Boomtown Fair 2017

[krisroe]

It's with regret that I am having to sell my Boomtown ticket this year  It is a tier 3 ticket at face value if anyone is interested.

[mandana]

On 08/06/2017 at 9:21 AM, carreg_cennen said:

Has anyone used the reserved camping areas ? are they in a quietish part of the site? as it would be nice to get a few hours kip for a change after being kept awake all night at bearded theory this year  (we're old farts who need our beauty sleep)

We have used it twice, once when it was close to boomtique and once when it was closer to the town centre. Fairly quiet both times, and nice to waltz into your own spot, last year was our stag/hen do and we shared with quite a few of our crew so if you can get a few mates to share it makes it a bit cheaper. 

Originally we got reserved camping as our second boomtown found me squaring up to a tent thief (which actually scared me shitless after I had sent him on his way!)

reserved camping is recommended if you don't mind paying a bit more 

[qndrm]

Hello, first time going to boomtown, opinions on wheres best to camp? (Really love my dnb)

[qndrm]

Also, once the main stages have finished at there respective times, is there any smaller areas/stages playing music well into the next morning? 

[frostypaw]

You probably want to camp in the bowl., but it can be pretty damn busy and you will not be sleeping in much! Around the corner behind the hidden woods tends to be a bit calmer (i.e. above where it says Chinatown on this map)

This is from 2016 and I suspect this year there will be some shuffles of the stuff on the far right beyond the "east gate" line to the left hand side. A bunch of other things will change too - I should get a provisional map sometime soon and i'll share it if I can but the basic uptown/downtown and camping layout will remain 

That venue list is a very long way from complete btw. THE map is A0 and the venue list goes all the way down the side in tiny text  I think it worked out as something like 15mins per stage to see it all with no time to get between them

The whole stage thing is a bit different there too. Most things will carry on until close each night, including almost every single one of the dizzying array of microvenues. It does stop dead at 4 though and becomes a big chill'n'chatathon for a few hours before kicking off again at alarmingly full throttle

[qndrm]

50 minutes ago, frostypaw said:

You probably want to camp in the bowl., but it can be pretty damn busy and you will not be sleeping in much! Around the corner behind the hidden woods tends to be a bit calmer (i.e. above where it says Chinatown on this map)

This is from 2016 and I suspect this year there will be some shuffles of the stuff on the far right beyond the "east gate" line to the left hand side. A bunch of other things will change too - I should get a provisional map sometime soon and i'll share it if I can but the basic uptown/downtown and camping layout will remain 

That venue list is a very long way from complete btw. THE map is A0 and the venue list goes all the way down the side in tiny text  I think it worked out as something like 15mins per stage to see it all with no time to get between them

The whole stage thing is a bit different there too. Most things will carry on until close each night, including almost every single one of the dizzying array of microvenues. It does stop dead at 4 though and becomes a big chill'n'chatathon for a few hours before kicking off again at alarmingly full throttle

Yeah, I've had a good look at that map. The most appealing spot looks like the route to sector 6/ old town camping. Somewhere around there. The busier, the better for me!

Really can't wait, havent been camping at a festival since 2014 - which was Leeds fest. 

Where planning to get the national express coach from London to Winchester - very cheap. Question is, will we be able to get a taxi farely easily from Winchester centre to the festival door?

[frostypaw]

I'm not quite sure where you're meaning. The downtown camping will be busiest by a LONG way. It's fucking mental down there

And yes I believe so, though they might be twitchy doing it early doors as the traffic can get pretty sticky

[qndrm]

37 minutes ago, frostypaw said:

I'm not quite sure where you're meaning. The downtown camping will be busiest by a LONG way. It's fucking mental down there

And yes I believe so, though they might be twitchy doing it early doors as the traffic can get pretty sticky

The spot below psy forest but north of trench town stage, around there looks decent. 

 

 

 

[frostypaw]

It's not bad. That's a big V shaped valley and all at about the same slope, didn't get too packed and busy last time and great view with sector 6 down the bottom

[THEBOILERMAN]

On 01/07/2017 at 10:40 AM, krisroe said:

It's with regret that I am having to sell my Boomtown ticket this year  It is a tier 3 ticket at face value if anyone is interested.

Pm'you

[rae_chel]

On 7/1/2017 at 10:40 AM, krisroe said:

It's with regret that I am having to sell my Boomtown ticket this year  It is a tier 3 ticket at face value if anyone is interested.

I'll have it please, will PM you

[Tommy101]

Any tips for experienced festival goers but first time Boomtowners? Is there anything tucked away but unmissable?

What's the deal with fancy dress? Do most people get involved?

 

Thanks in advance 

[frostypaw]

On 07/07/2017 at 1:22 PM, Tommy101 said:

Any tips for experienced festival goers but first time Boomtowners? Is there anything tucked away but unmissable?

What's the deal with fancy dress? Do most people get involved?

Thanks in advance 

Most things are tucked away - explore like mad even checking out the areas that don't sound like your sorta thing - they'll still have had loads of effort thrown at them and will be pretty special just to have seen.

Fancy dress isn't compulsory but most people end up decorated to some extent - I've seen folk wearing cardboard boxes and tents by the end to join in the silly. Go colourful and wild

Secondly - our group are still looking for some volunteers... hope it's ok to post this here:

 

[mdovale]

Hi all,

This is my first time in Boomtown Fair and I'm very excited!

I was wondering if anybody knows if they'll sell bags of ice on the site? My mates and I are planning to take a couple of coolers and having ice would be essential for keeping our beers cold.

Anyone else thinking about their cooling solutions?

Thanks, peace!

Mike

[Freddyokel]

Time to say hello.

My first Boomtown, got Artist camping with a band which is nice.
Been told about fancy dress, but gonna cross dress the entire festival.
Shout me on 449.4000 Mhz if you've got a decent radio.
 

Edited July 11, 2017 by Freddyokel
Add Mhz to frequency.

[mdovale]

36 minutes ago, mdovale said:

Hi all,

This is my first time in Boomtown Fair and I'm very excited!

I was wondering if anybody knows if they'll sell bags of ice on the site? My mates and I are planning to take a couple of coolers and having ice would be essential for keeping our beers cold.

Anyone else thinking about their cooling solutions?

Thanks, peace!

Mike

Also, does anybody have an idea of how crowded the camp sites get?

Is it a bad idea to take a massive tent just to have more personal space (for example, taking a tent for 10 people but only being 5)?

[frostypaw]

Depends on where you camp. The bowl gets very crowded, but there's plenty of space further out. Seen some huge tents, you'll probably be fine..... probably!

Not sure I've seen ice for sale on site. Freeze a load of juice boxes and use those as icepacks in your cooler then drink over the mornings is a classic trick

[Davet84]

China town and wild west camping are usually ok for large tents. If you want person space for your group you'll have to sacrifice on space, which tbh isn't such a bad idea at this festival.

 

Dreading the drink prices this year, they used to do cheaper drinks at the campsite bars and more expensive near the arena, but that seemed to disappear last year and I'm sure water was hiked to £3 per 500ml :/

[mdovale]

21 hours ago, mdovale said:

Also, does anybody have an idea of how crowded the camp sites get?

Is it a bad idea to take a massive tent just to have more personal space (for example, taking a tent for 10 people but only being 5)?

@Davet84 @frostypaw 

Thanks for the tips!

£3 for 0.5L of water is just wrong!! We'll have to bring our own water as well, adding to the weight

[Davet84]

There are taps of course, however the one by the lions den was broken and so I was paying over walking haha

[kingbadger]

What booze options are usually available, and what's the cost generally? Have also been put off bringing anything 'extra' ourselves given the stories heard about security, assume there's plenty of vendors on site?

[frostypaw]

Varies wildly from bar to bar - whole range of beers and ciders across the site. Tends to be more variety in Uptown, and more of the spirits and mixer stuff in Downtown. If you check last year's thread I think I posted some pics of the bar prices.... but I might have put them somewhere else

It's typical festival/london prices - nothing special. The cider range at the Bad Apple in the town centre is a joy though

Security is a bit bonkers but plenty of folk get stuff past. There are SO MANY dealers thanks to this policy that it's quite astonishing - can have some quite funny conversations with them about it, they love the security arrangements dearly as they make so much money it's mental

HOPING with the Loop on site and some listening going on they'll scale back a bit and stop risking folk's lives - far better people take what they know than forcing them into riskier situations just to create more danger as a put off.

[V7SaxonStreet]

Just joined the site to comment after Lurking for a while.This will be my first Boomtown and so looking forward to it. Only thing I'm apprehensive about is getting my supplies in 

[Davet84]

1 hour ago, frostypaw said:

Varies wildly from bar to bar - whole range of beers and ciders across the site. Tends to be more variety in Uptown, and more of the spirits and mixer stuff in Downtown. If you check last year's thread I think I posted some pics of the bar prices.... but I might have put them somewhere else

It's typical festival/london prices - nothing special. The cider range at the Bad Apple in the town centre is a joy though

Security is a bit bonkers but plenty of folk get stuff past. There are SO MANY dealers thanks to this policy that it's quite astonishing - can have some quite funny conversations with them about it, they love the security arrangements dearly as they make so much money it's mental

HOPING with the Loop on site and some listening going on they'll scale back a bit and stop risking folk's lives - far better people take what they know than forcing them into riskier situations just to create more danger as a put off.

£6 for a can downtown last year has made it the most expensive festival I have been to by 50p.

But yeah the range of drinks is great in up town and you could get a 7% £4 cider in the bad apple bar last year if you wanted to get drunk quickly lol. Just a shame they stopped the £3.40 ciders in there. There's also a great hot cider stall at the town centre who do 3 for £10 on ciders on Sunday, last year we blagged  3 shots of brandy in the ciders for the price of one to go on top. £15 for 3 warm ciders with a decent shot of brandy is a good deal at any festival

 

I think it is what is with the alcohol prices, but I remember finding the soft drink prices very annoying in the heat of last year, probably spent more just keeping hydrated than I did on getting drunk which isn't the right way round at a festival.

Think the same goes for food as well, much better prices and choice up town

 

[Pinhead]

Stewarding with Oxfam at Boomtown this year for first time. Never been before. Think they mostly cover Downtown. Should I expect hell unleashed?