendees including (but not limited to) sexual harassment, discrimination, abusive behaviour, and offensive language;
• filming or photographing staff in a manner likely to constitute harassment or cause distress
• throwing any objects in the direction of people;
• encouraging others to behave badly by incitement;
• preventing security or emergency responders reacting to a situation;
• building or fueling fires including throwing gas canisters onto fires;
• committing a criminal offence but not arrested by the police;
• in possession of unlawful drugs;
• unofficially selling alcohol, tobacco, counterfeit goods or any other unauthorised goods;
• ticket touting;
• any other behaviour that leaves the Event open to prosecution or is not conducive to maintaining a safe Event.
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All evictees will be processed via Eviction Team / Security Coordinator, and their wristbands / tickets will be removed to prevent them from re-entering the Event.
All persons presented for eviction by security will be interviewed by the Eviction Team / Security Coordinator who are independent of security, and their details will be recorded in a database with their full personal details, a photograph, date and time and the reasons for eviction.
All evictees will be able to make a free telephone call if they do not have a mobile phone to contact members of their group and/or family.
Evictees will need to phone a friend at the Event to collect their belongings before their eviction as they will not be permitted back into the Event to find them. We will not be responsible for ensuring that they leave the Event with their belongings.
Evictees will receive a letter detailing the eviction process.
Evictees are liable to receive a life time ban from purchasing tickets or working/volunteering for any LNE / FR Events.