Going to a Festival Alone: 15 Tips From My First Solo Festival

Going to a festival alone can sound daunting, but it can also be one of the most freeing things you’ll ever do. I went to Boomtown on my own in 2017, completely by accident, and learned a lot of lessons the hard way. Here’s what happened, and my tips to make your first solo festival much easier than mine.

Updated November 2026. The Boomtown story below is my own experience. Product details and prices are from Amazon UK and Go Outdoors when I checked in November 2026, so they may have changed.

Going to a Festival Alone: Quick Tips

My First Festival Alone: Boomtown 2017

I never planned to go to Boomtown 2017 on my own. A few friends had to cancel at the last minute because of illness and other circumstances, and by the time it was clear that nobody else was coming, it was too late to change my plans. So I went alone.

Carrying a Four-Person Tent on My Own

The first challenge was the tent. I’d brought a tent big enough for four people, because there were supposed to be four of us. Everyone had cancelled at such short notice that I didn’t have time to buy a smaller one, so I had to carry a massive four-person tent all the way to the campsite and put it up by myself.

Luckily, two friendly, happy campers came over and helped me put it up. Between them, it was up in minutes, which was absolutely amazing. But carrying it in and getting started on my own was a real struggle.

Needing the Toilet With All My Stuff

When I arrived at Boomtown, I really needed to go to the toilet. There’s a big row of portaloos at the bottom of the hill, where you walk in and up the hill by the public transport gate. I was laden with stuff, and with nobody to hold it for me, I had no choice: I left it all outside the portaloo, went in, and hoped it would still be there when I came out.

Fortunately, it was. But it’s not something I’d want to rely on, and it’s one of the biggest practical problems of going to a festival alone.

Feeling a Bit Like Billy No Mates

I’ll be honest: at times, I felt a bit like Billy No Mates. Everyone around me seemed to be in groups, and it took a while to get used to doing everything on my own. That’s why making friends with your camping neighbours is one of my biggest tips, which I’ll come to below.

The Freedom of Going Solo

But going to a festival alone was also surprisingly freeing. There was nobody to hold me back. I didn’t have to hang around waiting for people to go to the bar, finish their food or use the toilet. There was no wondering where everyone had got to, or trying to phone people who couldn’t hear their phones. I had the full freedom to do whatever I wanted and go and see whichever artists I wanted.

Is It Weird to Go to a Festival Alone?

No. More people go to festivals on their own than you might think. Some have friends who’ve dropped out, like me. Some don’t know anyone who likes the same music. Others just want a weekend that’s completely their own.

Once you’re through the gates, nobody can tell who came with a group and who came alone. Festivals are some of the friendliest places you’ll ever be, and people are generally in good spirits and up for a chat.

The Best Things About Going to a Festival Alone

• You see who you want to see. No compromising on the lineup, and no dragging yourself to a headliner you don’t care about.
• No waiting around. No waiting for people at the bar, the food stalls or the toilets.
• No losing your friends. No time wasted trying to find people or phoning someone who can’t hear their phone.
• You go at your own pace. Have an early night, or stay out until sunrise. It’s completely up to you.
• You’re more likely to meet new people. When you’re on your own, you’re more open to chatting with strangers, and they’re more likely to chat with you.

15 Tips for Going to a Festival Alone

1. Pick the Right Festival for Going Solo

If it’s your first time going to a festival alone, choose one where you love the music, so you’ll always have something you’re excited to see. Smaller festivals can feel friendlier and less overwhelming, and they’re easier to find your way around. Bigger festivals like Boomtown have so much going on that you’ll never be bored, but they can take a while to get your bearings.

Advert

2. Take Public Transport and Meet People on the Way

If you can, get to the festival by train, coach or the festival’s shuttle bus. You’re highly likely to meet people on the way there, because everyone’s heading to the same place, and they’re usually excited and up for a chat. By the time you arrive, you might already have someone to walk in with, or even camp near.

It also means there’s no long drive to do on your own. Just pack light, because you’ll be carrying everything yourself. Here’s what it was like taking the Boomtown shuttle bus.

3. Take a Tent You Can Carry and Pitch on Your Own

Learn from my mistake. You’ll be carrying your tent on your own, and putting it up on your own, so take the smallest tent you’re comfortable in. A two-person tent is plenty for one person and their bags, and it’s much lighter than a four-person tent.

Practise putting it up at home before you go, so you’re not working it out in a busy campsite. If you do get stuck, don’t be afraid to ask the people next to you. In my experience, festival-goers are very happy to help. For more ideas, see our guide to the best tents for music festivals, and if you’ve got a lot to carry, a folding festival trolley will save your arms.

Best for: One person and their stuff

Eurohike Ribble 2 (opens in a new tab)

It's sold as a two-person tent, but it's just right for one person and their bags. It's light, quick to pitch, and the door can be rolled up, used as a porch or propped out on its poles as a sun shade.

• 4.5kg, and packs down to 57 x 17 x 17cm
• 3000mm flysheet and 5000mm sewn-in groundsheet
• Flysheet-first pitching, so the inner stays dry if it rains while you pitch

• A squeeze for two people with festival luggage

Check price at Go Outdoors (opens in a new tab)

4. Pack Light and Keep Your Hands Free

When you’re on your own, there’s nobody to hold your bag while you queue for food, find your ticket or nip to the loo. Pack as light as you can, and keep your phone, money, cards and ticket in a pocket belt or bum bag that stays on you all day. Being hands-free makes everything easier, from carrying a drink to dancing at the front.

See our guide on where to put your phone at a festival for more ideas.

5. Plan Ahead for the Toilets

This is the one nobody warns you about. If you need the toilet while you’re carrying your tent, bags and everything else, there’s nobody to watch your stuff. When it happened to me at Boomtown, I had to leave it outside the portaloo and hope for the best.

To avoid it, go to the toilet before the final walk in, whether that’s at a service station, the train station or the car park. Once you’ve pitched, keep your valuables on you, so you only ever need to worry about your drink. Read our tips for dealing with festival toilets for more.

6. Take a Drink Container With a Lid

When you’re on your own and you need the toilet, there’s nobody to hold your drink. You’re going to want somewhere to put it down, and a cup with a lid means it won’t spill or get anything dropped into it while you’re in there.

A lid also helps protect against drink spiking. Never leave your drink unattended with strangers, and don’t accept drinks from people you’ve just met. If you suddenly feel much drunker or more unwell than you should, go straight to a steward, the welfare tent or the medical team.

Check your festival’s rules before you go. Many festivals ban glass, and some don’t let you take your own drinks into the arena.

7. Say Hello to Your Camping Neighbours

This is my top tip for going to a festival alone. Everybody’s friendly and in good spirits at a festival, so introduce yourself to the people camping next to you as soon as you arrive. Even a quick hello means there are friendly faces nearby, and people who’ll notice if something’s wrong with your tent.

You’ll see your neighbours every morning and every night, so it’s the easiest way to stop feeling like Billy No Mates. You might even end up with a few new friends to watch the headliners with.

8. Find Your People Before You Go

Join the festival’s Facebook groups, or look on Reddit, to see if anybody else is going solo. There are usually other people in the same boat, and you can buddy up with them, whether that’s travelling together, camping near each other or meeting up to see a band. It means you’ll have a few friendly faces to look out for when you arrive.

As with meeting anyone from the internet, get to know them a bit first, meet in a busy part of the festival and trust your instincts.

Another great option is volunteering. Charities like Oxfam recruit volunteer stewards for UK festivals, and you’ll be part of a team from the moment you arrive.

9. Join In With Things You Can Do Alone

Some of the best parts of a festival are perfect for doing on your own. Look out for workshops, talks, comedy, films, yoga and smaller stages during the day. Sit at shared tables in the food areas, and join in with crowd singalongs. Nobody notices whether you’re with a group when you’re all dancing.

10. Make Your Tent Easy to Find

Festival campsites are huge, and every tent looks the same in the dark. When you’re on your own, there’s nobody to remind you where you pitched. Make your tent stand out with a festival flag, drop a pin on your phone’s map when you pitch, and take a photo of the nearest landmark, like a campsite sign or flag. Our festival hacks have more ideas.

11. Keep Your Phone Charged and Someone in the Loop

Your phone matters more when you’re on your own, for maps, the festival app, meeting people and calling for help. Take a fully charged power bank, and switch to low power mode. Our guide on how to keep your phone charged at a festival has more tips.

Before you go, tell a friend or family member which festival you’re at and where you’re camping, and agree to check in once a day. Share your location with them if you’re comfortable doing so. Signal can be patchy at festivals, so don’t panic if a message takes a while. Here’s what to expect for phone signal at Boomtown.

12. Keep Your Valuables Safe

With nobody to watch your tent, don’t leave anything valuable in it. A padlock just tells people there’s something worth taking. Keep your phone, money and cards on you, and leave anything you don’t need at home. Our guides on keeping your valuables safe and tent security have more advice.

13. Know Where to Get Help

When you arrive, find the information point, the welfare tent and the medical tent on the map, so you know where to go if you need them. Stewards and security staff are there to help too.

Save the festival’s emergency number in your phone, and write an emergency contact number somewhere that isn’t your phone, in case it gets lost or runs out of battery. Some festivals and bars also run schemes like Ask for Angela, where you can ask staff for help discreetly if you feel unsafe.

14. Look After Yourself

There’s nobody to tell you to drink some water or to get you back to your tent, so pace yourself. Drink plenty of water, eat proper meals, wear sun cream and try to get some sleep. If you’re drinking, it’s even more important to stay in control when you’re on your own.

15. It’s OK to Have Quiet Moments

There’ll probably be times when you feel a bit lonely, especially when everyone around you seems to be in a group. That’s completely normal. Message a friend, people-watch with a drink, or take a break at your tent with a book or a podcast. Our guide on how to mentally prepare for a festival might help too.

Remember why you came: the music, and the freedom to do exactly what you want.

Advert

What to Pack for a Festival on Your Own

You’ll need all the usual festival kit, but there are a few extras that make life easier when you’re going solo:

• A small tent you can carry and pitch on your own.
• A bum bag or pocket belt for your phone, money, cards and ticket.
• A cup with a lid, so you can put your drink down.
• A power bank, fully charged.
• A festival flag or something to make your tent easy to spot.
• A head torch, so you can find your way back in the dark with your hands free.
• An emergency contact number written down somewhere that isn’t your phone.
• A book, podcasts or a pack of cards for quiet moments, or for making friends with your neighbours.

For everything else, see our festival packing list, and if it’s your first festival, read our beginner’s guide to music festivals.

Should You Go to a Festival Alone?

If you’re waiting for someone to go with, don’t let it stop you. Going to Boomtown alone wasn’t how I’d planned it, and parts of it were a struggle, from carrying a four-person tent to leaving my bags outside a portaloo. But the freedom of doing exactly what I wanted, and the kindness of the strangers who helped me pitch my tent, showed me that you don’t need a group to have a great festival.

Take a small tent, keep your hands free, put a lid on your drink and say hello to your neighbours. You’ll be absolutely fine.

Going to a Festival Alone: FAQs