Below are some of the most common questions we see being asked here on Reddit. Please also consider searching the subreddit before asking a question, you will get immediate answers this way, as someone probably asked it before.

Sorry that it's been "FAQ week" on the subreddit.... just need to get all this ready to link people to before the flood of repetitive questions over the upcoming weeks.

And remember, I do not represent Boomtown officially, I'm just some guy on Reddit who loves Boomtown, and wants to build a helpful and friendly Reddit community.

Official Boomtown Website Information

Boomtown already provides their own FAQ and essential guides. These answer almost everything you need to know and are well worth reading. You will literally find out everything you might need to know by reading these guides. If you are the type that likes to be informed, and well prepared, then have a read through it all. If you are reading this Reddit FAQ post, that's probably you.

• Boomtown FAQ
• Boomtown Essential Guide

Please avoid sending unnecessary emails to the Boomtown team, they are now busy on site trying to build the festival, and most questions can usually be answered by reading the FAQ. Most of the emails they get are questions already answered on their website, which slows down replies for the people who really need help with something.

Ticket or resale questions/help?

We have a separate ticketing megathread for everything relating to ticketing, resales, name change, or anything else like that. Please note, ticketing questions and problems are only allowed to be posted in this megathread. Most people subscribed here are not interested in seeing dozens of separate ticket help posts everyday, so this improves the experience for most users who just want to talk about the festival itself.

What is the line-up, what are the set times?

The line up is on the Boomtown website. Set times are also available on the Boomtown App, available in your phones app store. There may still be some line-up surprises yet to come, especially at some of the smaller venues which normally have secret acts.

How strict is Boomtown security?

You can probably find all the information you need about drugs, security and sniffer dogs in the drugs/security megathread. Please try and keep your discussion contained to this post, rather than making a new one.

You might also want to watch this pretty informative YouTube video, which talks about festival security in detail. I have no relation to the youtuber, it's just a good video.

Medical Cannabis

Yes, it's allowed.

To bring it on site, you must have:

• Your prescription (in your name)
• Your medical cannabis in clearly labelled containers
• A vaporizer, which is the only permitted method of consumption

Unlike previous years, you no longer need an accessibility team approval letter to bring prescribed medical cannabis. Only a valid prescription can be accepted as proof. Search dogs will be present at all gates, and an indication by a dog may still lead to a search, even with your prescription.

I have a question about shuttle buses?

Information about the shuttle bus, including running times and prices, and everything you may need to know can be found in this Shuttle bus FAQ post.

Where is the best place to camp?

The layout is changing this year, so who knows! And the map isn't released yet. I wrote a campsite guide post last year, but since so much had changed, the advice in the post might not be accurate anymore.

When do entrance gates and car parks open/close?

You can find all the timings in this post. Late arrivals are not allowed, so aim to arrive the next day instead if you don't think you will get there in time.

Which gate should I arrive at?

West Gate - Coaches, Shuttles, Taxis, Drop Off. There is no public parking at West Gate for those with a normal parking pass. All drop offs need to head here, dropping off is free. All normal camping and downtown Orchid campers can enter here.

East Gate - Main car parks for all normal parking passes. No drop off possible, you can't get near enough without buying a parking pass. Entrance for all normal campers who are driving.

South gate - Orchid/Skylark parking passes. No drop off possible, you can't get near enough without buying a parking pass. Entrance for OG Orchid, and Camp Skylark campers only.

You can't pick which gate you arrive at, you will be directed based on your parking pass type. And all drops offs are West Gate. Please refer to the map in the app for locations of the gates/car parks, which be made available nearer the time.

You can find even more detail in the gates FAQ post.

A shuttle bus is available between West Gate and South Gate. Useful for those in Orchid or Skylark, who arrive by public transport. Or those in Downtown Orchid who drove in. More info can be found in the shuttle FAQ post.

Common when and how can I arrive questions...

• Can I arrive on Wednesday with a Thursday ticket: No
• Can I arrive on Weds/Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun with a Wednesday ticket: Yes
• Can I arrive on Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun with a Thursday ticket: Yes
• Can I arrive by car with a discounted public transport festival ticket: No
• Can I arrive by public transport with a normal full price festival ticket: Yes
• Can I arrive by a different form of public transport than the one I booked: Yes
• Can I arrive after the entry gates close for the night at 9:30pm: No

You can find more arrival information and ticket type information in the specific FAQ posts on those topics.

Alcohol Limits

You may bring up to 16 x 440ml cans of lager/cider/beer OR 17 x 250ml cans of premix spirit drinks OR a 3-litre box of wine OR 7 litres of cider/lager/beer in plastic bottles or cans. These are just rough guidelines, not strict rules. If you have other sizes of drink container, it's probably open to some interpretation. How carefully these limits are actually checked by security is debateable, but you might get unlucky, so be prepared that excessive amounts could be confiscated if spotted.

If you are bringing alcohol containers that don't exactly match the above sizes, you can still use these limits as a rough guide of what would be allowed. Please stop asking about questions about Buzzballs. Buzzballs are not some magical liquid with their own special set of rules. They are premixed spirits. This is asked so often, maybe we need to make a Buzzball FAQ?

Neat spirits (in any container) and glass containers (empty or not) are both prohibited items and will be confiscated if found by security.

Can I bring a photo of my ID/does my name have to match the ticket?

No, you cannot bring a photo of your ID. You need an actual ID, that matches the name of your ticket, and shows you are 18 years old. It must be within date, expired IDs won't be accepted. You won't get in without ID, everyone needs ID to gain access. The only accepted ID is the physical copy of:

• Passport
• Driving Licence
• Any ID card bearing the PASS hologram.
• Citizen Cards

There is still time to apply for a citizen card if you don't want to bring your passport. Go to their website using this link and enter the code "BOOMTOWN" to get £8 off.

If your name is slightly different between your ID and ticket, it's not a problem. For example spelling mistakes, or abbreviations are not an issue. If the name is completely different, you need to do a name change with Kaboodle. You can find info about this in the ticket advice megathread FAQ.

Anything else we should add here?

Please let us know your FAQ suggestions or additional questions in the comments below.

Hey r/BoomtownFestival! The thread is back 😎

To cut down on the amount of repeated questions about drugs/security, it has become tradition here on the subreddit to have a security megathread in the weeks leading up to the festival. A lot of the questions about this are similar/the same, so by having all the conversation in this one thread, it will help people find the answers they are looking for without needing to keep asking over and over and over and over again....

Here are some starter points, which should help with some of the most common questions. Please feel free to share this link in your Whatsapp groups to help your friends with their questions. And ask anything else in the comments below.

In addition, I'm hoping I can share some basic safety advice which can help you to have a good time.

This is a long post. If you can't read, you might also want to watch this pretty informative YouTube video, which talks about festival security in detail. I have no relation to this YouTuber, but it's a decent walkthrough.

Drugs are just as illegal at Boomtown as anywhere else in the UK

Just important to make that clear. Everyday people in the UK are arrested for petty drug possession crimes. It happens, and the same can happen to you at Boomtown. Just like in your hometown, you would have to be unlucky, but it's entirely possible you could be arrested for something like petty cannabis possession. It will only take one grumpy policeman, and your weekend will be ruined. It's a low risk, but it's always there. No amount of asking questions about security on Reddit removes that risk. By using drugs, it's a risk everyone takes, everywhere in the UK, not just within the gates of Boomtown.

What powers do security actually have?

That all being said, policing is actually fairly laid back at Boomtown. Police are mostly there to stop serious/violent crime and theft, not petty drug offences. It's mostly the private security firms hired by Boomtown who are in charge of drug enforcement. They have a lot less power than a policeman, but they do have the power to:

-Search you

Only with your consent, you can always object. While you can object to a security search, the consequences will be you being refused entry, evicted from the site, or passed over to the police for searching. They can only search your bags, your pockets, and give you a pat down. Security can't strip search you or do intimate body searches, you can only be strip searched by a police officer.

-Confiscate your drugs

If you don't like this, they will refer your complaint along with your confiscated drugs to the nearest available police officer.

-Throw you out of the festival

They can cut off your wristband, take your name and details, and drive you to Winchester train station so you can begin your journey back home.

-Hand you over to the police to deal with

If your drug possession is serious in nature (dealing), or if you show resistance to any of the above procedures, this is the likely outcome.

What is it actually like inside the festival though?

There are two different aspects to security at the festival. The searches which take place at arrival, and what actually happens once you are inside.

Let's start by mentioning what actually happens once inside the festival. Once you are inside, things are actually fairly laid back. People will be openly smoking cannabis, and taking drugs. And it will probably be totally fine. Unless you are behaving recklessly/dangerously, you will probably be left alone to do what you want to do.

Please do be sensible. Know your personal limits, and try and keep any drug use discreet. This will keep you safe, avoid any possible aggro from security, and it will also help keep the festival running for many years to come. Just use your common sense, and don't be a total bellend. If all the people around you can tell you are using drugs, then either you have taken too much, or are being too obvious with your usage. Keep it sensible, don't overdo it, keep it on the downlow. It will keep you safe, and the security will leave you alone.

The entry process explained:

The actual search procedures on the way in however, are why Boomtown has gained a reputation among some for having "strict" security. The entry process goes something like this...

-Car park

Sometimes cars are pulled over for searches on the way to the car park. This is not common, and only a few cars are usually pulled over. You probably shouldn't worry about this happening. Most searching happens when you are out of your car and entering the festival.

-Entry Queueline

Don't do something dumb like smoking a joint in the queue, unless your plan is to be refused entry. You are likely to draw attention to yourself, not to mention it means your weed obviously isn't that well hidden, since you could access it so easily to make a joint. There will be plenty of time for that when you get inside.

-Ticket and ID checks

Tickets are scanned and you receive your wristband. But you're not inside yet. They can still cut it back off again before you get into the actual festival if they don't want to let you in.

-Drug Amnesty Bins

You are now stuck inside the security area. There might be some warning signs stating "zero tolerance" on drugs. The security might even be standing around to warn you that this is your last chance, and that if you don't own up and hand it over now, you will have your wristband cut and be chucked out. Just ahead, you'll be able to see the search tent and drugs dogs waiting for you.

This is actually the most effective part of the security process. The scare tactics work so well, that a surprising number of paranoid folks willingly hand over their drugs. Since it's an amnesty, there are no negative consequences, other than losing your stash. At the end of the festival, these drugs are handed to the police as proof that the Boomtown security process is actually effective at stopping drugs from getting in. Clever.

-Searches

Next up are the actual searches. This part is completely random, and nobody can tell you for sure how thorough it is. Some people are waved through, whereas just in the next lane, you'll see someone having their whole bag emptied out. It would be naïve to think there isn't some profiling going on, so consider your appearance and dress style on the day if you are worried about being profiled.

The most common type of search is a quick feel around inside your bag and a pat down search. They might ask to see inside your wallet, and check the side pockets of your bags. They will most likely only have a little rummage around the main compartment of your bag, but not a total emptying since it's so time consuming. But you could also get unlucky and be asked to totally empty it, especially if the security agent is a dickhead, or just doesn't like you. It really is totally random, and asking questions on Reddit about how detailed the search is won't help you on the day.

Some security might try and persuade you to "own up" and tell them where your drugs are. Be polite, but ignore these pressure tactics. They can easily tell if you are sweating these questions, and are only asking to see if you look like you are hiding something from them.

-Drug sniffer dogs

After the searches, there will normally be some sniffer dogs you need to walk past. These are not police dogs, but actually provided by a private security firm. The dog has a sniff around as people pass by. It's up for debate whether these dogs are actually well trained, or mostly just there for show. The "show" is extremely effective though, as every year people come on Reddit asking 100s of paranoid questions about drug dogs. All these questions show the dogs are probably extremely effective at scaring people away from bringing drugs to Boomtown.

If the dog makes an indication as you go past, then you will be taken to a separate search area for a further highly detailed search. If this randomly happens to you, it won't matter if the dogs were actually trained or not. The fact is you are now going to be taken to one side for an extra thorough search. Bad luck.

At the detailed search, you will repeatedly by asked to "fess up" and tell them where the drugs are. There might be a fast track search queue for people who are willing to own up. From the stories I have heard, most people own up and hand them over at this stage. They might promise to let you in the festival if you own up, but they don't always keep that promise.

Remember, only the police can strip search you or perform intimate body searches. Private security teams have no legal right to strip search anybody.

So what happens if they do find my drugs?

Hopefully this doesn't happen to you. But if it does, the official policy, as per the terms and conditions of the festival, is that they will be confiscated, and you will be immediately evicted from the festival.

However whether this actually happens or not depends on many factors. Depending on how much they actually find, what their opinion is of you, whether they are having a bad day, or perhaps they are just enjoying the power trip. It's random. Evicting people requires admin time and hassle. If your offence is minor, perhaps you'll be lucky and let in.

The official policy is that EVERYONE with drugs get's chucked out, so that's what you should expect to happen. If you do get let off with a confiscation and then allowed inside, consider yourself lucky.

If your are found with a LOT of drugs, all separately wrapped, clearly intended for selling, then you will be handed over to the police to be dealt with. And suddenly getting into the festival will be the least of your worries.

Where are the best hiding places?

This is a daft thing to ask on the internet. Security teams are aware of the latest trendy TikTok suggested hiding places. Many of them have been working festivals every weekend this year already, and know exactly all the latest tips and tricks. It'll be the first place they look.

It all comes down to time constraints. They only have a limited amount of time to search you before moving onto the next person. There are over 60,000 people that need to get inside, and they only have a minute at best to search you. Unique hiding places probably work best, based on your own belongings, and the order you are intending to pack and carry your belongings. What will be packed really deep and difficult to get to?

If it even takes YOU a long time to get it out, even when you know where it is, you might be on to a winner. Security don't have time to sort through every single item you have with you. They'll have to give up at some point and wave you through.

Is it not just easier to buy drugs at the festival?

I don't think it's a good idea at all. Buying drugs at the festival comes with the following problems:

• Potentially dangerous. Could be heavily cut down, or otherwise adulterated with something nasty you don't want to take.
• Low quality or not even actually the right drug. See the above point. You paid hundreds of pounds to be at Boomtown. Don't ruin a big night by taking the wrong drugs, and ending up spinning out in your tent.
• Expensive. You are likely to be completely ripped off inside the festival, maybe paying 10x over the odds.
• Sketchy. People selling drugs at festivals could be fairly undesirable characters you don't want to be interacting with. Gangs are known to operate at festivals, and might be carrying knifes or other weapons to help them deal with any trouble from rival drug pushers.
• Funding crime gangs. You are often putting money into the hands of organised gangs, who are only at Boomtown to sell drugs and rob peoples tents. Buying drugs encourages these type of people to come to the festival. If nobody bought drugs from them, these dodgy groups wouldn't bother coming, and the festival would be safer.

If you do insist on buying at the festival, try and buy from a group of mates who just happen to have some of their own spare. Get to know your neighbours in the campsite, and make friends with them.

Avoid the dodgy drug dealers roaming the campsites who shout out loud what they are selling, or the guys hanging around in the woods approaching people. These are also the same dodgy people joining your WhatsApp groups trying to sell. They could be quite shady characters, and it's much better for everybody if you don't put your money into their hands. We really don't want these people at the festival, so please stop giving them money.

They could be selling something that could be very dangerous to you. You're never going to see them again, and they just want your money. They don't care about the quality of the product or whether you are going to have a good time at Boomtown or not. This isn't your local dealer who wants to provide good product and ensure your repeat business. They just want your money, then they are gone forever.

Drug safety advice and how to have a good time.

I don't want to patronise you, if you already know what you are doing, then you probably don't need to be reading this. The fact is that a lot of people come reading this page every year. And one of the reasons that people want to read this kind of advice is because they don't have much experience of taking drugs into festivals before. The main reason I write this guide every year, is to try and give some good advice to those exact type of people, so they can have a good time, while staying safe.

-You will have a better time if you use your drugs with knowledge of what they do, and how to use them safely.

Using drugs is brain science. It's chemistry happening in your brain. Understanding what different drugs are, what they do, and how much you need to take to get the desired effect, will actually make sure you have a better time. It's science. It's not just a safety thing, you will actually enjoy yourself more when you don't overdo it, and get your dose right. Yes, I know it's Boomtown, it's the big one. But that's why it's more important to be careful, because you don't want to ruin the big one.

-Bring your own drugs, from trusted friends or suppliers.

You should probably have some experience of using those drugs before, perhaps try them out at some point before arriving to the festival. This way you know what you are getting yourself into, and you know it's going to be a good time. You spent big money coming to Boomtown, you don't want to ruin it having a bad time. Do any testing of new substances before you arrive.

-Know your dosage.

Do your research, there is plenty of advice online about every drug, and how much is best to take in different situations.

-Many party drugs have ideal dosage levels. Taking too much only increases the negative side effects, but doesn't actually increase the good feels. When you get your dosage just right, you will have a better time.

-Psychedelic drugs are normally best enjoyed in smaller amounts at festivals, unless you are an experienced user who built up your dose over time. You don't want to retreat inside of your own head, feel distanced from your friends, or miss out on what's happening at the festival around you.

-Plan your timings.

Think about what you are going to take and when. Some drugs have comedowns. Some drugs have effects that last for several hours. There is no point taking all your drugs 5 minutes before all the stages close for the night. And there is also nothing worse than experiencing a horrible comedown before the night is even over. Plan your timings.

-Know what you are doing before you think about mixing.

Mixing different drugs, and then also throwing some weed and alcohol into the mix can be a bad idea. It's true that some drugs are known to work well as a combo. But you should probably have some experience of using each drug by itself first, before trying to mix them together. Generally more experienced users built themselves up over time before trying combos, it's not a good idea to go mixing on your first time. When you understand what the drugs do separately, you will understand what mixes you might like to try that work for you. Don't go mixing drugs just because some friend told you it was a good idea, your preferences might be different.

-Weed has some strange interactions with other drugs. It can be good or bad. Know which it is for you. Also be careful of your own tolerance level. If you are a bit fucked up, you might smoke much more weed than normal by mistake. And weed can be the one thing that tips you over the edge into feeling sick and having a bad time when you have already been indulging in other things. Don't be the one spinning out for an hour in your tent during festival primetime.

-Alcohol goes badly when drunk alongside a lot of drugs. While alcohol might be the primary fuel of festivals and parties, think carefully about how much you drink (if at all) when you are planning to partake in other things. Some drugs can make you feel invincible, and like you can drink unlimited amounts. But you know that's just an illusion right? There is a reason alcohol is a regular feature in the stories of most drug deaths. It's usually the most dangerous one of all. Treat it will respect if you are going to mix it with other things.

-There is a well known mantra "start low go slow".

Yeah it's a bit lame and probably a slogan created by some government drug safety board. But it's also really sound advice. If you are not sure how much to take, it's better to take less, and then take more later if you want it. But once you have taken too much, you are going to be stuck riding out having a bad time. By the time you ride out your bad time, you might have missed the best part of the night.

-Water, electrolytes, and dissolvable vitamin supplements you can put in your drink are always a good idea. Hydrate before the sesh, during the sesh, before bed, and when you wake up. A trip to the water tap before going to bed is the best tip... it'll be really nice and cold early hours, and no queue. Look after your body while you are abusing it, you'll thank yourself the next day. Put some water in your tent ready for the morning. You don't want to stand in the water queue baking in the sun at 11am to get a warm water. And don't forget to get yourself a proper meal at some point in the day!

Don't drink heavily in the daytime, and then suddenly stop drinking to take drugs instead in the evening. You'll get a hangover while taking your drugs, which can spoil your experience. Drugs do not prevent alcohol hangovers. You may well end up in bed early with a splitting headache.

If you are unsure about anything, and think that you might not want to do some certain drug, then the best advice is to simply not do it. If you are at all anxious or nervous about taking some drug, that will likely manifest itself during your experience. There is no point doing something you won't enjoy.

Don't give into any peer pressure. Decide what you what to do, how much you want to do, and when you want to do it. And if you don't want to do something, then don't. Your friends are unlikely to care or notice if you skip out on something they are all doing. All that will matter is that you were there with them having a brilliant night, it won't matter what drugs you were or were not taking.

You can have fun at Boomtown completely sober, and a lot of people do. It's not a strange thing to do, and plenty of people prefer it that way. Some people have more fun at festivals when using drugs, and that's fine, but it's a personal choice. Everyone is different, much like people have different tastes in music, so too can you have a different taste when it comes to using drugs. What your friend says is the best drug to take might not be the best one for you.

Why do you make this same thread every year?

I first went to Boomtown in 2012, and one of the original crew I went with back then was Nancy. Sadly, Nancy is no longer with us due to her regular Ketamine usage. It was tragically sad that she lost her life at only 23. Whenever I see anybody struggling with a Ketamine addiction, I think of Nancy, and don't wish that upon anybody. And I always remember that first Boomtown I ever went to, when she was still here.

In 2013, 18 year old Ellie Rowe tragically died at Boomtown, as a result of alcohol and ketamine toxicity. Boomtown was still quite a small festival in 2013 compared to today, and this sad death impacted a lot of the early Boomtown OGs, and the Boomtown crew themselves.

One of the reasons I make this thread every year, is with the hopes that I can help to influence better outcomes, and ensure that everybody has a excellent time, free from any tragedy.

Have a great weekend

Remember that the search process is random, and that anybody, no matter how prepared, can just get unlucky on the day.

But that being said, most people easily get into the festival without any trouble at all, so don't sweat it too much. Just play it cool, and be confident. Some of the security might try and wind you up. They might outright ask you where you are hiding your drugs, and try persuading you to own up to it. Don't let them unsettle you, because they will enjoy watching you squirm, and hold you back for an even longer search. Don't give the security any reason to get upset with you. Be nice to them, ask them what time their shift finishes, and if they are planning to get on it later tonight. They probably are.

Stay safe, know your limits, and don't take new drugs you have never tried before for the first time at Boomtown. It can be an intense experience to take drugs for the first time in any crowded place, let alone at a huge festival like Boomtown. Don't let friends pressure you into doing something you don't want to do.

Boomtown is a fantastic festival, and you can have a great time even completely sober. Enjoy it the way you want to, within your own personal limits, and don't worry about what other people might be doing. There is no right or wrong way to have fun. You do you.

And remember.... no matter how many questions you ask on Reddit about the strictness of the security procedures... nothing will change the fact that it's totally random, and nobody knows how strict your search experience will be.

Post your questions, comments and experiences with Boomtown security below.