Going solo at the festival

[Mark H]

I’m going solo this year for the first time. We had a baby last year and it’s not an option to drag her across the world so my wife put her ticket back into the resale pot and it’s just me making the trip.

Its going to be a different experience. I think I’ll try and get a few massages in the healing fields and will be more likely to join activities like power ballad yoga.. The kind of things I have walked past before when in a group but not taken advantage of. 

Happy to swap details with any others that are going solo and want the option of meeting up if they start to feel a bit isolated 😀

[fred quimby]

3 hours ago, jfaragher said:

 

Having said all this - I am genuinely delighted that my wife will be at Glastonbury with me for the first time in ~20 years, as she's finally quit teaching!

Wow, that sounds like it will be a special festival.

 

Hope she does not turn round on the 2nd day and say blimey this really is shit 😉

Edited March 30, 2022 by fred quimby

[Hutchmaster]

Gone solo-ish two times and doing so again this year and as others have said, it definitely has it's pros and cons. The thing with me is if someone starts talking to me, I can usually chat their ear off but I'm not great at being the one to strike up a conversation so I can get lonely at times!

I'm a bit nervous about this year as the past two times I at least had people I could pitch up with but I don't think that's the case this year. Will have to keep an eye out for a solo camping thread!

Edited March 30, 2022 by Hutchmaster

[jfaragher]

7 minutes ago, fred quimby said:

Wow, that sounds like it will be a special festival.

 

Hope she does not turn round on the 2nd day and say blimey this really is shit 😉

It's the first time in 20 years, but far from her first time, we did half a dozen or so together in the 90s and early 00s before she was a teacher!  And if she does think it's shit, she's getting the bus home on her own tbh

[Clarence Clemons]

39 minutes ago, Mark H said:

I’m going solo this year for the first time. We had a baby last year and it’s not an option to drag her across the world so my wife put her ticket back into the resale pot and it’s just me making the trip.

Its going to be a different experience. I think I’ll try and get a few massages in the healing fields and will be more likely to join activities like power ballad yoga.. The kind of things I have walked past before when in a group but not taken advantage of. 

Happy to swap details with any others that are going solo and want the option of meeting up if they start to feel a bit isolated 😀

fair play to you mate, got a lot of respect for that. And a lot of respect for your wife too! Hope. You have a blast 

[Crazyfool01]

25 minutes ago, Hutchmaster said:

Gone solo-ish two times and doing so again this year and as others have said, it definitely has it's pros and cons. The thing with me is if someone starts talking to me, I can usually chat their ear off but I'm not great at being the one to strike up a conversation so I can get lonely at times!

I'm a bit nervous about this year as the past two times I at least had people I could pitch up with but I don't think that's the case this year. Will have to keep an eye out for a solo camping thread!

Wear something that encourages someone to strike up conversation… doesn’t need to be elaborate just different … 

[al_coholic]

Although I have several friends going, I will be solo camping for the first time. I am used to making my own entertainment during the day and frequently wander around on my own. I have never made the efests meet in 9 previous visits. Always been a bit nervous. Think I need to get over it and turn up this year. 

[phil the shrew]

Go solo to most festivals as my partner just doesn't get music festivals (we all have our flaws) and have found Glastonbury to be far the best as a solo festival attendee.

I think the thing to keep in mind is that there is no right or wrong way to do the festival, and keeping flexible is the best approach. Personally I find the idea of camping in a big group of 10 people and following the same group around all weekend very unappealing, nor could I just sit by the pyramid all weekend. But for many people that's what the festival is all about.

I think my big bit of advice its to just go with the flow.  For my first one in 2009 I set off with detailed plans on exactly where to camp, which bands to see when and no idea or interest in what was beyond the four biggest stages during the course of the weekend. And of course that all went out of the window within an hour of being on site as the rain came down; my preferred camping site was gone and I quickly understood getting between the John Peel Stage and the Park stage in 10 minutes between sets was a no go, and why had no one mentioned how ruddy hilly the place is! It chucked it down on Thursday night and I started the Friday fed up, wet and a bit lost as to what to do. But I somehow ended up in Bella's Field, had a cracking breakfast and got chatting to some regulars and was soon pointed in the direction of the hidden gems the festival has to offer. and haven't looked back since. I've seen some great headline sets, but generally my happiest memories of the site are random encounters and strange acts I've just stumbled across.

Getting linked up with the solo campers is a great plan, as its much better camping with them than alongside the big groups you get in the popular spots; having a few faces you recognise and bump into during the week is also good. Put a bit of thought into what your really need during the day is good so you don't lug loads around, and maybe leave an evening bag (warm coat, snacks, hat, drinks etc) at one of the lock ups so you can have a day time and night time bag with you. 

[Losing my hair]

Did my first one solo and was a bit nervous, my advice would be:

1. Set up a solo camping thread on here and arrange where to camp together (It's easier in the quieter fields). You don't need to spend your time together but it's nice to have familiar faces at the camp and you can arrange meet ups for any bands you want to see.
2. Come to the eFest meet where you'll meet loads of interesting people who you may randomly bump into over the weekend.
3. Wear interesting T-Shirts or something to attract attention (somebody has already done the Pyramid hat thing though) - you'll be amazed how many people will start a conversation because of your outfit.
4. And talk to random strangers - this is not the Tube, they won't think that you're some sort of deviant.

You will have a great time.

[Peroni]

i'll be soloish this year, as most of my normal crew didn't get tickets, my husband has also tapped out.  I am offsite camping as easier with the crew that did get tix, but I am looking forward to having more me time to do things I haven't been up to or able to do before, like efest meets and other bits and bobs!

[Gilgamesh69]

have nae fear lad, yer man gilgy will sort u out

[siblin]

4 hours ago, crazyfool1 said:

Wear something that encourages someone to strike up conversation… doesn’t need to be elaborate just different … 

This is a good shout though I would say go full on elaborate.  Fancy dress is ideal and I did this a couple of times back in my single days.

[squirrelarmy]

You’ll easily spot me and some of the other mad hatters around the place. 
 

In the years since the last festival my old group dynamic has changed and is now dominated by couples and young kids. As the last of the free and wild ones I’ll be doing my own thing too this year. 
 

I’m looking forward to lots of wandering and randomness without having to deal with having to wait for a group to decide what they’re doing. 

[Crazyfool01]

7 hours ago, siblin said:

This is a good shout though I would say go full on elaborate.  Fancy dress is ideal and I did this a couple of times back in my single days.

Yeah fair … although I was trying to encourage those who might not be so keen on the fancy dress to do something simple but effective 

[gooner1990]

Sort of done three festivals solo...ish.

Reading Festival 2014

None of my friends were bothered about going, and I got offered a guest ticket via someone I knew at the last minute on the cheap. Had some friends who were working there, but I camped in the guest area on my own.

I basically spent the Friday afternoon, all of Saturday,  and Sunday daytime on my own, was fine, did my own thing at my own pace, watched what I wanted, napped when I wanted etc etc, but like a few others have said a few times I did find myself a little lack of someone to bounce off of,  struck up conversation with the guy next to me during the Arctic Monkeys headline set on the Saturday night which was nice and the people camped next to me eventually twigged I was on my own and I sat round their fire that night.

Was fine but I'm someone who quite enjoys being with others so I did look forward to meeting my friends who were working there when it allowed.

Glastonbury 2019

Failed miserably in getting tickets, some friends I knew were going, and so I found other avenues to get in.  Wound up working for Shelter/Avalon Events on the Stonebridge bar.  Got myself down to Bristol on the Monday night and stayed in the Ibis hotel right next to the departure point, and struck up conversation with a guy from Gloucester i n the hotel bar who was in the exact same boat as me (other friends going, no ticket, will work instead etc) so we sort of stuck together after that. 

Camped with him, but we were on different bars so I was on my own again and I struggled to make friends not sure why...most people were a bit cliquey in their own groups perhaps? The bar managers were really friendly though and I chatted to them a bit as they were more around my age.  Met up with my own friends a lot of the rest of the time, but was nice each morning to do everything at my own pace and go where I wanted. Spent most of Saturday daytime on my own chilling which I enjoyed, but not sure if I could do a full 5 days down there on my own.

Pilton Party 2019

Again, I wanted to go, no one else did so just booked on my own. Drove down to Ashcombe Park and pitched up...got chatting to the group next to me who were all from Surrey but had moved to Somerset a few years earlier. they were nice and chatty but once more of their mates turned up they didn't say much to me (!)

Inside I was just on my own, tried striking up conversation a couple of times but didn't seem to get very far but as it was only for one night I wasn't too bothered. Went up the Tor the following morning then drove home!

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

I'll be going Jason Derulo this year for the first time in ten Glastonburys. Really looking forward to it. It'll be nice to meet up with various groups for a bit and some randoms (which happens every year anyway, whether alone or with people), then zip off when I want to see or do something. My days of babysitting and being the organiser at Glastonbury are over. I've spent far too much time making sure everyone else is having a good time, then getting home on the Monday wondering where my weekend went

[blutarsky]

2 hours ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

I'll be going Jason Derulo this year for the first time in ten Glastonburys. Really looking forward to it. It'll be nice to meet up with various groups for a bit and some randoms (which happens every year anyway, whether alone or with people), then zip off when I want to see or do something. My days of babysitting and being the organiser at Glastonbury are over. I've spent far too much time making sure everyone else is having a good time, then getting home on the Monday wondering where my weekend went

Hopefully you'll see us! 

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

34 minutes ago, blutarsky said:

Hopefully you'll see us! 

I'll make sure of it!

[Spindles]

I go solo most years, have been camping with the good folks of Camp Solo since 2015.  I'm off doing my own thing 90% of the time, but the social aspect of being able to return to camp and chill with folks you know (or get to know new folks in a comfortable setting) has been really nice.  I try to spend at least a decent chunk of Wednesday and Thursday with my camp mates and once the music starts I'm solo all the way, perhaps joining the group for a gig or two in the daylight hours over that time.

 

[Mr.Tease]

On 3/30/2022 at 11:01 AM, CY 2019 said:

I'm going solo this year.

Has anyone done this before and how did you find it?

Do the good folk of efestivals arrange any meets for this?

I went solo for the first time in 2019- overall very enjoyable! I like my own company and am used to travelling by myself (though am also an anxious chap too!), so that helped, but it was something I always wanted to try and I'm very glad I did (especially since it turned out to be the last one before covid hit!)

Trickiest part for me was the Wednesday, mainly because there's a lot of people meeting up with friends who they haven't seen for a while, and that was one of the things I liked most about the Wednesdays in the past- plus with not too much on, I felt a bit self conscious from early evening until the sun set when people were settling down! But it did give me chance to potter about and reminisce, and sit in the shade as it was hot! Just took a little while to adjust to. Plus you don't have the stress of worrying if there will be enough space for your friends to pitch their tent next to yours or waiting for them to arrive for hours on end.

I can never remember what I do on the Thursday or what it was like!

Once all the main music and stuff got going Friday through Sunday, it was easy-peasy and a lot of fun- freedom to just do whatever you want without having to faff about meeting up with people (though, to be honest I mainly do my own thing even when going with other people, so it wasn't too much different!) Yeah, it's a bit of shame you can't meet up with your friends at night and share what you've done and hang out, but it does give you more time to explore and immerse yourself- it was a definitely worthwhile experience for me.

So yes, apart from the early evening Wednesday hump, I did like it and it turned out to be one of my favourite years. It sounds daft, but I didn't realise before hand that after the Wednesday people aren't really joined at the hip and most people are too-ing and fro-ing between things by themselves, or are sat about waiting for people by themselves or with just one person, so you don't feel as self-conscious and it's a lot easier to talk to people too if you want to.

And like others have said you can join solo camps if you'd like to know some people back at your tent. I didn't (I was quite content camping by myself as I only really go back to my tent for supplies/ changing clothes/ power nap, and it's usually deserted!), but got lucky with some nice tent neighbours so if I wanted to I could chat to them about what I'd been up to.

If you do find yourself getting self-conscious, there are quiter areas to sit or relax- whether it be the woods or the edges of the hills over looking the site, or Strummersville, or the Greenfield's or circus fields etc.

Can't go this year unfortunately as I'm awaiting an operation (would have been happy to go by myself again otherwise), but I do hope you enjoy yourself and have the kind of festival you'd like to have

[John the Moth]

On 3/31/2022 at 6:53 AM, Mark H said:

I’m going solo this year for the first time. We had a baby last year and it’s not an option to drag her across the world so my wife put her ticket back into the resale pot and it’s just me making the trip.

Its going to be a different experience. I think I’ll try and get a few massages in the healing fields and will be more likely to join activities like power ballad yoga.. The kind of things I have walked past before when in a group but not taken advantage of. 

Happy to swap details with any others that are going solo and want the option of meeting up if they start to feel a bit isolated 😀

Just wave a NZ flag about and Mrs Moth is bound to come charging over to you at some point.

[chappers8]

Going solo this year as well, my mate bailed at the last minute.

Also hoping for a campervan ticket if one pops up 

[CY 2019]

I'm definitely up for meeting with some fellow soloists!

Is there a seperate thread for the efestivals meet up?

[vintagelaureate]

12 minutes ago, CY 2019 said:

I'm definitely up for meeting with some fellow soloists!

Is there a seperate thread for the efestivals meet up?

There is usually, but I'm not sure it's set up yet... (it might be, but I can't recall seeing it!). 

[Crazyfool01]

16 minutes ago, vintagelaureate said:

There is usually, but I'm not sure it's set up yet... (it might be, but I can't recall seeing it!). 

@Neil is posting it soon I believe 🙂