Working the UK Festival Season
Everything you need to know about working the UK festival circuit: bar, catering, event crew and security roles at Glastonbury, Reading, Leeds, Boomtown and beyond.
Why UK festivals?
The UK has one of the richest festival cultures in the world. From Glastonbury (the largest greenfield festival in the world) to boutique events like Wilderness and Green Man, the summer calendar is packed. Behind every festival is a small army of seasonal workers running bars, cooking food, building stages and keeping people safe.
Festival work is intense but rewarding. Shifts are long, the environment is unpredictable (this is the UK, so weather is always a factor), and the pace is relentless. But you get to experience world-class music, meet incredible people, and build a summer around a circuit of events. Many festival workers return year after year, stringing together 8–12 weekends of work from June through September for a full summer season of income and experiences.
Roles available
Festival work spans many roles. The most common positions include:
💰 Typical Pay
Most festival roles pay £11–£15/hour, with typical shifts of 8–12 hours. Bar staff at major festivals earn £100–£150/day. Security and SIA-licensed stewards earn £14–£18/hour. Site crew doing build and breakdown can earn £150–£200/day for physically demanding work. Catering staff with food trailers can earn well from tips on top of hourly rates. Most roles include a festival wristband (free entry) and often a staff camping area and meals.
What you'll need
Requirements vary by role, but here are the common ones for festival work:
📋 Common Requirements
Right to work: UK right to work is essential. EU nationals now need a valid visa or settled/pre-settled status.
SIA licence: Required for security and door supervisor roles. Takes 3–4 weeks to obtain and costs around£220. Essential if you want to work security across multiple festivals.
Personal licence: Required to sell or authorise the sale of alcohol. Useful for bar supervisors. A one-day course costing around £100–£150.
Food hygiene Level 2: Required for catering and food vendor roles. A half-day online course.
DBS check: Required if working with young people or in welfare roles. Many agencies require this as standard.
Physical fitness: Festival work is physically demanding. Long hours on your feet, outdoor work in all conditions, and heavy lifting for crew roles.
Living on site
Festival work means camping. You'll typically stay in a staff camping area, which is usually quieter and better located than the public campsite. Bring a good tent, sleeping bag, wellies and layers. UK festival weather ranges from blazing sun to torrential rain, often in the same weekend.
Between festivals, most workers return home or travel. If you're working a full circuit, you might string together Glastonbury (late June), WOMAD (late July), Reading/Leeds (late August), Boomtown (mid-August) and Bestival or End of the Road (early September) for a packed summer. Some companies like Festaff, Bars & Events, and Eat to the Beat will book you across multiple festivals if you perform well.
🎪 The festival experience
Working a festival is not the same as attending one, but it has its own rewards. Staff often get time off to explore the site, see headliners and enjoy the atmosphere after their shift. The camaraderie among festival workers is strong, and many people form lasting friendships. Free entry to world-class music events, plus getting paid for it, is a combination that keeps people coming back summer after summer.
The social scene
The social scene at festivals is unbeatable. After shifts, the staff area becomes its own party. Many festivals have dedicated crew bars or after-parties. The community of festival workers is tight-knit and you'll see the same faces at different events throughout the summer. It's common to finish your shift at midnight and then head to the main arena to catch a late-night DJ set. The atmosphere on site, even when you're working, is unlike any other workplace.
When to start looking
Start applying from January–March for the summer festival season. The major staffing agencies (Festaff, Hotbox Events, Bars & Events, Eat to the Beat, Event Staffing) open applications early in the year. Glastonbury crew roles fill up fastest. Bar companies like Peppermint and We Are Bars recruit from February. Having your profile on PeakWave means festival employers can find you as soon as they start hiring for the summer season.
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