I'm a Download Festival veteran and these are the biggest mistakes revellers make at Donington Park

• Download Festival 2024 opens its gates today as metalheads congregate at Donnington Race Track
• This year’s event is to be headlined by Queens of the Stone Age, Fall Out Boy and Avenged Sevenfold
• What lessons can be learned though, as Benjamin Jackson discusses his experiences at the festival in previous years?

I’m sure many of you are setting off as the gates open for Download Festival 2024 today. 

I wish I could join you, but alas I am sat at my desk - plus I’ve done my time at the metal mecca. Being 41 years of age I dare say the days of sleeping in a tent on the ground of the former site of “Monsters of Rock” are behind me. 

Oh, to be young, nimble and able to stand up after sleeping on the floor. A young Benjamin (me) backstage at Leeds Festival with Jaret Reddick from Bowling For Soup (Credit: provided) | Benjamin Jackson

Though I missed the inaugural festival in 2003, there was no chance I’d be missing the following year, where all my favourites of yesteryear played. Watching Jonathan Davis of Korn come out to the main stage with his bagpipes, seeing the mighty Biffy Clyro hold their own in front of a predominantly metal crowd at times yelling “Slayer” between songs.

But perhaps the biggest highlight for me that year, for many in fact, was when Metallica announced that Lars Ulrich would not be able to perform. Instead, we were treated to a rolling cast of drummers during Metallica’s performance, including Slayer’s Dave Lombardo (prompting more yells of “Slayer” from the crowd), Metallica drum technician Flemming Rasmussen and some masked individual from Des Moines, Iowa.

The late Joey Jordison, who was at Download with Slipknot, was the third drummer James Hetfield and company roped into performing during Metallica’s set at Download Festival 2024 - and he smashed it. 

Throwing in drum rolls in old Metallica songs you long thought weren’t possible, using double kicks where you always hoped you might hear the machine-gun-like kick drums being pushed to their limits. You could tell Hetfield was somewhat impressed, sardonically remarking “Hey Joey, slow down, maybe we should get some masks.”

Benjamin Jackson shares his experiences as a Download Festival reveller of yesteryear - so what's his advice on plastic bottle fights and "overindulgence"? (Credit: Getty/Provided) | Canva/Provided

But for all the fun that Download brings as we’re well and truly on the road of the UK summer festival season 2024, there are some cautionary tales to share. Things that I learned through sheer, unadulterated stupidity being young, dumb and full of young adult angst, while others just seem like common sense - that I didn’t have.

So what sage advice could this old punk kid give to those who are heading to Download Festival 2024 this weekend? 

Pack accordingly - ideally not intoxicated the night before

It goes without saying - if you don’t drink while packing for a summer holiday, why would you think it’s a good idea when packing for a camping festival? Though I was fortunate enough to share a tent with some acquaintances my friends news - and discovered Polysics in the process - I was idiotic enough to play up to my flatmates what I’d take.

Unloading my backpack the day after, I was met with a skateboard for some reason (in my defence, I thought carrying a skateboard around the campsite would be a talking point), a soft toy and a men’s magazine. That prompted one of the people who would allow me room in their giant tent to ask “Are you expecting an interesting Download Festival?”

Did I bring a jacket in the event of any rain? No. Did I pack my “jorts” though and best Spineshank T-shirt? Yes. I half had it right, but the following year I decided to opt for a more practical amount of items to bring, rather than those flashy items I was accused of “peacocking with.”

Weather Forecast for Download Festival 2024

The Met Office has published the following forecast for Castle Donnington throughout Download Festival weekend.

• Thursday June 13 2024: Cloudy changing to light rain in the afternoon. (15°/11°)
• Friday June 14 2024: Overcast changing to light showers by late morning. (17°/5°)
• Saturday June 15 2024: Cloudy changing to light showers by lunchtime. (15°/9°)
• Sunday June 16 2024: Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by late morning. (18°/10°)

What items can you not bring to Download Festival 2024?

• Aerosols over 250ml.
• Airhorns and megaphones.
• Alcohol: not permitted in the arena however a maximum quantity of 1 x 24 cans/plastic crate of beer/cider or drink of choice & 1L of spirit or wine in a plastic bottle per person are allowed onto the campsite.
• Animals (Other than Assistance Dogs)
• Any Goods for unauthorised trading (bootleg T-shirts for example)
• Any Goods with unauthorised festival logos
• Any items which may cause danger, offence or disruption to any other person
• Any items which may reasonably be considered for use as a weapon
• Audio Recorders (prohibited in the arena)
• Bad Attitudes (this is legitimately on the Download Festival prohibited items list)
• Bicycles/scooters /roller-skates /skateboards (wasn’t like that in my day)
• Blowtorches
• Cameras, film or video equipment( anything more with a 6” lens is prohibited)
• Camping Equipment (prohibited from inside the arena) 
• Cans (prohibited inside the arena)
• Cutlery (prohibited inside the arena)
• Deodorant Roll-On (implored by the organisers)
• Disposable BBQs and permitted cooking stoves (for personal use only, prohibited inside the arena): Meth Stoves (with maximum 1L methylated fuel/spirit), Trangia Stoves (with maximum 1L Trangia fuel), Gel Fuel, Greenheat Basecamp Cooker, Firelighter Stoves. Fuel is limited to 1L maximum per stove
• Drinks bottles (other than sealed plastic water/soft drinks bottles under 500ml and empty reusable bottles of any size metal or plastic - no glass and prohibited in the arena)
• Drones or other Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
• Excessive Amounts of Cigarettes (more than personal consumption)
• Excessive Amounts of Food (more than personal consumption)
• Firewood

Fireworks and pyrotechnics are banned from being brought to both the arena and the campsite grounds of Download Festival; so leave it to the experts during Avenged Sevenfold's headline set if you want the sky to be lit up (Credit: Canva) | Canva

• Fireworks/Pyrotechnics
• Flags with Poles (except in areas of the campsite that aren’t part of the festival’s exclusion zones)
• Flares/Distress Flares/Smoke Bombs
• Food Hampers / Cool Bag / Boxes (prohibited inside the arena)
• Gazebos (within reasonable size limits, campsite only)
• Generators (Exemption for generators in caravans)
• Glass
• Golf Umbrellas (prohibited from inside the arena)
• Hexamine / Hexi Tablets
• Illegal Substances
• Individual camping gas canisters (exemption for gas canisters fitted within campervans).
• Leatherman Multi Tools
• Legal Highs
• New Psychoactive Substances(NPS)
• Nitrous Oxide and any associated equipment (Balloons, Co2 dispensers, cream dispensers)
• Paper Lanterns or Sky Lanterns
• Petrol Burners
• Portable Laser Equipment and Pens
• Rooftop Tents (campervan site only)
• Small hammers for pitching tents (campsite only)
• Sound systems
• Tin Openers (campsite only)
• Umbrellas (campsite only)
• Unidentifiable Substances
• Unofficial Tabards or Reflective Jackets

Withdraw some cash before entering the site

Though we live in a cashless society, sometimes technology can prevent us from doing even the most simple things; like buying Queens Of The Stone Age merchandise, or more importantly - eating. 

While many of the vendors offer cashless and card payments, and from reading comments on the Download Festival subreddit recent festival goers have stated that network reception is good, it doesn’t mean it’ll be great for everyone.

With that in mind, a couple of notes you can consider as petty cash is worth getting out from an ATM before arriving on site. 

Don’t overindulge - you have the entire weekend ahead of you

No one wants to be that person who after only a couple of hours at the festival campsite is staggering around, drunk, trying to put up a tent only to fall face first into the ground and have other campers around you ask if you’re ok. 

Thankfully, I’ve never undergone such an indignity but boy oh boy, have I seen some sights before the festival even kicked off.

Admittedly, metal festivals and hard drinking can go hand-in-hand, but pace yourself, and more importantly - drink plenty of water and eat. Drinkaware has summed up the dangers of getting over-inebriated at a music festival by suggesting: “Try pacing any alcohol you drink with a soft drink or two in-between. Make sure you drink at your own pace – you won't win any prizes by keeping up with your mates, you're more likely to lose out on a great night.”

Closest supermarkets to the Download Festival 2024 site

Castle Donnington has several supermarkets on hand, only a brief drive from the festival grounds in the event you’ve been caught short with food and supplies for the weekend… or, let’s be honest, another box of beer (within reason.)

According to Google Maps, there is an Aldi on Station Road that is open until 10pm, while there is also a Co-Op and Londis on Station Road, both again open until 10pm. You can check out Google Maps to find out the best way to head to the supermarkets but be warned, traffic will be heavy.

Bottle fights can be brutal so stay vigilant and learn where first aid is on-site

Oh yes - the epic plastic bottle fights. They’re meant to be light-hearted and a way to kill time between bands, or during a particularly boring set on the main stage, but having witnessed people taking half-full, four-litre water bottles in the face, there’s always a few to mess it up. 

The map of Download Festival 2024; learn where the First Aid tents are in the event of an errant plastic bottle or worse. The map is available through the Download Festival app for Android and iOs (Credit: Download Festival) | Download Festival

Don’t get me started either on those people who fill bottles with rocks - I’d rather take a bottle of urine to the chest than a small bottle of rocks to the head.

In the event someone has been hit or any number of injuries that might occur while at Download Festival, there are First Aid tents on each campsite and there are also tents near the main entrance of the arena. But if in doubt, sound out one of the many staff members who will be trained on what to do in the event of an injury.

Don’t rely on your phone; arrange a meet-up point in the event of trouble or just to catch up

This tip once again comes if there is network congestion on the festival site, or the dreaded “I’ve run out of battery and left my battery pack at the tent.” Though there are some charging stations on-site, you and probably the majority of other revellers will no doubt be looking to charge up their mobile phones.

So rather than a game of WhatsApp ping-pong, suggest a definitive time to meet back up at either the campsite to “re-up” (get some food and water in your) or a landmark that is going to be distinguishable for everyone. 

For the group I was in and myself, we looked over the set times, dedicated what could be worth missing and met up for something to eat before the headliners took to their respective stages. Alternatively, if there was a band we all wanted to see together but were at different sets, we’d aim for the left-hand side of the stages near either toilet blocks or a food vendor.

Are there still tickets to Download Festival 2024 at this late stage?

Sadly, tickets to this year’s Download Festival have all sold out according to Ticketmaster. Though there are some reseller markets to pick up Download Festival tickets for those who can no longer attend, always have a level of trepidation regarding ticket resales - and if you have to, check out Twickets, StubHub or Ticketmaster’s authentic resellers market.

Were you at Download Festival too when Lars Ulrich was unable to drum for Metallica? Maybe you were at the Download Festival when guests stepped in to sing for an absent Jonathan Davis? Email [email protected] to share your favourite Download Festival highlights and if you were injured during one of those epic plastic bottle fights of yesteryear.