Issue 155

Festival funded fun

08th May 2007

Every summer, loads of students get paid to hang out at festivals. How cool is that? Well, it's not that simple. You do have to work, but being part of a festival team can be as good as going to the festival itself, and certainly much cheaper!

Festivals require huge amounts of people to take place, and there are lots of different roles. Students often do bar work or stewarding at festivals.

As a worker at a festival, you get into the site for free and you will camp in a separate staff area, usually well away from noisy punters, which is a good thing if you're working 12 hour shifts as you'll be camping in the safest part of the festival. With trained security all around, fence jumpers and theives don't stand a chance!

You also will be fed, although the standards vary. Veggies are usually catered for without any problems.

The staff toilets are almost always loads better than the ones the punters have to put up with too.

Festival stewarding is a common student job, as students have long summer holidays during which they are often skint. Stewards are needed at festivals for health and safety reasons, and do jobs such as wristband checking, customer directing and carpark patrols. They also help with crowd control and security. Some stewards will even be lucky enough to meet artists performing at the festival through their work. It is fun work at times, but you need to be professional and good with people.

Stewards start working at festivals long before the festival-goers turn up. In fact, the setting-up period is often longer than the festival itself, because of the amount of work involved in putting on a big event.

Stewards help set up and get to know the site so they can find their way around. Being at the set-up, or loading, means you really become part of the festival. And after the customers go home, stewards stay to help close down the festival.

Students who have worked in student union bars often have been well trained and have Security Industry Authority badges. These are invaluable when it comes to festival work, as the festival licence requires them to have a certain number of SIA registered staff amongst their stewards. With an SIA licence you are better qualified to work in 'the pit', the safety zone between the stage and the crowd, which can be exciting work, as well as meaning you get to listen to some great music while you work!

However, you don't need to have experience in the lesuire industry, or any particular qualifications like the SIA licence to be a good steward. You just need a polite and friendly manner, a well peeled eye, and be willing to talk to drunken festival goers who fancy a chat. All further training is given by the company.

Last year Cardiff-based company Diamond Event Security were employed by festivals such as T in the Park, the Big Chill and Bestival. As that list shows, they work all over the country supplying stewards and security to festivals. This year they are supplying security to T in the Park, Download and V, as well as Cardiff Calling, Redhill, The Secret Garden Party and Rainbow Spirit Enlightenment Festival. Last year other work came along during the summer, and more work is expected.

Amanda Bradley and Nick Dymond set up the company three years ago, and have employed hundreds of students already. They put on transport to get stewards from Cardiff to the festival and back to Cardiff again, and provide a uniform.

Last year Sam, a third year International Relations student, was part of the Big Chill team. She said, "When we work at festivals we do 12 hour shifts, and provide twenty-four hour cover, so we have a day and a night team. I was worried about falling asleep on night duty but actually, it was much easier than I had thought it would be to stay awake and alert." She added: "Working at night during the Summer is fantastic. You get to watch the sun rise and fall every day and festivals are almost always the most beautiful locations."

She enjoyed her experience, saying "It went really fast. I was there I think for five days, and it flew by. The food was pretty good to. Even though I'm vegan I found stuff by the staff catering I could eat." She added that she'd recommend it to anyone - "I'm going back to work all over the country with Diamond this year. With the money I'll earn, I'm going to try to pay off my overdraft before I go to start my postgraduate course."

You can also work at festivals and raise money for Oxfam. Oxfam stewards are being used by Glade festival, WOMAD, Green Man and the Reading and Leeds Carling weekend, amongst others. Oxfam ask that you work at least three eight hour shifts during the festival, but you get free entry, food and the rest of the time is yours to enjoy the festival.

Oxfam say that if you work at some of the smaller festivals this Summer, you'll be given priority to work at Glastonbury next year.

Stewarding teaches valuable people skills, as you liaise with organisers, the general public and work as part of a team. All these look great on your CV.

Sam thinks that it helps to be quite confident before you start working as a steward, but also says, "I've seen people grow enormously in confidence through working as stewards and security staff."

The most rewarding aspect of festival work?

"It's a great feeling to know that you have helped people enjoy a weekend which they'll talk about all year, and hopefully return to year upon year, with all their friends."

Want to give it a go?

You'll need this info:

Diamond Event Security can be found at: diamondeventsecurity.co.uk

For Oxfam Stewarding information see oxfam.org.uk

Charlie Duff