Download Facilities
The Bits That Actually Matter
So everyone’s buzzing about Avenged Sevenfold, Sleep Token, or whatever legends are headlining, but nobody sits you down for the real talk about surviving five days at Donington Park with 75,000 metal and rock fans. Download’s a different beast to other festivals. It’s not as massive as Glastonbury, which is both a blessing and a curse. The good news? You can actually navigate it without needing a compass. The bad news? When things get busy, you’re still dealing with a lot of people trying to use the same facilities at the same time; like when 20,000 people decide they all need the loo at the exact moment Slipknot finishes their set, that’s when things get interesting.
But here’s the thing, Download’s been running since 2003 and they’ve got this stuff down to a fine art. The facilities are actually pretty decent by festival standards, so you’re not going to end up with PTSD like you would at other festivals (looking at you Reading). Now to get into the unglamorous stuff that’ll genuinely make the difference between having a belter of a weekend and spending half of it in various states of despair.
The Boring But Essential Stuff
Cash Machines: There are none! Download is a cashless festival, so don’t bother bringing cash. You just need your card or mobile payment and you’re sorted. If you rely on phone payments like Apple or Google pay then be aware the phone network can and will slow to a crawl, so make sure you bring a backup card. Oh and make sure you sort how you are going to keep your phone charged, speaking of which…
Phone Charging: Accept it, your phone will die at some point over the festival. The official charging points exist but they cost a fortune to rent, the USB lockers cost between £20-£25 to rent and are usually rammed. If you’re going to rely on your phone then honestly, the best investment you can make is a proper power bank or two and make sure they’re charged before you go. EE and Vodafone usually has the best signal on site, but don’t expect to be posting Instagram stories in real-time, the network gets hammered when everyone’s trying to film the same headliner.
Toilets: It’s not the prettiest part of the festival but the toilets at Download are substantially better than those grim drop toilets you will find at Glastonbury and Reading. These are your bog-standard Portaloos, they’re cleaned twice a day with a powerwash and disinfected, better still they’re restocked with loo rolls. Are they pristine? No. Will you spend longer than you need in there? Also no, But they are practically civilised compared to other festivals. Best times to go? depends on the cleaning schedule, so keep an eye for that. In the past they’ve been cleaned between 4-6 AM and PM every day. Just make sure to bring your own hand sanitiser and you will be fine.
Bars and Food (AKA Where Your Money Vanishes): Download’s got over 160 food and drink vendors, so you’re spoilt for choice. Expect to pay festival prices – £5-6 for a pint, £8-12 for food. Budget about £30-40 a day minimum if you want to eat and drink decently. The good news is the food variety is brilliant. You’ve got everything from proper burgers to vegan options and there are over 40 stalls offering plant-based mains. The quality is generally solid too, you’re not getting ripped off with small festival burgers in oversized buns.
District X is where a lot of the food action happens, plus there’s Welder’s Yard near the stages for street food, the Beer Hall for… well, beer, and even Bar Zero if you’re going alcohol-free. Peak times for food are the usual suspects (12-2pm for lunch, 6-8pm for dinner), so eat either side of those windows if you can’t be bothered with queues. For booze, there is a noticeable increase in queue sizes in-between acts, so if you’re not feeling the vibe of who’s on stage, there’s your chance for a cheeky pint or two!
Some Would Say This Is The Perfect Festival Breakfast
Information Points & Help Desks: These are dotted around the arena and District X. Staffed by people who actually know what they’re talking about, which is a relief when you’re lost or something’s gone wrong. They’ve got proper site maps, can tell you where accessible facilities are, and generally sort you out when you need it. There are also accessibility hubs specifically for anyone who needs extra support and Download doesn’t mess around when it comes to accessibility, they’ve got a Gold Standard from Attitude Is Everything, who connect disabled people with the live events industry.
Lost Property: Lose something? Information points are your first port of call. After the festival, you can email [email protected]. But let’s be realistic, if you’ve lost your phone in the pit during a wall of death, it’s probably gone to the great beyond. Tag your valuables with your contact details and definitely leave the expensive stuff at home.
District X: The Festival Within The Festival
District X deserves its own little mention because it’s basically where everything happens when you’re not watching bands. You’ve got four smaller stages here with their own acts and entertainment, plus merch stalls, food vendors, fairground rides, cinema screenings, fitness classes (because apparently some people want to do burpees at a rock festival), and even a Co-op if you’ve forgotten any essentials like toilet roll. The whole area is open later than the main arena too, so when the headliners finish, District X is where you’ll end up.
You’re Ready
Download isn’t some gruelling survival challenge, it’s a well-run festival that’s been doing this for over 20 years. The facilities are decent, the staff know what they’re doing and if you come prepared you’ll have a brilliant time. Sort out your charging situation, have enough money in the bank (remember it’s a cashless festival), accept that the toilets aren’t going to be spa-like and you’re on track to have a rocking time.
The difference between festival veterans and stressed-out first-timers isn’t luck, it’s just knowing what to expect (and that nugget of knowledge can be applied to any festival). Download’s big enough to feel like a proper festival experience but small enough that you won’t spend half your weekend lost. The toilets get cleaned twice a day, which is basically unheard of at any other festival! The food and drink is actually good and if you time it correctly, you’ll spend less time queuing and more time in the pit. Everything at Download is set up so you can focus on the important stuff, watching world-class bands and having a proper laugh with your mates.
By Sunday evening, you’ll probably a bit worse for wear and already planning next year. That’s Download. It breaks you in gently, feeds you well, provides functional toilets and sends you home with memories (and probably mild tinnitus). It’s worth every penny.
Comfort Starts At Your Base Camp
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