How to breeze through festival season with a chronic illness
Today I thought I’d do a post that I would’ve wanted to read last year, when I attended my first ever festival. Having always loved music and recently been alleviated from the weight of A Levels that finished in June, I set off for ‘Y Not’ - The Peak District’s amazing indie festival.
In the space of this year, I have now just got back from my fourth festival - one that was equally amazing but a very different experience. Having now attended larger, three day festivals, a small two day festival in Liverpool last year and more recently a one day fest in London, I feel I can now provide tips and tricks to people maybe in the same boat.
Of course, a disclaimer needs to add that all illnesses/chronic conditions/ disabilities are different and these tips may not be as useful to you as others, or perhaps you know you would need to adapt your support in accordance with your condition. These tips are just a guideline for you, so nothing has to stop you this festival season.
Having both Cerebral Palsy and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, my main issues are fatigue and I can’t walk far at all. I need to stop and have lots of breaks where there are seats, keep drinking lots of water and at times find quiet spaces - as it can all get a bit overwhelming for me. I also need to stay as hygienic as possible as I pick up colds/infections as easily as Adele gets a standing ovation, so with these factors in mind I give my advice.
- Pick a festival that works for you
Now, before attending a variety of festivals, all catering and serving different needs I didn't understand the importance of this. I have found that larger, more prominent festivals are not very fatigue friendly, even if support is in place. By this I mean that if there are large areas of ground to cover to get to each stage - then they're not going to be the best for you if you struggle walking far. If you're in a wheelchair they may not be much better as whilst some festivals have access arrangements (available to request upon booking your ticket), the kind of ground most festivals are on isn't wheelchair friendly. For example one I attended this year had some of its stages in the woods, with very harsh and differing inclines and tricky ground. This would be difficult for yourself and your carer to navigate. Another problem I encountered with larger well-known festivals is the sheer number of people makes navigating crowds and managing fatigue a mine field. Whilst a good mix of people makes the all-important atmosphere, too much bustle can make an exciting day stressful and down heartening.
But, this doesn't need to be an issue! There are literally loads of smaller more local festivals all ranging from 1-3 days long and all offering a variety of different music to suit different tastes. I've found that whilst these are usually more affordable, they may also be easier to get to - if you're lucky enough to have one going on not too far from you! Smaller festivals, haven't got as many stages as some of the larger festivals and are spread over a much smaller area. I found these to be much handier as often I could just stay in one field all day as different bands came and went on one stage. Also, because these festivals aren't as well-known there's still plenty of people and atmosphere but it's not over-run and you can get closer to the stage. Winner.
- ALWAYS request support
At all the festivals I've attended this has been in the form of a personal assistant. This is a person that comes free with the cost of one standard ticket if you've got a disability/illness/condition visible or otherwise that means you need a bit more help to have the best time! Being a person who couldn't manage the bag carrying, water-retrieving, crowd shuffling, food locating mess that is a festival when I'm warm, dizzy and tired - A PA ticket is absolutely essential. I repeat, absolutely essential.
A PA ticket is essentially what enables you to enjoy a festival just as much as the next person and that's exactly as it should be. A festival is all about having fun, letting your hair down and doing it with people that all share the same love of music and just because you have a condition/disability doesn't mean you should discount yourself from that. If you need a fridge to store medications, chairs to make sure you don't faint (not in a cool way like girls did for the Beatles) or someone to push your wheelchair - this is what having a free ticket for a carer is for. Just make sure you have your medical notes/evidence when you apply for a PA ticket and hey presto! Sorted.
Which brings me on to my third and less practical point...
- Only go to a festival with those who will understand your needs and respect them
This is a tip that is crucial in life in general, not just at festivals, but it is in the same bracket as the quote "Only travel with those you love". You can only really enjoy yourself, especially with an illness, when you feel supported and safe. This is the role primarily of your PA, so make sure if they aren't used to being your carer that they fully understand what is involved in signing up for the role so- to-speak. Make sure this person is fully understanding to your needs and knows how to aid them. It's lovely going to watch live music with friends but it's also so important to have someone there that isn't totally intoxicated (at all) and still is up for a good time with you. You don't want to feel guilty that just because you can't manage the crowds in the main arena or stay up for that late-night secret set, that you're going to make others annoyed. If someone's idea of having a good time is seeing you having a good time, they're the ones (Thank you Mum!).
- Choose the right accommodation
Accommodation I hear you say, that sounds a very official way of saying "tent" Molly. But, no, I mean accommodation. If, like me you know that getting too cold can make you ill, or that the very nature of outdoor living with trying to manage medication and stay clean is too difficult, I recommend looking at how you can stay close by alternatively. This doesn't have to be expensive at all, but I think it is worth adding the cost of a B&B to your festival ticket price if you have a chronic condition. For me, having a good restful night's sleep would mean the difference between seeing the acts of not being well enough to get out of bed. A hot shower may mean that I stave off that cold before it starts and clean toilets may (or may not depending on the fast food you can't ignore) help stop those dodgy tummies. For me, having clean, cool accommodation is the whole reason I can stay well enough to go to a festival in the first place - even if I use all my holiday saving on that one trip, it is worth it for the enjoyment.
- Plan wisely
If you've got limited energy you want to make sure you're not wasting it getting lost or in a noisy environment not enjoying the show. If you go to a longer festival such as a weekend one, where an array of artists means you're quite literally spoilt for choice, it is essential to plan to avoid overstretching yourself. If a main act is on at, say 7.00pm, it may be worth looking at what's on in that area up to two hours before to make sure you're close by and don't need to make a long journey. By planning this way everything is manageable and you can be sure to get a seat on the 'viewing platform' (A special area dedicated to disabled access customers only, where there's chairs on a raised platform so you can still get a great view of the stage). It also may mean seeing acts you wouldn't necessarily have seen and I think this is always a great way of broadening your music tastes.
- Research vendors for particular dietary requirements before you get there and make a note of them
If, like me, your illness means that you can't eat certain foods, it's worth looking up the different food stalls and what they can offer. There's nothing worse than having to walk further than you need to eat, especially as you will be tired when hungry anyway! If you've got a few vendors you know you can trust it makes it all the more easy. And on topic...
- Stay hydrated
This applies to everyone going to a festival but is even more important for a person with a chronic illness. If, like me, water and lots of it is crucial to make sure your blood pressure doesn't drop and your meds don't give you a dodgy tummy - keep refilling that water. Most festivals won't allow liquids in for obvious reasons, but once inside most offer free drinking water at designated taps - so take an empty bottle and every half an hour or so remember to at least sip.
Alongside this, there are tips like not carrying too much around to avoid extra fatigue and carrying antibacterial hand wipes at all times. The standard tips of taking sun cream, multiple layers/waterproof’s and a good pair of comfy boots will keep you in good stead also.
There you go! You're all set!
I hope you find this useful and have a blast this summer!
In the space of this year, I have now just got back from my fourth festival - one that was equally amazing but a very different experience. Having now attended larger, three day festivals, a small two day festival in Liverpool last year and more recently a one day fest in London, I feel I can now provide tips and tricks to people maybe in the same boat.
Of course, a disclaimer needs to add that all illnesses/chronic conditions/ disabilities are different and these tips may not be as useful to you as others, or perhaps you know you would need to adapt your support in accordance with your condition. These tips are just a guideline for you, so nothing has to stop you this festival season.
Having both Cerebral Palsy and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, my main issues are fatigue and I can’t walk far at all. I need to stop and have lots of breaks where there are seats, keep drinking lots of water and at times find quiet spaces - as it can all get a bit overwhelming for me. I also need to stay as hygienic as possible as I pick up colds/infections as easily as Adele gets a standing ovation, so with these factors in mind I give my advice.
- Pick a festival that works for you
Now, before attending a variety of festivals, all catering and serving different needs I didn't understand the importance of this. I have found that larger, more prominent festivals are not very fatigue friendly, even if support is in place. By this I mean that if there are large areas of ground to cover to get to each stage - then they're not going to be the best for you if you struggle walking far. If you're in a wheelchair they may not be much better as whilst some festivals have access arrangements (available to request upon booking your ticket), the kind of ground most festivals are on isn't wheelchair friendly. For example one I attended this year had some of its stages in the woods, with very harsh and differing inclines and tricky ground. This would be difficult for yourself and your carer to navigate. Another problem I encountered with larger well-known festivals is the sheer number of people makes navigating crowds and managing fatigue a mine field. Whilst a good mix of people makes the all-important atmosphere, too much bustle can make an exciting day stressful and down heartening.
But, this doesn't need to be an issue! There are literally loads of smaller more local festivals all ranging from 1-3 days long and all offering a variety of different music to suit different tastes. I've found that whilst these are usually more affordable, they may also be easier to get to - if you're lucky enough to have one going on not too far from you! Smaller festivals, haven't got as many stages as some of the larger festivals and are spread over a much smaller area. I found these to be much handier as often I could just stay in one field all day as different bands came and went on one stage. Also, because these festivals aren't as well-known there's still plenty of people and atmosphere but it's not over-run and you can get closer to the stage. Winner.
- ALWAYS request support
At all the festivals I've attended this has been in the form of a personal assistant. This is a person that comes free with the cost of one standard ticket if you've got a disability/illness/condition visible or otherwise that means you need a bit more help to have the best time! Being a person who couldn't manage the bag carrying, water-retrieving, crowd shuffling, food locating mess that is a festival when I'm warm, dizzy and tired - A PA ticket is absolutely essential. I repeat, absolutely essential.
A PA ticket is essentially what enables you to enjoy a festival just as much as the next person and that's exactly as it should be. A festival is all about having fun, letting your hair down and doing it with people that all share the same love of music and just because you have a condition/disability doesn't mean you should discount yourself from that. If you need a fridge to store medications, chairs to make sure you don't faint (not in a cool way like girls did for the Beatles) or someone to push your wheelchair - this is what having a free ticket for a carer is for. Just make sure you have your medical notes/evidence when you apply for a PA ticket and hey presto! Sorted.
Which brings me on to my third and less practical point...
- Only go to a festival with those who will understand your needs and respect them
This is a tip that is crucial in life in general, not just at festivals, but it is in the same bracket as the quote "Only travel with those you love". You can only really enjoy yourself, especially with an illness, when you feel supported and safe. This is the role primarily of your PA, so make sure if they aren't used to being your carer that they fully understand what is involved in signing up for the role so- to-speak. Make sure this person is fully understanding to your needs and knows how to aid them. It's lovely going to watch live music with friends but it's also so important to have someone there that isn't totally intoxicated (at all) and still is up for a good time with you. You don't want to feel guilty that just because you can't manage the crowds in the main arena or stay up for that late-night secret set, that you're going to make others annoyed. If someone's idea of having a good time is seeing you having a good time, they're the ones (Thank you Mum!).
- Choose the right accommodation
Accommodation I hear you say, that sounds a very official way of saying "tent" Molly. But, no, I mean accommodation. If, like me you know that getting too cold can make you ill, or that the very nature of outdoor living with trying to manage medication and stay clean is too difficult, I recommend looking at how you can stay close by alternatively. This doesn't have to be expensive at all, but I think it is worth adding the cost of a B&B to your festival ticket price if you have a chronic condition. For me, having a good restful night's sleep would mean the difference between seeing the acts of not being well enough to get out of bed. A hot shower may mean that I stave off that cold before it starts and clean toilets may (or may not depending on the fast food you can't ignore) help stop those dodgy tummies. For me, having clean, cool accommodation is the whole reason I can stay well enough to go to a festival in the first place - even if I use all my holiday saving on that one trip, it is worth it for the enjoyment.
- Plan wisely
If you've got limited energy you want to make sure you're not wasting it getting lost or in a noisy environment not enjoying the show. If you go to a longer festival such as a weekend one, where an array of artists means you're quite literally spoilt for choice, it is essential to plan to avoid overstretching yourself. If a main act is on at, say 7.00pm, it may be worth looking at what's on in that area up to two hours before to make sure you're close by and don't need to make a long journey. By planning this way everything is manageable and you can be sure to get a seat on the 'viewing platform' (A special area dedicated to disabled access customers only, where there's chairs on a raised platform so you can still get a great view of the stage). It also may mean seeing acts you wouldn't necessarily have seen and I think this is always a great way of broadening your music tastes.
- Research vendors for particular dietary requirements before you get there and make a note of them
If, like me, your illness means that you can't eat certain foods, it's worth looking up the different food stalls and what they can offer. There's nothing worse than having to walk further than you need to eat, especially as you will be tired when hungry anyway! If you've got a few vendors you know you can trust it makes it all the more easy. And on topic...
- Stay hydrated
This applies to everyone going to a festival but is even more important for a person with a chronic illness. If, like me, water and lots of it is crucial to make sure your blood pressure doesn't drop and your meds don't give you a dodgy tummy - keep refilling that water. Most festivals won't allow liquids in for obvious reasons, but once inside most offer free drinking water at designated taps - so take an empty bottle and every half an hour or so remember to at least sip.
Alongside this, there are tips like not carrying too much around to avoid extra fatigue and carrying antibacterial hand wipes at all times. The standard tips of taking sun cream, multiple layers/waterproof’s and a good pair of comfy boots will keep you in good stead also.
There you go! You're all set!
I hope you find this useful and have a blast this summer!
Molly x
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