Safety tips UK: pack a small safety kit, bring ID, and drink water often. Know where the welfare tent and emergency points sit and save them to your phone. If someone is unwell, ask staff or call 999 and give the exact location.
What to pack and printable checklist
Prepare a small kit and keep it with you. A single card with contacts and allergies saves crucial time in an emergency.
Bring photo ID, your ticket and a short note listing allergies and prescriptions. Write the festival postcode and nearest A&E on paper and in your phone.
Carry an emergency contact card with NHS number if known and the festival welfare phone or email. Store it in a wallet or sew it into a tent tag.
Keep one printed card and a phone photo handy.
Clothing, shelter and weather kit
England weather changes quickly, so pack layers and a lightweight waterproof. A warm layer and a waterproof help prevent hypothermia after rain.
Bring sturdy shoes and a sun hat. Accessible attendees should pack spare mobility batteries and label them.
Health, hydration and first aid
Pack a reusable water bottle and electrolyte sachets. Sunscreen SPF30 or higher cuts sunburn risk.
Bring blister plasters, a small first aid kit and prescription meds in original boxes. Put medications in a sealed bag with your name.
Tech, money and communication
Take a charged phone and a power bank of at least 10,000 mAh. Label chargers with your name and your tent coordinates.
Carry cash, a contact card with a meeting point and a whistle. A headlamp helps at night.
Printable emergency wallet card
FESTIVAL: ____ DATE: __
LOCATION / POSTCODE: ____
NEAREST A&E: ___ PHONE: _
NHS 111 (advice): 111 | EMERGENCY: 999
WELFARE TENT LOCATION: ___
ALLERGIES / MEDS: ____
EMERGENCY CONTACT NAME & PHONE: __
SPECIAL NEEDS / ACCESS INFO: _____
Fill this card before travel and keep a photo on your phone. Write the exact festival postcode and nearest entrance so medics find you fast.
Consolidated printable festival packing
Keep one printed card and a phone photo handy.
Managing heat, dehydration and weather risks
Recognise dehydration early and act before it becomes severe. Mild dehydration causes dizziness and confusion and it can look like intoxication.
Signs of dehydration and heat illness
Dehydration signs include thirst, darker urine, fatigue and dizziness. These signs often start before the person realises they need water.
Heatstroke signs include very hot dry skin, confusion, fast breathing and collapse. If someone shows these signs, call 999 and get medics to the scene.
Practical prevention steps
Drink 250–500ml of fluid every hour while active in heat. Use electrolyte sachets after heavy sweating to replace salts.
Use shade between sets and wear a hat. Pace alcohol and avoid mixing sedatives with heavy activity in hot weather.
On-site quick actions
Move the person to shade, cool the skin with water and loosen tight clothing. Give small sips if the person is alert and can swallow.
If the person vomits repeatedly, collapses, becomes confused or stops breathing, call 999 and tell staff the exact symptoms and location.
Accessibility and severe weather
Many festivals publish access routes, shaded resting areas and welfare contacts. Contact the festival Access team before travel if access needs exist.
Organisers should mark accessible routes on site maps and staff must help with cooling and transport to welfare tents.
Spot → Act → Escalate
Spot: thirsty, dizzy, pale, rapid pulse.
Act: move to shade, offer 250ml water, cool skin.
Escalate: vomiting, collapse, confusion → call medic or 999.
Recent UK festival incident patterns
Post-event reports and medical logs from UK festivals often show dehydration and heat illness among top attendances. Minor injuries and substance-related cases also appear regularly.
Knowing this pattern explains why hydration, early heatstroke prevention and quick welfare access matter for organisers and festival-goers.
Drug harms: testing, amnesty bins and reality
On-site drug services change year to year, so always check before relying on them. Many festivals post welfare pages with current harm-reduction details.
How to verify testing or amnesty bins
Check the festival welfare or safety page and official social channels. Confirm The Loop announcements for testing updates.
Use this link to start: We Are The Loop and confirm with the festival press office.
Typical practices and limits
Some festivals offer amnesty bins and welfare tents but fewer run on-site chemical testing. Availability depends on organisers and local authority advice.
Relying on testing without confirmation carries risk. Plan harm-reduction steps even if testing services appear available.
Harm reduction steps for attendees
If choosing to use substances, test when services exist, take a small dose first and wait to see effects. Never mix sedatives with alcohol.
Tell a sober buddy what was taken, where and when. If someone gets very hot, confused or stops responding, seek medics immediately.
Common festival examples and where to check
Festivals to check for welfare and testing policies include Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds and Creamfields. Policies change so ask each event for the current year.
| Festival |
Typical welfare |
On-site testing |
Check with |
| Glastonbury (Somerset) |
Welfare tents and medics |
Varies by year, verify |
Festival welfare page / The Loop |
| Reading & Leeds (Berkshire / West Yorks) |
On-site first aid and welfare |
Sometimes, verify |
Press office / welfare page |
| Creamfields (Cheshire) |
Large medical provision |
Rare, verify |
Festival organiser contact |
Many festivals offer welfare and amnesty bins, but on-site chemical testing is not guaranteed. Ask the festival for the current year’s policy before relying on it.
Practical limits and how to check
On-site drug-testing capability varies by event and year. Reagent tests can hint at drug class but they do not prove purity or dose.
Testing teams and welfare tents can advise on risks, but confidentiality differs by team. Ask the welfare staff how they handle results and records.
To confirm local provision, check the festival welfare page and recognised services such as We Are The Loop. Even with testing, follow harm-reduction steps and seek first aid for severe symptoms.
Emergency scripts: what to say and who to call
Use short, clear scripts to get fast help from stewards, medics or 999. Keep the exact lines on your phone so panic cannot slow you down.
Script for stewards and welfare
"Hello, my name is [X]. We are at [stage/landmark] near [entrance]." "My friend is dizzy, vomiting and confused since [time]." "They are conscious and breathing. Can a welfare volunteer come?"
Give the steward your card with allergies and meds. If you do not know the postcode, give the nearest stage and entrance name.
Script for on-site medic or first aider
"Patient: approx [age], conscious/unconscious, breathing yes/no, pulse present." "Symptoms: [list]. Substance: [if known], time taken: [time]." "Allergies/meds: [list]."
State if the patient can speak and can swallow fluids. These details speed triage.
Script for calling 999
"999, I need an ambulance. Location: [festival name] at [postcode or main entrance]." "Patient is [age], [conscious/unconscious], [breathing/not breathing]." "Symptoms: [seizure/unresponsive/bleeding/heavy breathing]. We are at [landmark]."
Stay on the line and follow the dispatcher's instructions. If paramedics are sent, point them to the nearest entrance and a steward with a radio.
What to say if a substance is involved
Give the substance name, amount, time taken and whether alcohol was involved. Describe breathing, consciousness and any seizures.
Tell staff a pill’s colour, logo or taste if known. Clinical teams focus on treatment before any policing in medical emergencies.
On-site medical provision
Festival medical setups vary with size and risk assessment. The Purple Guide and HSE advice shape organiser plans and provision.
Roles and who does what
Recognise staff by role: steward, first aider, paramedic, welfare officer and safeguarding officer. Ask for the welfare tent if unsure.
Event organisers liaise with the Local Authority, SAG, Ambulance Service and Police. These links form the incident command structure used in emergencies.
Typical medical provision levels
Smaller events usually have volunteer first aiders and a welfare tent. Larger festivals run on-site paramedics and ambulance access for A&E transfer.
St John Ambulance and British Red Cross often supply first aid teams at big UK events and they follow The Purple Guide.
Organiser one‑page safety plan
Event name: ____ Date(s): _
Site postcode: ___ Capacity: _
Medical lead: __ Phone: _
Welfare tent(s): __ Locations: _
Nearest A&E: ____ Phone: _
Ambulance liaison: __ Contact: __
Stewarding plan: SIA security, steward numbers, ingress and egress map
Evacuation plan: designated assembly points and PA messages
Access provisions: disabled parking, accessible toilets and welfare access
Drug policy: amnesty bin (Y/N), testing (Y/N), liaison contact
Special cases
Lost child steps: keep the child safe and notify the nearest steward and welfare tent. Give a clear description and the time last seen.
Severe weather: follow PA announcements and steward instructions. Move to designated shelters for floods or lightning and avoid shortcuts across floodwater.
E-E-A-T signals and practical note
The most frequent error at this point is assuming the organiser handles all personal risks. Attendees must bring basic items and pre-fill contact cards.
This works well in theory, but in practice finding a tent on busy sites takes time. Pre-filled cards and a buddy plan speed help and reduce risk.
A case many staff see: a person mixes alcohol and a stimulant, overexerts in heat and collapses. Early fluids and quick welfare contact often avoid ambulance transfer.
Organisers should publish welfare tent maps, access contacts and emergency routes. Festival-goers should copy these details to their wallet card and phone before arrival.
For medical guidance and nearest A&E finder see NHS England. For event safety best practice consult The Purple Guide.
Print the wallet card and packing checklist above, fill in local A&E and welfare tent details, and carry them on arrival as a simple safety habit.
Frequently asked questions
What should I take to a festival in the UK?
Bring ID, your ticket, prescription meds, reusable water, sunscreen, waterproof and an emergency contact card. Add the local A&E and festival welfare phone before you leave.
How can I stay safe at a music festival?
Use a buddy system and locate the welfare tent on arrival. Hydrate hourly and avoid mixing sedatives with alcohol.
Are drugs tested at UK festivals?
Sometimes. On-site drug-testing is not universal and it varies by event and year. Check The Loop and the festival welfare page before relying on testing services.
What first aid is available at festivals?
First aid ranges from volunteer first aiders to on-site paramedics at large events. St John Ambulance and British Red Cross commonly provide teams at UK festivals.
How do I avoid dehydration and overheating?
Drink regularly, 250–500ml each hour while active, rest in shade and use electrolytes after heavy sweating. Watch friends for early signs of heat illness.
What to do now: simple plan before you go
Write the site postcode, nearest A&E, NHS 111 and emergency contact on a card and in your phone. Pack the checklist above, set a meeting point and agree a buddy plan.
Check the festival welfare page and The Loop for current harm reduction listings. Message the festival Access team if accessible support is needed.
Make these three short steps part of your routine before departure and you cut most common risks.
This guidance does not replace immediate emergency care. If someone is unconscious, not breathing or seizing, call 999 and follow the operator's instructions without delay.
Organisers contact the Local Authority, SAG, NHS ambulance liaison and Police. Plans should reference the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and The Purple Guide.
