that YouGov poll article on efestivals....

[russycarps]

great stuff, who wrote it?

I dont think there should be festivals that ban over 30s, But there need to be more festivals that appeal to the youth but not the older crowd.

What's the answer though?

Cheaper prices for under 30s?

Would anyone support a scheme at glastonbury where the under 30s get £50 off their ticket price?

Is it true that "the youth" are more prepared to slum it than the older crowd? They are just as precious about home comforts from what I can tell.

I have heard people say Boomtown is for the youth, but what is it about that festival that means older people would be put off going?

[mrtourette]

I think a healthy mix is a good way forward, there are plenty of festivals which already attract a higher percentage of younger attendees while still being welcoming to the older folk. I think the more a festival panders to a particular desire for nice safe areas the more it will attract people who want that - the festivals I've been to recently have had a good mix of youngsters and the older folk who don't give a shit about not getting a good nights sleep.

I think it's probably true that in general 'the youth' are more open to slumming it, long-term festival-goers can be pretty jaded but I know from my group of festival-going friends that they'd rather suck it up or not go at all than utilise a glamping/quiet/comfortable area. There are still plenty of festival veterans who see such a thing as the antithesis of the festival experience (which I guess is the general point of the article).

I have seen a coupe of festivals with an age limit bt it was something like 18, I think they're 'introductory' festivals for teens who wouldn't really feel comfortable at other festivals. of course these don't have an alcohol, which is part of the issue - in general youngsters have less disposable income than us old gits so it's in the best interest of a festival to have a good mix.

Edited November 21, 2013 by mrtourette

[Spindles]

All of the questions seem to be tilted towards Glastonbury festival, rather than festivals in general, I think. A very middle class view of festivals from the people who created the poll, the people they asked and likely the questions selected.

For me I am of the camp that thinks that luxury has no place at a festival, that providing it in any form detracts from the experience. Festivals were once a great leveller, now they are a distorted microcosm of society, where the kind of people who used to spend their summers at regattas are now coming to festivals but not contributing in the way that, for example, a bunch of students around a campfire with a guitar and some intoxicants might.

The younger audience are well catered for already, with festivals like Reading attracting great line ups, improving their facilities and organisation every year and very much being the ideal festival for 16-24 year olds.

[grumpyhack]

So are old farts like me supposed to stop going to music and festivals?

The joy of festivals like Glastonbury is that they do cater for all ages - from babes in arms to their grandparents clutching zimmer frames. (I'm somewhere between the two).

Yes, as we get older we do yearn for more creature comforts. I've moved from a tent to a trailer tent and finally a caravan. But apart from getting a couple of hours decent sleep and having a toilet on board not much else has changed.

I think I still enter into the festival spirit and certainly don't complain about a lack of facilities as I can now bring my own.

[eFestivals]

Unless the only place you go is Glastonbury I struggle to see where the idea that enough young don't go festivals is coming from....

I don't think anyone's said that, have they?

But what is happening - at many more festies than just Glasto - is that the average age of attendee is getting older, as people of an ever-increasing age (perhaps only because they've aged) go to festivals.

These older people, quite understandably, are more attached to their creature comforts, and along with that they have the spare money to pay extra for those comforts. So they demand them, and get them.

I've no problem with that on any individual basis, but it does change the focus of festivals - and in more than just extra facilities provided. Festivals end up following the money as they follow the demands of those demanding customers, instead of leading people into finding festivals as exciting places of discovery which made them that big success in the first place.

[5co77ie]

It's not rocket science.

The life cycle of a festival:

There's loads of youth at some festivals, guess you're at the wrong ones. Both Neil & I have been to festivals in the last couple of years where it's actually been really refreshing to be totally outnumbered by the young, and neither of us needed a yurt, clean linen, £4 bog roll, champagne, or the like.

I guess it's a natural progression of sorts.

Young vital festivals tend to attract young vital people, then as the festival becomes established the merchandisers move in and convince the man they need all the bells and whistles to attract the 'established' festival market and up their revenue. These then lose their young vital element, and those not so young who have seen festivals come and go, who move on - travelling light to the next happening thing.

The 'established' lot tend to need/want more as they often have families in tow, and need to know it will have facilities and be safe, so they rarely try a new event. Their wants get translated as also needing 'festival luxuries', along with the 'bankers/celebs' who want their own little worlds away from the rif-raff - these then also attract the festival 'tourist' who wouldn't be seen dead sloshing cider about singing in the mud.

The festival tourist has no real loyalty and just goes on holiday based on what their social media, tv. radio, magazine says is the place to be seen.

At this point the festival reaches a point where it becomes at the mercy of it's reputation, all those people standing around filming it all on their ipads put everyone else off their own festival experience and even the festival tourist finds it a bit dull. As everyone has become a spectator living outside the festival in their own luxury, as opposed to being in it together.

The festival suddenly finds itself in a Big Chill situation - it's core audience has left to follow the young vital crowd, drinking cider, and bouncing in a field somewhere else.

Edited November 21, 2013 by 5co77ie

[PastCaring]

Well, we are both the wrong side of 30 and, although we have now graduated from a tent to a micro camper with awning, we're both quite prepared to put up with the rain, mud, wet, cold and other discomforts in exchange for a great festival experience. Okay, we have been known to say 'never again' after an especially wet cold weekend, but we always keep coming back for more - we're not ready for the old folks home for many years yet!

Actually, while we're talking about the under 30s, I know a 20-something who went to Glastonbury this year. Never been to a festival before, but he said he wanted to have the experience once, before he ended up settling down, having a family, and it was too late (yes, I know - his words, not mine!). Anyway, he and his girlfriend got tickets, booked the whole boutique camping bit. The really interesting bit about all this is that the lad had never heard of The Rolling Stones - I'm not joking - even when various well known Stones hits were sung to him, he'd never heard of them, or of the band! Incredible! And these are the sort of people who are adding to the demand for Glastonbury tickets, so they can have 'an experience'! It might just as well be Henley Regatta, they're there to say they've been there, not for the actual music!

[fred quimby]

I'm not sure I get any of that from the survey

[eFestivals]

great stuff, who wrote it?

guilty your honour.

I dont think there should be festivals that ban over 30s,

nor do I. That was the last thing on my mind.

But there need to be more festivals that appeal to the youth but not the older crowd.

there does - there needs to be more danger and excitement, rather than creature comforts and quiet after 11.30pm.

What's the answer though?

the answer's out there already, but not in the places that are the focus of mainstream attention - which was sort of my point with the article. The YouGov poll is a self-confirming thing that where they poll is ever-more full of oldies. That's no big surprise.

Is it true that "the youth" are more prepared to slum it than the older crowd? They are just as precious about home comforts from what I can tell.

Everyone likes their home comforts if they can have them. Some are more prepared to live without them than others.

I have heard people say Boomtown is for the youth, but what is it about that festival that means older people would be put off going?

It's chaotic and loud; it feels like it might be dangerous, even unsafe*.

(*that's not me saying that it is those things in reality - but it has enough of an edgy feel to give the suggestion)

And a big part of it runs all night when old gits might prefer to be tucked up in bed.

Add in that there's not much in the way of 'big' or 'famous' acts, and it probably fails on too many of the normal value-for-money criteria that might tempt an oldie festival virgin to the likes of Glastonbury or V.

If you wanna play with da kidz, make sure you've got the energy to keep up with da kidz.

Edited November 21, 2013 by eFestivals

[LondonTom]

What's the answer though?

Cheaper prices for under 30s?

Would anyone support a scheme at glastonbury where the under 30s get £50 off their ticket price?

[5co77ie]

Maybe the solution is better "ubran" festivals then?

Edited November 21, 2013 by 5co77ie

[grumpyhack]

I guess that young London Tom can speel but not tripe.

[midnight]

Lol, so how edgy is this Boomtown festival then, oh knowledgeable ones? Could I bring the "boy-in-the-bag" , or should I stow him away safely in his grandparents' cellar? I am looking at alternatives as I fear not getting a tic for the big G at all.

Anyway, about the poll, at least the more eco awareness bit would be a good thing, in my books. The amount of debris some cool customers manage to strew around themselves and their abodes, plus the habit of peeing in all sorts of places not designed for it have annoyed me in my 20s, 30s, and now I am in my 40s and it still bothers me.

In my teens I didn't have the money to go to festivals, go figure. Good on those who can, though, enjoy. I've never been much bothered about the comforts, always been a bit prissy about the hygiene thing, but I remember even Glastonbury '95 having plenty of clean water for free, if where's a will, there's a way to wash.

Whilst all this is quite interesting, I must admit that I have never spent much of my precious time at festivals trying to assess the age, let alone class stratification of those around me and where I would fit in.

[5co77ie]

Lol, so how edgy is this Boomtown festival then, oh knowledgeable ones? Could I bring the "boy-in-the-bag" , or should I stow him away safely in his grandparents' cellar? I am looking at alternatives as I fear not getting a tic for the big G at all.

[eFestivals]

Lol, so how edgy is this Boomtown festival then, oh knowledgeable ones? Could I bring the "boy-in-the-bag" , or should I stow him away safely in his grandparents' cellar? I am looking at alternatives as I fear not getting a tic for the big G at all.

I personally wouldn't take a kid that age to Boomtown. But having said that, there's a kids area (which, from my chat with the organisers a year ago is set to become a bigger part over time), and there was nothing that the younger attendees were doing which would put me in fear for the safety of a kid.

If you like, it's a bit like a nightclub where everyone is pissed but polite. It's safe enough for a kid, but not really the sort of environment you'd choose to take a kid into by full free choice.

Anyway, about the poll, at least the more eco awareness bit would be a good thing, in my books.

it makes me laugh - people vote to say that festies should be more green, fair enough. But how many of those making those votes are doing what they vote for themselves, rather than than expecting a vote for 'more green' to magically make it happen for themselves as well as the event?

Whilst all this is quite interesting, I must admit that I have never spent much of my precious time at festivals trying to assess the age, let alone class stratification of those around me and where I would fit in.

I would say that a big part of the reason that no age assessment gets made is because a person's own age fits comfortably with those around them.

(for myself with an efests hat on, it's become a part of what I've made a mental note to observe).

At boomtown this year for someone my age, it jumped right out and hit you in the face.... I've even heard of a very experienced 22 year old festival goer (whose father has big role in a big festie) who came back from boomtown telling his dad that he spent all weekend feeling old.

[russycarps]

could it be that "the yoof" just arent particularly interested in going to festivals? And that festivals are just part of a different era?

Lets face it, the average glastonbury goer these days is hardly "cool". If I was 18 I wouldnt want to go to the modern version of glastonbury.

The boomtown does sound ace though, I'd love to go - but only if I could be tranferred into my 18 year old self first!

The police are cracking down on illegal raves harder than ever before (judging by that link someone posted on here). It really does seem to me to be a shit time to be young. I feel sorry for them.

Have they got it in them to do anything about it though?

[eFestivals]

could it be that "the yoof" just arent particularly interested in going to festivals? And that festivals are just part of a different era?

perhaps in part, but I'd also say - it certainly used to be the case - that kids don't want to be hanging out in the same sort of places as their 'rents.

The boomtown does sound ace though, I'd love to go - but only if I could be tranferred into my 18 year old self first!

- I know that feeling.

[fred quimby]

It really does seem to me to be a shit time to be young. I feel sorry for them.

Have they got it in them to do anything about it though?

[russycarps]

Is that you though projecting your own experiences onto the young people ?

They maybe having a ball

[5co77ie]

could it be that "the yoof" just arent particularly interested in going to festivals? And that festivals are just part of a different era?

[eFestivals]

maybe, but the youth unemployment figures, the amount of debt they are in and the slashing of their benefits from this government doesnt paint a pretty picture for a lot of them

don't worry, the world will be saved following a solar storm that breaks all the xboxes.

[5co77ie]

don't worry, the world will be saved following a solar storm that breaks all the xboxes.

[fred quimby]

don't worry, the world will be saved following a solar storm that breaks all the xboxes.

[eFestivals]

I did think wonder if we would have done less if we had those

did "we" do much anyway, without those?

For someone my age, the protests of my youth achieved almost nothing.

Thatcher won.

(so, to be clear, that xbox comment was firmly tongue in cheek. That's not what I think of the younger generation).

Edited November 22, 2013 by eFestivals

[fred quimby]

did "we" do much anyway, without those?

For someone my age, the protests of my youth achieved almost nothing.

Thatcher won.

(so, to be clear, that xbox comment was firmly tongue in cheek. That's not what I think of the younger generation).

Edited November 22, 2013 by fred quimby