Bestival FAQ

I’ve paid for my ticket but it hasn’t arrived.  Where is it?

Bestival tickets are not sent out until August so don’t fret if you paid for your ticket in May and you’ve seen no sign of it since.  Remember that when you get to the festival site you MUST exchange your ticket for a wristband.  Children under the age of 12 don’t need a ticket as long as they are accompanied by a parent or guardian over the age of 21.

Is it a logistical nightmare to get to the site from the other side of the Solent?/ When can I arrive and leave?

Unsurprisingly, with around 50,000 people trying to get onto the island at the same time there can be delays and queuing to contend with.  Ferry ports can get very congested and it’s a good idea to book your boat in advance so that you don’t arrive and end up stuck on the other side of the water from the island.  Bestival organizers ask festivalgoers to turn up no earlier than an hour before their booked ferry leaves the mainland, to avoid too much congestion, so factor this in to your travel plans.

It’s also a good idea to think in advance about arrival and departure times  and try and avoid the peak spots when everyone else will be trying to get to or from Bestival.  In terms of when you can arrive, the festival car park opens at 9am on the Thursday morning, the box office at 11.30am and the campsites at midday.  On every other day, the site opens at 9am.

Important note: You can’t get on to the site after midnight on any night until 9am the next day.  If you arrive during this time you’ll have to find yourself a B&B as the festival organizers don’t make any exceptions.

If I am under 18 can I still go to Bestival on my own?

No.  Anyone under the age of 18 needs to accompanied by a parent or guardian over the age of 21.  If you look underage then you will be asked for ID so make sure you take some or you won’t get in.

Can I take alcohol on to the site?

Yes, but you can’t take any glass bottles onto the site so if you don’t decant your booze into plastic containers then you’ll have to leave it at the entrance.

You can take enough alcohol into the campsites for your own personal consumption and if you happen to drink everything on the first night then you can leave the site on the Friday morning and restock.  If you go overboard with the alcohol you try to take in, you’ll be asked to leave the excess at the entrance.

Important note: You can’t take alcohol into any of the main arenas or fields so you will have to buy it from one of the bars inside the site.

Are the campsites aimed at specific groups of people?

The rule at Bestival is that you can pretty much camp wherever you want but some areas are better for certain types of festivalgoers than others.  There is a small family campsite if you are going to Bestival with kids and you can get a separate wristband for this.

The Tangerine Fields and The Boutique Campsites are for anyone who can’t be bothered to lug a tent to the site, or who is looking for a slightly more luxurious camping experience.  One thing to bear in mind with these campsites is that only those who have already paid for accommodation here can camp here.  If you have a tipi in the Boutique Campsite and your friends don’t then unfortunately they wont be able to camp with you.

Quick campsite guide:

• Best for latecomers: black, orange, yellow and purple campsites.
• Best for peace and quiet: black campsite.
• Best for parties: green campsite.

When does everything start?

The official festival programme usually starts on the Friday but each year there is more and more entertainment that starts earlier and earlier.  A number of arenas open at 6pm on the Thursday and stay open until 2am that night.  You’ll find plenty of food and drink stands up and running from the Thursday onwards and you can always leave the site on Friday morning if there’s anything you need that you can’t find on site.

How do I get a site map and programme?

You can download a site map from the Bestival website http://www.bestival.net and you will also be given one when you exchange your ticket for a wristband.  You’ll get a programme when you arrive on site, unless you’re lucky enough to be with one of the artists, in which case you’ll get the information beforehand.