UK festivals 2018: How to get into summer music events for free

A great music festival can be a truly priceless experience.

After all, nothing beats taking in a festival atmosphere and enjoying amazing live music with thousands of like-minded fans. However, it's even better if you get to do it all for free...

The biggest events can cost upwards of £250 and hefty price tags are enough to put some people off some of the UK’s major festivals. However, there are plenty of ways that music lovers can attend huge events free of charge.

Now, we’re not talking about climbing over fences, or tunnelling into campsites Great Escape-style. Thankfully, many festivals offer free tickets to volunteers, while many organisations also open doors to music fans through charity schemes.

So, if you missed out on tickets for your favourite event, or you fancy saving a few quid this summer, these are the best ways to get into festivals for free.

Volunteer

Many festivals up and down the country put on volunteering schemes, offering the chance for fans to earn tickets by helping out at events.

Plenty of great festival accept direct applications from volunteers this year, and it’s always worth checking with festivals individually for available positions. However, around three thousand people a year apply through the Hotbox events service, which works with the likes of Download, Latitude, Reading & Leeds.

Those accepted through the scheme will typically have 16 hours rest between working shifts, with at least two evenings off over any given weekend, so it’s a pretty good deal all round. You can apply as a group too, meaning you can work and enjoy time at the festivals with friends.

Festaff is another great organisation to get involved with. The group supply armies of volunteers for a huge number of festivals, such as the Isle of Wight Festival, British Summer Time, Rewind Festival, Bestival, Love Supreme, Kendal Calling, Creamfields, Standon Calling. Those involved will be expected to perform roles like stewarding, checking tickets & wristbands and serving drinks, while enjoying the festival during their time off.

Work for charity

Another fantastic way to enjoy summer festivals is by working for a charity. Oxfam are one of the high-profile organisations that run summer schemes, allowing applicants to work as stewards and festival shops workers at a wide range of events. Typically, charity workers are expected to perform daytime shifts too, so you won’t miss out on headline acts in the evenings.

Thousands of people worked with Oxfam at events like Download, Glastonbury, 2000Trees, Latitude, WOMAD, Bestival, Boardmasters, Boomtown Fair and Reading & Leeds in 2017. Apply now and keep an eye out for updates here.

Samaritans is another charity running an extensive festival programme, with Glastonbury, Bloodstock and Leeds all welcoming volunteers from the organisation last year.

War Child, Child.org and Action Aid also work closely with festivals and are well worth applying to in 2018. My Cause UK are another organisation offering similar schemes in connection with Boomtown, Bestival and Port Elliot festivals. They'll also be take applications for workers later in the year.

So, why not sign up now, get free tickets and support a great cause while you’re at it.

Competitions

While it's one of the more unlikely ways to get a free ticket, plenty of festival passes are being given away in competitions this year. Sites like ukfestivalguides.com offer comprehensive roundups, so why not enter and try your luck now.

Apply to play

Obviously, it’s not for everyone, but there are plenty of opportunities for burgeoning musicians to bag tickets by actually performing at festivals. While you won’t be headlining just yet, plenty of events are taking applications from artists to play on smaller stages and acoustic tents. Go to Ditto Music to see a full list of events taking applications from musicians now.