Basically, since alot of people are turning to this forum for hints & tips etc for festivals & making there time even better, i figured this would be a good idea!

Basically, if it was your first time @ leeds, just give some good hints at what you thought was life saving, or what you think you should of taken etc. Then we can make a list and give people a good idea of what to expect and make sure everythings all good =].

i'll start ...

1.) Money - take as much as you think you'll spend. i spent £21.50 between wednesday and monday (really!) and 6.50 of that was for my friends! However, you can easily spend £100 a day if you want to.

Foods not a rip off but it is abit steep really (£3.50 for a cheese burger etc.), so budget for that. Drink there is expensive- over £3 a pint from the bars and £23 for a 24 crate of carling. Ouch. i took 2 x 18 crates (36 cans) & that set me back £16 from Sainsburies.

2.) Sunday Night - everyones drinking the last of there alcohol. all of it. everyone gets s**tfaced, people start acting like bellends really. Riots can start. be warned. You can  always leave on sunday night if your sober to drive. i left about 1am monday morning. Only took 15 mins to get out of the festival! Tis always an option if you do want it!

3.) Dont take anything you cant replace - that £350 digital camera would be missed alot more than a £5 disposable one! chances are someone will either go through your stuff when your in the arena or someone will get drunk and think its there tent and take stuff with them. I was lucky and didnt have anything nicked, but i kept everything in my car cos i didnt mind talking 30mins or so each day to my car to get everything i needed etc.

4.) Camping - Make friends with the people around you. if you look out for them, they'll do the same for you. Also, if you camp with people you dont know, its *alot* better! you'll have probably the best weekend if your life if you do. i Met a few amazing people at leeds this year, whereas my friends i came with, were just c**ts!

Also, if you get there anytime after 6am thursday, it'll be hard to get a place camping that isnt on a stupid hill, or next to some toilets (the doors bang and they smell weird). Come early, get a nice place with your friends!

Also, take a flag or some way of marking your tent. For two days i had no f**king idea where i was camped with my friends (cept somewhere in orange near a burger van). Flags can be seen for miles and are easy to remember. My friends covered there tents in Neon Pink/Green/Red/Orange paints so they stuck out. Worked a charm!

Camping chairs are also quite comfy. Deffo worth the £4 - or take your own. (they'll probably break or be nicked tho - most opf ours were!)

5.) Programmes - not cheap (£8) but worth it! not very nice thinking for half a year "I Cant Wait To See Enter Shikari!" then realising you missed them (didnt happen to me, luckily!) - the unofficial thing of the forum here was good, but friday was quite out due to +44 dropping out.

Merch isnt cheap either (£18 for a tee, £30 for a hoodie) - some unofficial stuff is nice tho for like £8!


& thats all i can think of for now. just add stuff and we can make the best guide ever =]

One tip is from the chilis last night. In the center middle you could literally smell the heat, with sweat poaring and visible steam from peeps ascending to the sky.
 
When going to the main stage with something like the chilis playing bring water or fluids cos it's thursty. After the set peeps rush for drinks and its madness.   

good call!

hiding stuff into the arena - find a lass with big tits. like stupidly big (i.e. Becki) and they can fit like 4 bottles in there. make sure they go 2 a guy so they cant get felt up, then walk thru!

Or ... put it in the middle of a bag, they only feel the bottom.

Rach, the genius, was putting it in her sun cream bottle - however all the alcohol tasted of suncream then. yucky. it worked a treat tho!

ORIGINAL: rambojustrambo

good call!

hiding stuff into the arena - find a lass with big tits. like stupidly big (i.e. Becki) and they can fit like 4 bottles in there. make sure they go 2 a guy so they cant get felt up, then walk thru!

Or ... put it in the middle of a bag, they only feel the bottom.

Rach, the genius, was putting it in her sun cream bottle - however all the alcohol tasted of suncream then. yucky. it worked a treat tho!

 
 
I got booze into the arena.
Taped it to the top of my leg and wore my board shorts.
 

REMEMBER TO TAKE YOUR EFFIN SLEEPING BAG!
or you'll be shivering all weekend at night :(

forget sleeping bags haha, i slept one night in 07, and THAT was outside...
 
then again, it was quite a hot weekend!

Don't take too much food with you - get the bus to the little tesco on either thursday, or on a morning when you aren't bothered about seeing the first act.
Same with booze, if you're 18 buy it there. Go to tesco and get a crate, or the on site shop thing isn't too bad.. perhaps a little pricey... but it is absalute hell carrying huge bags of food and crates of beer with you through Leeds
 
 
As for getting booze in..
it really is all about luck - sometimes you get a full cavity search ;) and soetimes they don't even check you, my tip is boys put one down your pants - makes you look well hung AND they never check. unless you have some sort of disease though... don't go for it then... :|
Also - they only look at your front half, put one in your hood, last year my mate walked in with two cans in his back pockets
 
hope this helped - have fun :)

my 1. tip if you're driving.
 
DON'T PARK NEAR BROWN. - park near red...
 
i had to walk for about an hour with two tents, two crates of beer and a rucksack. my arms hurt.

If your planning to be at the front of main stage all day, make sure you get RIGHT to the front so you get water from the guys handing it out. They don't want you passing out and they know people are too determined to see their favourite bands from the very front.

I was at the front for ALL of friday, from Billy Talent to Smashing Pumpkins. Worth it though, even if i did miss Kate Nash.

1 )Bring duct tape. (tape your pockets, nothing will fall it during jumping about etc, tape your lace bit on your shoes for additional waterproofing/your laces wont come undone, tape people up, easily fix any leakey tent)

2)never under any circumstances put a lock on your tent (it screams COME IN MY TENT I HAVE VALUABLES)

3)Go on the wednesday with an early entry ticket (better tent location choice, extra day of leeds fest fun, can get nicely toasted on the thursday without worrying about how the fook youll put up your tents).

4)Dont be a twat.

1. Make love to someone of the same gender.

Or just get Ryan to beef you

People should form a queue on the Thursday night and i'll decide if i want to beef you.

*wanders past*
 
"Hmmm is this the queue for some Geordie Beef"
 
*looks *

Oww yeee. My tent or yours?

I want a queue!

Line up your pets.

Yeah sleeping bag is a good idea, first year i went i forgot mine. But i bought a hippy blanket from the oxfam tent for £5 which was ace! I still use it now.

As for getting bottles into the arena every year without fail i've got through every time without being stopped just by putting it in my back pocket. They check your waist band, front pockets and socks then let you through.

ORIGINAL: GeordieRyan07

Oww yeee. My tent or yours?

Mine cos I have a 3 bedroomed palace lol .... middle is big enough for about 10 people at a squish for a nice torch rave LOL

Don't forget your CONDOMS!  You never know when you're gonna get lucky   Just make sure 'lucky' doesn't send you home with something you didn't bargain for! 
 
Waterproofs
Suncream
Thick coat or jumper
Tshirts and shorts
Wellies
Comfy shoes
 
cos you never know what the weather's gonna do!