Last month, I got into Glastonbury without paying for a ticket, and I didn’t even have to climb over the fence. I did this by volunteering for Festaff – my job was wristbanding festival staff as they arrived on site. Apparently Adele doesn’t count as “staff” – disappointing.
I was lucky all my shifts were completed before the festival itself even began; mostly you are required to work at least one shift during the festival. I was even luckier that my workplace was a brisk five-minute walk from our campsite – not the treacherous, 40-minute, muddy, cross-site slog some had to weather. I remember issuing wristbands to several workers who’d fallen over in the mud (one had managed to break their arm).
Three eight-hour shifts of relatively easy labour – in a waterproof, wind-shielded cabin – passed by in no time. A heady fusion of disco-funk and pop classics, curated by our resident DJ-in-chief, Christian, soundtracked every shift. It didn’t exactly feel like work: we were at Glastonbury, after all. A snazzy fluorescent jacket was even thrown in for good measure.
All in all, I got a good deal – and I urge all cash-strapped music fans to do the same. As ticket prices increase year upon year – outstripping inflation rates – working for your ticket becomes an ever more attractive alternative to paying hundreds of pounds.
Group applications are actively encouraged by the organisations that offer volunteer work, and most will work to ensure friends are on similar, if not the same, shift patterns. Here’s a brief guide to four recommended companies:
DC Site Services
There’s a whole range of jobs on offer from DC if stewarding or wristbanding don’t take your fancy, including litter and recycling, and traffic management. Festivals include Glastonbury, Latitude, Truck, Y Not, and Electric Picnic. And perhaps most importantly, they pay you (£6.70, the minimum hourly wage).
There is one, potentially annoying caveat: DC Site Service, like most organisations, do require a deposit. This is to deter those who might be tempted to grab their pass or wristband on arrival, ditch their shifts, and make their way off into the arena. DC Site Services report a fall from 40% to 3% in the “dereliction of duty” after the introduction of their deposit scheme, so it seems reasonable.
Festaff
With stewarding and wristbanding positions at almost every festival on the UK festival circuit, Festaff offer a decent range of choices. Though the deposit for Glastonbury might be practically the price of a ticket itself, for the vast majority of festivals, a £20 deposit is all that’s required – £15 of which is kept as an admin fee.
Those “£20 festivals” include T in the Park, Rewind, Kendall Calling, Creamfields and Bestival. For one-day events like Electric Daisy Carnival, there’s a smaller admin fee of £10.
If you’ve got the time for two or more festivals, this one’s for you. For Glastonbury and Bestival, you’re required to “twin” with another event due to their high demand, which means working at least two festivals during the summer. If you work with Festaff again next year, they say they’ll likely reduce your deposit too.
Oxfam
If you’re undeterred by the hefty deposit (anywhere between £100 and £220), stewarding for Oxfam can be one of the best opportunities for volunteers. The work is fun and, bearing in mind the charity’s global brand, it’ll look nice on your CV.
Glastonbury, 2000 Trees, Latitude, Tramlines, Boomtown, Boardmasters, Fair, Reading & Leeds, and Bestival are just some of the names on their lengthy list of events.
Hotbox Events
Hotbox describe themselves as “the eyes and ears of the event; trained to be proactive and alert to any potential problem”, while “promoting crime awareness and crime prevention to the public”. It all sounds rather serious, but the work isn’t too demanding and takes place in a friendly atmosphere.
Note that deposits are not returned until after their last festival of the summer (October). You’re given a choice of three: Latitude, Reading or Leeds. Places at Reading tend to fill up quickly.
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