Reading and Leeds Festival is back again this bank holiday weekend, with 240,000 people are expected to flock to both sites.
And if you’ve got a ticket, that means you’ll have to navigate through the masses, wade through the mud and prepare to face the dreaded portaloos.
While this might sound like hell to many, gig and travel expert Dan Thomas has mastered the ‘art of the festival’ over the last 20 years.
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The content creator has been to more than 30 festivals – mainly Glastonbury – and is now sharing his best tips and tricks to his collective 100,000 Instagram and TikTok followers.
(Image: Dan Thomas)
So, of course we had to have a chat with Dan to get you all prepped ready for Reading and Leeds this weekend – and there’s one toilet contraption you’ll want before you hit the road…
Speaking exclusively to Daily Star, the festival expert first shared his top tips and said: “My number one festival tip is to bring an S-hook – this genius contraption lifts your bag and coat up off the dirty toilet floor – you don’t know what’s down there!
“In addition – flushable wet wipes, as toilet rolls soak up any moisture around them and get squashed.
Dan continued: “Take a trolley! I really like the VonHaus Garden Cart as it makes the process of getting your tent, chair and anything else onsite in one go so much easier, and your back will thank you!
“For other items, my festival packing list is a lifesaver.” Dan went viral on social media a couple of months ago as he shared that one of the items he always brings is a fabric conditioner bottle.
But, it’s most certainly not for washing your clothes. The festival guru recommends bringing the empty detergent container thanks to its rather big nozzle.
Let’s just say it’s perfect for any middle-of-the-night toilet urges…
(Image: Instagram)
Moving on from all things loos, Dan urged that you should be prepared on the snacks front. He noted that you cannot bring your own food and drinks into the main arena. So it’s either eat at the campsite or part ways with your cash.
Dan explained: “Also remember at Reading & Leeds that you can’t take your own food and drinks into the main ‘arena’ part from the campsite, so you may want to ensure you’ve had a good meal before you go in.”
For a weekend ticket to either Reading or Leeds, it would have set you back £340 – or a hefty £610 for a VIP camping package.
(Image: Dan Thomas)
Dan says that one of the biggest ‘don’ts’ all boils down to your itinerary. There’s nothing worse than wanting to see your favourite artist and missing them due to a lack of forward planning.
In terms of the biggest festival no-no, Dan said: ” I would say – don’t hold yourself too rigidly to an itinerary!
“Thankfully at Reading & Leeds you don’t have too many stages to choose from and they’re all pretty close together so you can zip between them if you need to.
“But if you’re enjoying the act you’re seeing and want to stay there rather than crossing over to see something else – there’s no shame in that.
“Equally, don’t feel pressured to sit through an entire performance if you’re not feeling it on the day. It’s your festival.”
(Image: PA)
It’s all about getting £340 (or £610) worth of enjoyment at the end of the day. But, that can easily all go out of the window if you don’t get the end of the festival correct.
There’s nothing worse than waking up with a slight hangover knowing you have to pack up your tent (most likely in the rain), shove your belongings into the car and make the very long journey home.
Sitting in hours-long queues can really put the dampener on the entire weekend. But, Dan says that can be easily avoided if you leave at the right time.
So, when is that?
“At the very end of the leaving day, or in the wee hours between the music finishing and people waking up to leave,” Dan advised on the best times to depart the festival.
“But it is the middle part of the leaving day (usually a Monday) where the number of people trying to exit peaks.”
You can find Dan on TikTok, here
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
