Reading Festival 2021 First Timers Guide

Okay, so Reading 2021 is going to be your first festival and you couldn’t be more pumped! But let’s be honest, you might be a tiny bit scared. Well, we’ve got you covered. To make things a little less daunting, we’ve put together our first timers guide to ensure you have the time of your life at Reading 2021!

COVID-19

The government are not mandating vaccination, so a vaccine won’t be mandatory at Reading Festival, but we will be testing to ensure those without vaccination are Covid clear before they enter the festival.

Ticket holders: Please stay tuned for further updates.

Pack the essentials

Starting to stress about if you’ve got everything? That’s completely normal but fear not we got you, this is all you really need to bring!

• Your Ticket Obvs – We know it’s obvious but you kind of need it to get in.
• A4 Sized Bag (or smaller) – Anything larger will not be allowed in the arena, get your bum bags ready!
• Warm Bedding – The nights get a lot colder than you’d think, wrapping up warm makes sure you get a good night’s sleep in preparation for next days moshing!
• Comfortable Footwear – Trainers or a good pair of walking boots will be your most prized possession over the weekend. Do not waste your time with sliders or crocs!
• Don’t Forget The Wellies – In case of rain you NEED to bring some wellies with you, there’s no way you want to spend your weekend with dried crusty mud all up your legs.
• Warm Clothes – No matter how warm the forecast claims it’s going to be, you’ll be so thankful for that jumper when the 2am chills hit.
• Socks, Socks and More Socks  – They are literally the most important thing. If there is only one thing you take from this it’s that you can never over pack on socks.
• Sun Cream – You don’t want to be heading home looking like Larry the Lobster now do you?
• Reusable Water Bottle – Refill points are available throughout the arena and campsite, make sure you use them as much as possible.
• Biodegradable Wipes – Obviously no one is going to smell like a million quid but these will stop you from smelling too much like a skip.
• Dry Shampoo – Gotta keep that trim looking as fresh as possible!

We’ve got the ultimate checklist for you below. Also head over to our info section for a full list of everything you can and can’t bring to Reading.

When to arrive

Those who have purchased an Early Entry Pass are allowed access to the campsites from 6pm on Wednesday, 25th August. As for the rest of you the campsite will open from 8am on Thursday Thursday, 26th August. Try to be as early as you can the good spots get taken very quickly!

Keep the squad together

It doesn’t really get any better than chilling with your mates at Reading, an added bonus is that sticking with the squad is the best way to keep yourself safe!

Agree on a meet up point

Have a place to meet with your mates a couple times a day. It’s likely your messages won’t go through so that’s the best way to ensure no one gets lost.

If you do find yourself lost, head to a help point

If you do end up getting separated from the squad then don’t panic. The welfare tent is there to give you a hand, there’s also help maps dotted around and an information point located in both the Village and in the Arena.

Stay full and hydrated

Remember that reusable bottle we mentioned earlier? It’s not just for show make sure you actually use it!

Drink as much as you can

August weekends can get hot and there’s nothing more embarrassing than passing out from dehydration. Make sure you are giving yourself multiple drinks breaks in between your moshing sessions!

Don’t mosh on an empty stomach

Staying super energetic gets well tricky on an empty stomach. Don’t ignore those rumbles, there are tons of stunning food stalls around for all your munching pleasure.

Get to know the place

The Reading site is pretty wham but there are a few things you can do to make it feel a bit less like a maze.

Know your camping location

No matter how good your memory is, in the dark (or even daylight for that matter) all tents can look the same. So take note of any landmarks around your campsite like pathways, trees or fire towers. Bringing your own flag to mark your tent makes this a lot easier.

Head over to the info tents

Need pointing in the right direction? Then the info tents are there to help with any questions you may have. They’re located Scott Street in the Green Campsite and in the Main Arena near the The Lock Up/Pit stage.

Download the app

The Official Reading Festival App will be released closer to the festival dates and will have everything you need to make it through a day at Reading, including best of all, A MAP!

Protect your valuables

Be careful with your valuables, there’s always going to be people out there looking to snag what isn’t theirs. Here are some easy ways to make sure all your things stay untouched over the weekend.

• Lock them away in our safe storage facility or the lockers over at Baker Lane which you can purchase here!
• Pack clothes with pockets with buttons or durable zips. These will put thieves off trying anything and also makes it harder for you stuff to fall out, added bonus!
• Get a Reading 2021 phone/wallet lanyard from the campsite police.
• Your campsite neighbours are no doubt absolute legends and will have no problem looking out for your stuff if you do the same for them.
• Do not lock up your tent. While it seems like a smart idea in theory all it does is suggest you’ve got stuff to hide and paints a big target on your tent.

Steer clear of drugs

Do not, I repeat DO NOT bring illegal drugs or ‘legal’/psychoactive substances to the festival. You may be ejected and handed over to the police. Check out our Personal Safety section for more info.

Practice safe sex

If you’re going to have sex don’t risk it, use a condom. Head over to the Welfare tent if you forgot to bring some, they’ve got you covered.

Play it safe, if you meet someone new make sure your friends are close by or they know exactly where you are going.

Take home your tent!

Don’t be that guy who just abandons their tent at the end of the weekend, tents left behind can not be recycled and will end up in landfill. Why not buy a decent durable tent that you can use each year? You’ll just be saving yourself money in the long run.

Don’t forget your ID

Everyone thinks they look well grown up when they hit the big 1 8 but do not leave that ID at home you’ll need it to get served at the bar and when collecting tickets. Even if you think you look ancient. If you’re worried about losing it you can grab an Over 18s Wristband on your first day then look away you ID for safe-keeping!

Still got some questions? We’ll be running a First Timers Q&A on the Official Reading and Leeds Instagram page on April 1st!

Reading Festival 2021 is SOLD OUT. For all of those lucky enough to have grabbed some tickets we hope you’re as excited as we are to be back in the field!