Attending a Music Festival as a Wheelchair User
Summer is almost upon us and that can mean only one thing – festival season is just around the corner! It’s time to lube yourself up with sunscreen, pull out those rocking horns and hit the festival scene with gusto – if that’s your ‘thing’, of course!
But are you attending a festival for the first time and are you a wheelchair user or a person with a disability? You might be wondering what’s available to you once you arrive and how you can make the most of your experience? Well, wonder no more, as here are some useful tips that can stand you in better stead before you bust out those moves and have the time of your life!
1- Enquire about a free carer ticket
Most major festivals around Europe will offer disabled ticket holders the chance to receive an extra, free ticket, for someone to attend the festival with them. The purpose of the free carer-ticket is to give disabled attendees a chance to have the best time possible, with someone there to offer them assistance whenever you need it. You can either split the cost of your ticket with a friend, or you can be the popular person who gifts someone a carer ticket for free… the choice is yours!
2- Don’t forget where you parked!!
If you’re camping in a disabled campsite then there’s a good chance you may be allowed to park your car right next to your tent, which has its major benefits… not least because you can use your car as a huge stereo to blast your awesome tunes across the site for other unsuspecting campers! That never gets old… especially at 5am!
But if you’re not parked next to your tent, be sure to remember exactly where you did park, as there’s likely to be thousands of cars to wade through. Beware of flat tires too – had that happen to me once or twice!
3- Get the best spot in the disabled campsite!
Be tactical about where you put your tent… you want to be in close proximity to the disabled toilets, but then again, not too close as you don’t want the bad smells drifting over or the annoying people banging on the side of your tent as they head to the loo!
Don’t do what I did and pitch your tent at the bottom of a hill… if it rains, your tent will flood. It’s not fun. Trust me.
4- Make friends – they can help
If the aforementioned rain does decide to try and ruin your spirits, then the ground is going to get awfully muddy. Make sure you make as many friends as possible – as they may be able to offer a hand when things get tricky. Be like me and get carried around the festival like Caesar!
5- Locate the disabled viewing platforms!
If you want a decent view of the stage for a particular band or act then you’re going to want to find out where the disabled viewing platforms are.
Make friends with the people who are overseeing the entrance of the stand for the weekend and you may be able to take more than just your carer up there with you. You’ll be extra popular if you can offer prime viewing slots for more than one mate!
6- Know where the medical tent is?
It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. So one of the first jobs you should do after arriving is locate where the medical tent is. Hopefully you’ll never need it… but if you do, it’s good to know where it is for a quicker visit!
