The Variety of Rules Relating to Alcohol at Music Festivals.

Not every music festival has the same rules regarding alcohol consumption on a festival site. Festival-goers need to appraise themselves of any specific alcohol related rules that apply to the event they wish to attend. What are the typical rules and restrictions employed by music festival organisers and how are they enforced. 

The rules regarding alcohol at music festivals is often driven by the prevailing laws and restrictions found in a particular country or region. In addition, organisers will also take into account potential safety risks and cultural considerations to ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience. Festival organisers often need to find a balance between legal compliance, safety and commercial considerations. How do they plan and create rules related to alcohol on their festival site? 

Legal Framework. 
The primary law applicable in most locations is the legal drinking age which can vary enormously from country to country. The United States can be quite strict and at a national level it is generally 21 but can be higher in certain states. The UK has more complex regulations where 18 is generally considered the legal age for alcohol purchase and consumption but there are exceptions for 16 and 17 year-olds when alcohol is accompanied by meal with an adult present. European rules vary from country to country and can be as low as 16 for beer but 18 for spirits. Asian countries also have varying laws which can be anything from no limit to 25 years-old. Any festival organiser that intends to sell alcohol on site must obtain the necessary licensing and permits from their local authority who then may apply restrictions on operating hours and site zones allowed for sales and consumption.  

On-site Consumption Rules. 
Whilst many camping zones may have no restrictions on the consumption of alcohol this can be very different for other zones on a festival site. Some organisers may allow open drinking around the site but some countries have strict regulations on carrying and consuming alcohol from open containers. The zones designated for licensed bars will allow alcohol consumption which may include VIP locations and alcoholic drinks sponsor zones. For safety reasons alcohol consumption is usually prohibited form arenas and high-volume crowd zones in front of stages for example, organisers may have strict security checks and screening procedures when entering these areas. These checks can also screen festival-goers to prevent entrance to those who are too intoxicated which is often linked to unruly behaviour. 

Personal Supplies from Outside the Festival Site. 
Festival-goers can be quite critical of festival organisers who completely ban the bringing of personal alcohol supplies onto a festival site. This is usually a commercially driven decision because organisers can earn substantial shared revenue with selected licensed bar vendors operating on a site. These monopoly type restrictions can lead to heavily inflated prices for any alcoholic drink. Where organisers allow personal alcohol supplies to be brought onto a site, they will have rules regarding this which may include ‘reasonable quantities’ consumption limited to camping zones and certainly no glass bottles for safety reasons. 

Planning Music Festival Alcohol Policies. 
When organisers are planning their policies related to alcohol, they must first take into account the prevailing legal and licensing requirements. The rules and policies will need to be published on the festival website which are easily accessible by festival-goers planning their visit. The policies should clearly communicate what can and cannot be brought onto a site and where alcohol can be consumed. Defined alcohol purchase and consumptions zones should be clearly illustrated on any site map. Some organisers also emphasise their commitment to preventing alcohol abuse by stating their participation in initiatives like ‘Challenge 25’ and ‘responsible drinking’ which may include instructing bars to not overserve intoxicated festival-goers. If a festival has designated family zones these will usually be alcohol free where sales and consumption is prohibited. Policies may also state how organisers intend to police alcohol related site rules and the consequences for any breaches which may lead to confiscation or ejection from the festival site. 

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