Like others, I'd say start with something like Camp Bestival at the age of 15. (Bestival is no more). It is a family-friendly festival and a few years ago we took my daughter and her best friend to the Dorset one in the July just after her GCSEs as a practice run for going to Reading that August. She and her friend had total freedom and no curfew, learned what to pack and how to find their way back to their tent, made friends, learned to avoid people offering drugs (yes, there was a bit of that even at Camp Bestival) and had a blast in a pretty safe festival environment. Reading was a total contrast and a bit of a shock to the system, and required some endurance for the whole weekend, but they were at least partly prepared. And they were there with half of Surrey and SW London's 16 year olds, all going through the same rite of passage together. By the way, most of the scary stuff like tent-burning apparently takes place on the Sunday night, so my top tip if you do let her go next year is to pick her up at 12/1am so she doesn't sleep there that night!

Thanks so much everyone, I think that so many of you are right, I need to be a parent and do what I think best. I think that I will be saying no until post GCSE's. Really appreciate all of the replies and insights, it certainly seems wilder than I had anticipated. Will look into Bestival for this year.

Defo not a tame affair. She is defo too young.

Day ticket is a fab compromise! I’m going for the day with my son who is 12 as priority will be the music, not the night time activities!

From the experience of my friends' children and my children's friends, Reading was definitely a post-GCSE experience - a rite of passage as others have said - I don't remember hearing of any 15yos going.  When both my children decided at the appropriate times that they didn't want to go, I was hugely relieved - partly because the whole thing sounds like it can be a practical and emotional nightmare, especially for less life-experienced teenagers, and partly because they had not caved in to peer pressure (much to my surprise, given their friend- and party-loving natures!).   Perhaps if you decide to say no to your daughter or discourage her from going this year, with or without use of the Festival T&Cs, you could soften the blow by talking up "her" strong decision to not go (using an approach like Muddyboots has suggested) and also by promising to actively help her with going next year, when she can really enjoy Reading with her whole peer group (or most of them) in the aftermath of tough exams.

I think it’s too young and I say this as a festival goer/aging rocker who went to Reading last year with my husband and some friends. I was actually shocked at alot of stuff: groups of young men with “I love sluts” written on their backs, a lot of scantily clad girls, with similar messages written on their chests, a lot of drug taking, fires in tents, teenagers openly having sex in the camps. If you can encourage her to go for the day, let her go, but the camping was pretty scary if I’m honest. I have a 13 year old and she won’t be allowed to go until she’s 16/17. Festivals were a rite of passage in 90s and there were drugs around then too but I think there is more unpredictable behaviour now. I think Bestival is a bit more wholesome.

My daughters .. now 17 and 20.. both did Reading post GCSE. It was a rite of passage but they would never do it again. Aside from handling your booze, working out how to keep yourself fed, watered and able to go to the loo, it seems to have become pretty frightening at night when idiots set their tents on fire and the atmos gets a bit intimidating. As a previous poster said, the tcs and cs might be your saviour. Or you could get a day ticket?

I would not personally allow it .


My daughter hates me all the time when I say no, but I don’t care. I have the confidence in me that I’m doing my job based on what is best for her.
Don’t fall for “everyone else is going”/doing it/having it etc

Kids ultimately want everything yesterday. Teens want to rush adulthood and wound do anything to be as adult as possible.

Deep down, they need boundaries and feel safe when given boundaries. If they feel they can get away with anything and everything they will quickly spiral out of control.

I would try to be as calm and sympathetic as possible and explain why you don’t want her to go.

I think you posting on here indicates you deep down don’t think it’s a good idea, otherwise you would have said yes by now.

Good luck

The terms and conditions on the website may be your friend here.  Under 16s will only be admitted if they are accompanied by over 18s.  But also, she is too young. 

Your job as her parent is to protect her, not to be her friend. You’re so worried about falling out that you’re not listening to your gut which is telling you no. She will love you for protecting her especially later on. Stop placating her and do your job as an older and wiser woman.

There will be alchol, baloons nitrous oxide, pills and weed are easily available; it doesnt mean your daughter will consume them but it would be naive to think that she won't be offered substances.

I'd suggest some googling to help you to become better informed.

My daughter has been invited to the Reading Festival by a close friend which admittedly looks and sounds great but she only turns 15 in August and I think that she's too young.
She is fairly sensible but I thought that it was one of rites of passage for your GCSE exam year and I am a bit worried that as she will be going with her friend's sister and a group of her friends who are a couple of years older she might end up feeling pressurised to drink etc.
We will seriously fall out over this if I say that she can't go but I would love to know from any parents with older children if I am being too over cautious or should I say yes. Is it a pretty tame affair?