As we’re entering the warmer spring season, it isn’t long before people start to turn their attentions to the plethora of summer festivals that Australians can enjoy over the next 4-6 months. While festivals like Big Day Out, Soundwave, Rainbow Serpent, and Moomba can attract massive numbers, there are also a multitude of smaller boutique events that attract a more specialist crowd. Whatever your festival options, if you want to remember the event for all the right reasons it’s important to stay safe. Here are 4 ways you can do exactly that.
Stay sun smart
Irrespective of whether you’re listening to some cool beats on the banks of the Yarra, soaking up the festival atmosphere way out in the Australian Bush, or busting some moves on one of the best dance floors in the country at Sydney Harbour, it’s important to be sun smart. That means sunscreen, plenty of water, and if necessary, a hat. It’s easy to forget about the sun when you’re living the moment but in doing so, you could find yourself remembering the day for all the wrong reasons. Have fun in the sun but stay sun smart.
Have a responsible festival buddy
If you’re going to let your hair down (and let’s hope you are) it pays to have someone watching your back. It’s a great idea to decide beforehand who is going to be the responsible person and make sure you’re always with them. Remember it’s much easier to keep up with one friend than a larger group, so if the festival is over a series of days, why not take it in turns nominating a festival buddy. There’s nothing more comforting to know that someone is watching your back when you’ve had one too many beers and can’t find your way back to the tent at the end of the day, so buddy up and enjoy!
Ditching the valuables
Where there are large crowds, criminal activity is never far behind. It’s an unfortunate part of festival life and while security teams are on hand to deter such behaviour, festivals and one-off events attract pick-pocketers like honey does to bees. With this in mind, you might want to seriously consider ditching the bling and valuables. If you have the latest iPhone or iPad for example, or you’ve finally bought your dream Tag Heuer after saving up for months, then leave them at home. If you do want to bring a phone to record your memories or a watch to check the time, consider swapping them for cheaper versions. This way if they do get lost or go missing, you won’t feel quite as devastated. The same goes for jewellery such as earrings, necklaces etc, leave the expensive stuff at home!
Drink responsibly
Okay, so I realise that this is a bit like saying ‘if you’re in a Lamborghini, drive sensibly’ but ask yourself this…do you really want to be so far gone that you can’t remember experiencing anything about the festival apart from a really bad hangover. Instead have a drink or three (after all beer and music festivals go hand in hand) but if you’ve got a long day and night of partying ahead, then you might want to pace yourself. Top tip – Consider making every other drink a soft drink or water, and in doing so, you’ll still have the time of your life, only now, you’ll remember what you did and when you did it.
If you’re looking to attend one of the larger festivals in Melbourne such as the Moomba, you might want to say hi to the MA Security team. We’ve been taking on the mantle of festival security for many years and strive to make sure that every single person attending, is safe, secure, and above all, has a great time.
