Glastonbury might sadly be a no-go this year, but why not join the growing trend for recreating musical magic in your own back garden? It’s a long wait until you get to use those golden tickets in 2021, so don’t let this Summer go by without bringing the festival-feels to your Summer.
And just think, there are some perks to the at-home festival – no queues for the portaloo and you only need to commit to a “weekender” when the weather forecast is on your side! Read our guide to get back-garden festival ready.
1. It was tent to be
An iconic part of any British festival is pitching your tent and sleeping under the starry skies (along with thousands of your fellow festival-goers!). Forget that you have the luxury of beds and showers just a few metres away in the house – a back-garden festival requires commitment to a campout! Make sure to set up the tent while it’s still daylight (no need to be fumbling around with your iPhone torch in a dark field after an 8-hour drive!) and that everyone is stocked up with warm clothes, sleeping bags, blankets and late-night snacks. As we’re looking at staycations for the foreseeable future, recreating the full-on weekend festival camp out will make you feel you’ve had a break – of sorts!
2. Bee-aware of bites and stings
Despite the fun, festivals aren’t without their hazards – everything from sunstroke to slips and trips in the mud, depending on the whims Great British Weather! So, a rudimentary “first aid kit” – SPF 30+ sunscreen at the very least- is always advisable. Even at home, you have to be careful – public enemy no1 for back garden festivals are bugs like mosquitoes, bees, wasps, hornets, horseflies, and even ants particularly if you’re camping out overnight. So, it’s essential to have help on hand immediately if you happen to get stung or bitten. To soothe any itching, pain or swellings caused by insect bites and stings try bite away® – it’s a completely chemical-free, re-usable treatment, clinically proven to relieve symptoms in just two minutes! The concentrated heat technology triggers a response in the body when applied directly to the skin, providing effective relief from the first application. Pocket-sized and boasting a long battery life, it’s easy to keep bite away® with you for the whole of home festival season.
3. Flaunt your festival fashion
Half the fun is in the festival-fashion – but there’s no reason why you can’t do this at home. Think bold colours, daring ensembles, kooky sunglasses and if you really want to go all out – get those wellies on. Hair and make-up shouldn’t take a backseat either; glitter and sparkles are your new best friends, while Dutch braids or space buns will complete your eye-popping look. This is something all the family can get involved in – parents can channel their Glasto looks of old in traditional hippy attire while younger siblings can create festival-worthy looks by raiding their dressing up boxes. All of this means that great news – you can still get your pic for the ‘gram from your back-garden festival.
4. Eat, drink and be merry
Another great thing about UK festivals is the huge choice of street food available all day, every day. With advance planning, you can easily pull this off at home. Pick a few types of cuisine to suit everyone – festival heavyweights include pizza, noodles, all things falafel and cheesy chips – and get these ready beforehand. These dishes can be set up on a gourmet festival buffet table while you have a BBQ going on the day. This will include other classics like burgers and hot dogs in the home festival feast. For the over-18s, allow yourself to responsibly indulge in some staple festival beverages like Pimm’s, G&Ts and ice-cold lagers, while the kids enjoy their favourite soft drinks and perhaps a non-alcoholic summer fruit punch to fully immerse themselves in the festival vibe.
5. And finally… turn up the music
Of course, no festival is complete without the music itself; lots of the UK’s major festivals will be streaming virtual alternatives, so make sure to check their schedules so you don’t lose out. Artists will be live streaming from all over the world, helping to make us all feel connected and part of the same music experience even during lockdown. If you happen to miss out on a virtual festival, don’t worry – all the major music streaming services are full of festival playlists and there’s nothing stopping you from getting creative and putting one together yourself. All you need are some speakers and your best dance moves. To keep the party going after hours without disturbing the neighbours, get everyone to switch to headphones for an immersive silent disco experience. Who knows, perhaps your back-garden festival will be so great that you’ll make it an annual thing!