Bestival Questions and Answers
These FAQ's are here to help with any pressing questions you need answered. They will be updated for 2012 in the next few weeks.
Q. Can I buy a day ticket?
A. No, there are only weekend tickets available, which are valid for the entire weekend. Teens aged 13 - 15 on 08/09/2011 get require a ticket but get a lower rate than adults. Children age 12 & under on 08/09/2011 get free admission, but will require a ticket. Child Ticket holders (including teens under 16) must be accompanied by a Ticket holding parent or guardian over the age of 21*. Please Note: All Children aged 12 and under will need to obtain a (free) ticket this year. No exceptions.
Q. What does the price of a Bestival Ticket include?
A. Our ticket price includes booking/handling fee and secure postage, there are no additional charges. Red Funnel are an official Bestival ticket agent. All tickets are issued based on the terms and conditions of admission given by the Bestival organiser.
Q. What are the festival opening times?
A. The campsite is open from midday on Thu 8 September until 2pm on Mon 12 September 2011. There is no entry to the site after midnight on any night.
Q. When will I receive my Bestival tickets?
A. Bestival wristbands (security coded) will be posted by Red Funnel using secure mail to the delivery address provided as soon as they are received from the Promoter. To help prevent fraud this is usually towards the end of August. As tickets need a signature on delivery please ensure they are sent to an occupied address (e.g. work). If nobody is at home you will be left details of how to arrange redelivery or collection. Although we can accept no liability for lost or mislaid tickets we will do our best to help, please call us on the number below ASAP.
If you move house or wish to change your ticket delivery address please call Red Funnel on 0844 844 9988 and quote your booking reference number.
If you buy tickets from us a few days before the Bestival you will be able to collect them from Red Funnel's Terminal 1 Ticket Office, Royal Pier Dock Gate 7, Town Quay Road, Southampton SO14 2AQ.
Q. What is a Red Funnel eTicket?
A. Bestival tickets can be purchased with or without ferry travel in the same transaction. If you only purchased Bestival tickets, the email that you receive is your confirmation (Bestival tickets will be posted to you in late August). If you also made a ferry booking the confirmation acts as your travel eTicket and must be shown at check-in for each leg of your ferry journey. It will not grant you admission to Bestival; Bestival tickets will be posted to you at the end of August.
If you wish to amend or cancel your ferry booking please call us on 0844 844 9988 and quote your booking reference number. Charges apply to non-Premium ticket holders.
Q. Can I get a bus to the festival from East or West Cowes?
A. Festival shuttle buses operate between East & West Cowes ferry terminals and the bus terminal at the Bestival (adjacent to the campsites) from Thu 8 to Mon 12 September. Return shuttle bus tickets can be purchased with your Bestival ticket (if available) or with ferry travel from Red Funnel. They can be used to get the festival from either East or West Cowes on Thu, Fri & Sat, returning on Sun or Mon.
Q. How much is the car park?
A. Car Parking Tickets are payable when you arrive in cash at a cost of £10 until 6pm on Saturday and £5 thereafter. You only need to buy a ticket once and it will be valid for the whole weekend, no matter how many times you come and go.
Q. What arrangements are in place for the Disabled?
A. For festival tickets for the Disabled and special access arrangements please email disabilityaccess@bestival.net
Q. Where can I stay on the Isle of Wight?
A. The festival has large camping areas (and adjacent car parks). The campsites are colour coded and have basic washing facilities, toilets, rubbish bins, a bar, food stalls, a chemist and motorhome/camper van area. Fires, BBQs, glass & candles are prohibited and vehicles are not allowed in the campsite area. Please remember where you pitched your tent to avoid late-night confusion!
There is a wide range of other places to stay from quieter camping/touring parks through to boutique hotels with four star luxury but it is best to book as far ahead as possible. Red Funnel Holidays offer a wide selection, please check out our Bestival accommodation.
Q. Do I need a permit to stay in a camper/motorhome at the festival?
A. There is a dedicated area but admission requires a separate permit, please contact Ticketline for this
Q. What do I need to bring?
A. Sunscreen, sunglasses, waterproof clothing, a hat, your ticket/camper van voucher, money, warm clothing, camping equipment.
Q. What should I not bring?
A. Pets (or any kind of animal), glass containers of any kind, gazebos, tables, deckchairs, BBQ's, laser pens or any illegal substances.
Q. Can I enter and leave Bestival during the weekend?
A. Yes you can. All ticket holders (you must wear your wristband at all times) are allowed to enter and leave the festival site at will. A parking charge may apply if you are driving off site each time.
Q. How safe is Bestival?
A. The campsite will be lit at night and security staff patrol the area, however, please don't leave anything valuable in your tent or vehicle. Fires, BBQs, glass & candles are prohibited. Cars will be parked away from the campsites in allocated zones. The campsite is for festival go-ers only; it is not open to the general public at any time.
Please do not crowd surf - you may be evicted from the festival. Work out where the nearest emergency exit point is. Always follow the instructions and warnings of security personnel & police. If you are distressed please ask to be taken to the welfare tent, try not to panic. If you feel ill, please ask to be taken to the medical tent.
Lost and found & welfare services will be located in the camp site and the festival arena.
Q. What will there be to eat and drink?
A. You won't go hungry! Red Funnel offers a wide range of hot and cold food as well as fresh coffee, soft drinks (smoothies/juices etc) beer (including some great local beer), cider, wines and spirits on its service to East Cowes.
Once at the festival you will find a huge choice of outlets serving a whole variety of food, many of which are locally sourced and really tasty. There is something for all tastes and dietary needs.
Q. When I arrive, can I set up camp anywhere?
A. Yes you can set up camp in any of the colour coded (green, red, black, orange and purple) campsites but not in any of the main arenas.
You can only camp in the Boutique campsite or Tangerine Fields if you have booked prior to the event.
The green campsite is nearest to the main arenas and also the new late night Wishing Tree field. Please camp here if you think you and your group are going to be noisy.
The black campsite is the quietest campsite (particularly at its northern tip). Please do not camp here if you are going to be noisy!
There is small family campsite which you can only gain access to if you are with children. You will be given a wristband when you 1st enter and will need that for the rest of the weekend to gain further access.
Disability access camping is available and needs to be applied for prior to the event. Please email disabilityaccess@bestival.net
Q. My friends are staying in the Boutique Campsite – can we camp with them?
A. Unfortunately not. No tents are allowed in the Boutique Camping Field.
Q. My friends are staying in the Campervan field – can we camp with them?
A. Each campervan is allocated 9 x 6 metres of space, usually enough for an awning and/or a small tent. As long as you remain within their allocated pitch you can camp with them.
Q. Are Chinese lanterns, flares, fireworks or campfires allowed?
A. No, we have a no naked flame policy at the festival and in the campsite. Fires, flares, fireworks etc will extinguished by the Isle of Wight fire service.
Q. Can I bring a small BBQs or stove to cook food
A. Yes you can bring these however you are only permitted to use them in the designated areas which will be signposted in the campsites.
Q. Is there phone charging available on site?
A. You will be able to charge your phone using solar power in the new Tomorrow’s World Field (formerly called The Village) and also by solar and bicycle power at the 10:10 tent in the Bollywood Field.
Q. Are there showers on site?
A. Yes these are located to the north of the Boutique Campsite (same place as all previous years), but be prepared for a queue. Unfortunately we can’t increase the amount of showers on site due to the island’s shortage of water. It’s probably best to do at off-peak times such as the afternoon when they are quieter.
Q. Are there water points on site?
A. Yes there are plenty free water points located around the main arenas/fields and campsites.
Q. I’m turning up late...will I find a camping spot?
A. Yes, there is always plenty of space to be found in the Black, Orange, Yellow and Purple campsites. Please note there is no entrance into the site after midnight on any night (no exceptions).
Q. I’m coming to Bestival alone and am worried...
A. Don’t worry. Bestival is ‘the’ friendliest festival out there. Also if you’re worried about camping alone then perhaps join in some of the fun on our forum and camp with the forum campsite, organised by ace ventura and rseamer. More info here.
Q. Can I leave the festival site and then come back in?
A. Yes you will be allowed to re-enter the festival site as long as you have a valid wristband on. Please note there is no re-entry after midnight on any nights (no exceptions).
Q. Can I bring my own alcohol?
A. Yes, you can bring in a reasonable amount of alcohol per person into the campsites for your own personal consumption. To save on having to carry all your stuff in one trip you will be allowed to re-enter the festival site with alcohol on Thursday and Friday but only with a reasonable amount for personal consumption. You’ll be asked to leave any excess alcohol outside the event.
Alcohol cannot be brought into any of the main arenas/fields from the campsites. There are fully licensed bars available for you.
Please remember that glass is not allowed anywhere at Bestival so please make sure to decant anything you are planning to bring into the campsites into plastic containers before you arrive.
Q. What's the policy on drugs?
A. Illegal drugs don't become legal or acceptable because you are at a festival. The same penalties and risks apply. There are police on site throughout the weekend.
Q. What’s happening on the Thursday?
A. This year more Fields and Arenas will be open than ever before on Thursday – the Fantasy Field and Magic Meadow will be open from 6pm until 2am with a full bill of entertainment lined up for The Big Top brought to you by the incredible Back To The Phuture. More details here. You will also be able to catch the incredible Janelle Monáe on Thursday night!
Q. Are there lockers on site?
A. Yes there are. Leaving valuables in your tent can be risky so please make use of the CloakVroom lock-ups situated at the edge of the Green Campsite.
Q. Can I bring my dog/cat/rabbit/gruffalo?
A. No pets or animals are allowed on site with the exception of registered guide dogs.
