Tips for travelling to a festival this summer

Summer is officially here and what better way to enjoy it than in a green field with friends and family watching your favourite bands perform. What makes this even better is when the festivals are inclusive and accessible to disabled people. As a full-time power wheelchair user and avid gig-goer, I’ve put together my tips for travelling to a festival as a wheelchair user to help you prepare for the event.     

Research the accessibility of the festival

Live music is so diverse. As is the venues hosting live music. With different levels of accessibility, it's important to research the festival beforehand to determine the facilities available and understand if it meets your needs.

Contact the festival organiser

If you can’t find accessibility information on the festival's website or you want to get a better understanding of the amenities available, it's always helpful to check directly with the event organiser. You may want to enquire if a Changing Places toilet with an adult-size changing bench and hoist will be available, or how to book accessible parking or confirm other medical requirements. You can also ask the venue for photos to be emailed to you. This can be particularly helpful and allow you to instantly know if something is going to work for you.        

Book accessible accommodation

Many of the mainstream festivals have accessible camping areas for disabled people and wheelchair users to enjoy the full festival experience. But if you aren’t camping and it's too far to travel home after the headline act, then it's important to book an accessible hotel as soon as you can. Finding a suitable hotel for your access needs requires some online research and you may want to confirm accessibility before making a reservation by directly contacting the hotel.

Make sure you pack the essentials

Making a list of everything you need to take with you and ticking off each item as you pack is a great way to stay organised. Seeing the items written down can help you focus and remember things you may have easily forgotten.

Plan your journey  

No matter if it's a local festival or one you have to travel a considerable distance to, it’s important to plan an accessible route to and from the festival. Depending on your circumstances and where the festival is you will have to decide whether you are going by car or public transport? Do you need to prebook train assistance? Will you have to change trains and is the station accessible? If you are travelling by car you may have to find where the nearest car park is. Does the festival offer free accessible parking? Is it easier to be dropped off and picked up at the festival?

Prepare a backup plan for emergencies

It's always best to be prepared for the unexpected. And having a plan B to fall back on when plan A doesn’t work out will help keep your festival experience on the right track. Hopefully, you won’t ever need them, but these are a few things you can do to be prepared for emergencies.

• Vehicle breakdown - have a list of emergency contact numbers written down or saved on your phone
• Car safety checks - check oil, water, brakes, fluid levels and tyre pressures before travelling
• Pack a wheelchair repair kit containing tools to tighten nuts and bolts and fix simple problems. Duct tape can also help hold broken parts together until you get home
• Remember to pack your phone charger and extra water/snacks

Hope these tips help you to get ready for your festival experience, knowing that whatever happens, you've got it covered.