Boomtown Noob

First time working at Boomtown Festival

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Got the finishing touches done to the campsite managers hub!!

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Impromptu barbering and back out in the sun

As I settle to bed I could hear the slightly unsettling sounds of a set of clippers doing their thing. Today has been pretty productive aside from a complete brain fart when trying to work out shift patterns.

Tomorrow I get Amazon stuff and hopefully the weather will continue its upward trend!

Tonight I'm mostly making lists of things that need sorting and chasing with site office tomorrow because I can't stop working!!

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Still really hot. Lost all my big girl words

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Still really hot. Lost all my big girl words

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Listening to radio chatter like...

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No black dogs allowed on site during festival builds

I work as a campsite manager at festivals in the UK. Its a world away from office work, even if you spend a day sat in a production office. You’re sat in a hot/muddy steel container with a wide rainbow of different requests and visitors floating through. If you’re not in the “office” you’re walking about getting exercise, fresh air and if you’re lucky: SUN. All these things tend to make for a work environment that can flow with good vibes, even when things get hectic. Busy periods tend to come wildly and sometimes without any warning because sites are so widespread with hundreds of crew building and creating their things. If it hits you learn very quickly what your “style” of coping is. For me its to dial down my goofiness and try to be a professional. Be nice – don’t be a dick.

I’ve suffered for years with depression and anxiety and as a bit of backstory, when I first got into festival work I was still happy and fairly well rounded considering. Then I went into office work and after a number of emotional punches I began to need more help. Alongside this I fell back into working at festivals in 2010. I was terrified my first year – overwhelmed and awed by this community of people I had joined and fallen into step with. I spent all my time waiting for the tap on my shoulder telling me I wasn’t supposed to be there. During the first few years I knew there was something special and I needed to hold on tight. It took a few years for me to let down the walls and really realise that the family I’d found were glad I was there and welcoming me in with open arms.

Now I’m working at a new festival, all because I stuck with it and rode out my own demons. I’m sat in my yellow van, enjoying the tail end of a few days of quiet before the fun (craziness?!!) begins. A small part of me is dreading it but mostly I know I will rise to it and surf along on the wave. I have once again let myself in to this amazing new community of people who are diverse, warm and ridiculously funny. They will unknowingly save me from my own black dog many times more than they have already. I’ll leave you with the weirdest laugh I had yesterday: “Someone Google the definition of a sausage Right Now!”. Yup – things get weird when you’re wandering around a dusty festival build all day!

Good vibes and love to all my crew, friends who wonder what on earth I am up to and family who probably think I’ve run off with the circus (they’re not 100% wrong!) - see you all on the other side.

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Day seven I'm loving the site life. Settled in down in my downtown campsite, slowly ticking things off the to do list!! Today is very hot so I'm going to chill this afternoon whilst the sun is at its hottest.. after burning myself yesterday I'm being very careful!!!

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A view from my bed. Sat in the shade trying to stay cool

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Day two... Marking my territory

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Day one - full of dusty joy

Woke up after a fairly good night's sleep in my faithful little tent. Feeling relatively rested too!!

Awaiting the arrival of the yellow peril so my site life can be complete!!

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Huge pile of packing almost ready to leave tomorrow