Boomtown Festival 2016

[liam kay]

What are the drink and food prices like?

and how strict are they on searches on the way in etc?

first time at boomtown 2016

[eFestivals]

1 hour ago, liam kay said:

What are the drink and food prices like?

I'd guess pints will be £4.50 or £5, as they were a fiver in some bars at Glasto this year.

Food prices are the normal expensive festie prices, and perhaps at the higher end of the price spectrum too. I know I've seen food traders at Boomtown charging a little more than at festivals a week or three before.

1 hour ago, liam kay said:

and how strict are they on searches on the way in etc?

I've not been thru the public gates so can't help with that one, soz.

Edited July 5, 2016 by eFestivals

[krisroe]

1 hour ago, liam kay said:

and how strict are they on searches on the way in etc?

Went last year for the first time and we weren't searched at all. That may have been due to the torrential downpour of rain that had been going on for three hours though. They had police dogs on the entrance however depending on what you're looking to smuggle in.

[tjamest]

2014 arrived at about 3 o'clock - big queue, loads of peoples bags being searched for glass and excess booze along with half a dozen excitable doggies having a sniff.

2015 arrived at about 18.00 and walked straight in.

Luck of the draw i guess 

[jackarmy]

Booked onto this to try and suppress the post-Glastonbury blues, but a friend has dropped out. Any eFestivallers looking to buy a ticket at a substantially reduced rate just drop me a PM for details! 

[dan8k]

Have sent you a message

[jackarmy]

On 7/9/2016 at 5:20 PM, jackarmy said:

Booked onto this to try and suppress the post-Glastonbury blues, but a friend has dropped out. Any eFestivallers looking to buy a ticket at a substantially reduced rate just drop me a PM for details! 

Ticket now gone! 

[Tony Briggs]

Hey everyone, we bought two tier 3 weekend tickets in Feb and a car parking pass. we have found out my Wife is pregnant and after going to Boomtown in '14 & '15 have decided its a very much 'go hard or g ohome' kinda place......selling them all for less than face value. 

message me if interested or email tonybriggs1987@gmail.com

Edited July 11, 2016 by Tony Briggs

[JBarbour]

First time at BoomTown Fair this year.

Would someone be kind enough to answer me a few questions.

Is the festival split into two with Uptown and downtown? Do they have a different feel/atmosphere?

Is the festival like glasto or like an "arena festival" such as reading/leeds in regards to carrying food and drink to stages/areas? 

Best campsites... Looking for a happy medium between lively and getting some sleep. 

What is the food and drink like? Is it normal festival burger/pizza/yorkshire pudding stands or more on offer and the drink is it the normal festival pish or is there some beer/ale available?   

So the bigger acts can be on earlier in the day? 

Best or must visit areas/stage in your opinon. Like if I was recommending areas at glasto I'd say Shangri La, Avalon Field,....  

Tar

[pothead pixie]

An Irish festival inspired by Boomtown Fair, Townlands Carnival, here is my review, I hope you enjoy. https://niallmcquaid.wordpress.com/2016/07/13/townlands-carnival-2016-festival-review/

[krisroe]

51 minutes ago, craigb said:

Is the festival split into two with Uptown and downtown? Do they have a different feel/atmosphere?

Is the festival like glasto or like an "arena festival" such as reading/leeds in regards to carrying food and drink to stages/areas? 

Best campsites... Looking for a happy medium between lively and getting some sleep. 

What is the food and drink like? Is it normal festival burger/pizza/yorkshire pudding stands or more on offer and the drink is it the normal festival pish or is there some beer/ale available?   

So the bigger acts can be on earlier in the day? 

Best or must visit areas/stage in your opinon. Like if I was recommending areas at glasto I'd say Shangri La, Avalon Field,....  

At the top of the hill is Uptown which has the Town Centre, Mayfair, Old Town, Wild West, Whistlers Green and Trenchtown. Bottom of the hill is Downtown which has Chinatown, District 5 and Barrio Loco. Sector 6 I think is going to be Downtown but I'm not sure. Uptown has more of a folky feel to it in regards to music and Downtown is more Dance orientated, both uptown and downtown have numerous mini venues that both have Dj's playing however. 

Once you have gone through the main gates you are free to take food and drink wherever you like, just like Glasto.

I camped in Old Town last year which was fine, I could sleep easily but still had fun with my neighbours. I should imagine Downtown camping is livelier but I've never camped there so I wouldn't know for sure.

Food is quite varied and normal festival prices. The Bad Apple Cider Bar in the town centre sell a few different ciders but I'm not sure on ale .. 

The acts can be on earlier in the day, grab a programme when you first get there and you can plan it all out. Also keep an eye on the boards outside the information tents as they put any cancellations / changes up there. 

It's hard to pinpoint any particular places to visit as there is so much to do there. Set-wise the Jolly Dodger and Lions Den are spectacular. Just explore as much as possible, go wandering through all of the woods for more stages, go through any open doorway in the set as there will probably be stuff going on behind them. And just get involved, you'll love it.

[eFestivals]

19 hours ago, craigb said:

or is there some beer/ale available? 

there is some at a small number of bars (perhaps only one of them, you might have to hunt it down) and likely to be uptown. For me, the limited availability of alle is one of the fests bigger failings.

Prices for drinks are normally 50p more than the more-standard festie prices (there's a few other fests that have these higher prices, bestival is one [or certainly used to be]).

 

19 hours ago, craigb said:

So the bigger acts can be on earlier in the day? 

In the main it's only really the opening act on the Lion's Den at midday Friday - which you should make sure you're at, as it's a great way to get the party started.

Outside of that the acts can be a bit mixed up, rather than bands getting more-obviously-popular as a day goes on in the normal festival way, but a part of that is that it's not the normal festival crowd who are there to see huge-name acts. The nature of it has everyone finding different parts very appealing at different times of the day.

(one of mine one year [last year?] was Steve Hillage [either system 7 or mirror system, I forget which] who was first act of the day in the Psy Forest)

 

20 hours ago, craigb said:

Best or must visit areas/stage in your opinon. Like if I was recommending areas at glasto I'd say Shangri La, Avalon Field,....

It depends purely on your tastes.

I end up going here, there, and everywhere (tho mostly uptown, my raving days are mostly over) to catch what I'd like to see, and then also let random stuff grab my attention.

[JBarbour]

On 7/16/2016 at 1:46 PM, krisroe said:

At the top of the hill is Uptown which has the Town Centre, Mayfair, Old Town, Wild West, Whistlers Green and Trenchtown. Bottom of the hill is Downtown which has Chinatown....

Thanks a lot.

8 hours ago, eFestivals said:

there is some at a small number of bars (perhaps only one of them, you might have to hunt it down) and likely to be uptown. For me, the limited availability of alle is one of the fests bigger failings.

Prices for drinks are normally 50p more than the more-standard festie prices (there's a few other fests that have these higher prices, bestival is one [or certainly used to be]).

 

In the main it's only really the opening act on the Lion's Den at midday Friday - which you should make sure you're at, as it's a great way to get the party started.

Outside of that the acts can be a bit mixed up, rather than bands getting more-obviously-popular as a day goes on in the normal festival way, but a part of that is that it's not the normal festival crowd who are there to see huge-name acts. The nature of it has everyone finding different parts very appealing at different times of the day.

(one of mine one year [last year?] was Steve Hillage [either system 7 or mirror system, I forget which] who was first act of the day in the Psy Forest)

 

It depends purely on your tastes.

I end up going here, there, and everywhere (tho mostly uptown, my raving days are mostly over) to catch what I'd like to see, and then also let random stuff grab my attention.

Cheers. A bit disappointing to hear on the beer front. But suppose I can take my own. Everything else sounds great.

You there as a punter or publication? What gate normally go in for press accredited? Not got them details for this year yet. 
Think Uptown sounding more me. 

[eFestivals]

On 17/07/2016 at 5:07 PM, craigb said:

You there as a punter or publication? What gate normally go in for press accredited? Not got them details for this year yet.

publication, so don't go thry the punters gate - or the the main staff gate, as I get a vehicle pass too for crew camping.

[dumski]

Bad Manners opening the town centre stage on Friday

[eFestivals]

1 hour ago, dumski said:

Bad Manners opening the town centre stage on Friday

awwww .... maybe not gonna be quite the same. 

[caramello]

OK so my partner has just smashed her leg to bits and will be plastered up for the foreseeable future, so I have 2 tickets and car park ticket for sale at face value - £187 each (inc booking and ecobond) plus car park £16.50 - so total £390.50.

If anyone wants 'em then PM me and we'll sort summat out.

I'm pissed right off about not going and so is she!

Hope its ok to offer them here Neil, cheers

[frostypaw]

That's terrible luck caramello - hope you find some takers and she gets well quickly

I'll be on site Sunday before this year so will let you know roughly how it's all looking, in a spoiler free way of cousre. Also I have no spare flagpole this time but if someone wants the efests/boomtown flag to fly let me know and things can be arranged

Hoping for some actual dancing this year  

 

ps. oh and sector 6 is sorta-uptown - it's the opposite end of the lions' den valley

Edited July 21, 2016 by frostypaw
words

[markm69]

regarding live in vehicle tickets….

 

question 1- i have a camper van ticket, but we are now lugging a caravan down. Is there a way to change/upgrade?

 

q2 - are the camper van fields like glastonbury, as in sectioned off from the main site?

 

nice one.

[itspoppy]

If anyone is selling an adult weekend ticket for less than face value please message me  trying to go for my third year! thanks 

[Paul ™]

3 hours ago, markm69 said:

regarding live in vehicle tickets….

 

question 1- i have a camper van ticket, but we are now lugging a caravan down. Is there a way to change/upgrade?

 

q2 - are the camper van fields like glastonbury, as in sectioned off from the main site?

 

nice one.

Email info@boomtownfair.co.uk to try sort the pass issue out, they done a friend of mines a while back.

Also the campervan field is inside the main fenceline, so once you are in/parked up, its free roam about the site.

It is about a 10-15 min walk to the Town Square in Uptown from there. 

[clowe]

may have to sell my ticket as i lost my job and have rent to pay , pm me if interested cheers 

[mathr22]

Going to boomtown for the first time... Just a few questions.

Entering from the north car park hoping to camp near dstrkt 5/lions den. Roughly how far is that walk? Any recommendations for somewhere to camp?

Whats the best time to arrive on the Thursday to get a reasonable camping spot?

Also, where is this said hill which everyone talks about (the one with the travelator)?

[tjamest]

I think this is the first year with different entrances / car parks, but if it is where the coach drop off was then you arrive towards the top of the hill near Wild West / Old Town and i guess it will take you about 20 minutes once on site to get to Lions Den which is also on the same sort of level.

Dstrkt5 is however Downtown, so at the bottom of the hill.

[bendent]

Got my ticket, first time going, what's it like with drugs and that?

 

I'll be arriving also at 2pm, will I be missing anything arriving that late? Thank you.

Edited July 27, 2016 by bendent