Reading Festival gatecrashers share their tips for breaking into festivals on TikTok including how to dodge security, buy fake wristbands and crawl under holes in the fence
- Break ins are a recurring problem according to one security guard
Festival gatecrashers are sharing tips on social media on how to break into Reading and Leeds festival, which include jumping fences, crawling through holes and making fake wristbands.
Videos of how to get into the summer festival without paying were posted to TikTok and YouTube over the weekend, showing multiple people dodging the ticket fees.
Security guards have said it is a recurring problem at the annual Reading event which attracts around 100,000 people. Part of this is due to its accessible location just a 15-minute walk from the train station.
Some chancers turn up with ropes and ladders to help them get access, one security guard told The Times. He added that some sneak in because they can’t afford tickets while others want to sell drugs.
Tickets to the event run by Festival Republic cost £101.20 for a day and £286.20 for the three-day weekend.
A member of the ‘bread gang’ attempts to break in to Leeds festival by climbing under a fence
A TikTok user posted a video of them attempting to break in through a hole under a fence before using a temporary gate to climb over it. In the video he says staff ‘nearly’ caught him
A video posted to TikTok by a man based in Newham who says it’s ‘easy’ to break in to Reading festival
SNEAKING INTO READING 🎪 2023
In one video posted to TikTok, a man based in Newham says it’s ‘easy’ to break in but a video posted to YouTube shows a group of Australian men going to great lengths to gain access to Leeds festival without a wristband.
READ MORE: Reading Festival site is left a sea of tents and litter in aftermath of music event as revellers make their way home
The YouTube video was posted by the group known as ‘bread gang’ and has gained more than 12,000 views.
A member of the group can be heard saying: ‘Boys are in, boys are in.’ Before the majority of the group is escorted out by security and taken to the ‘police tent’ before being ‘strip searched’.
One of the men remains at the campsite by disguising himself in a change of clothes and eventually makes it into the festival where he is somehow reunited with the remainder of the group.
The account also has videos of the men breaking into other festivals such as Boomtown, Tomorrowland and Creamfields.
The group says it’s much harder to break in to UK festivals compared to Australian festivals.
Reading festival has security guards stationed next to all closed gates to prevent people scaling them whilst others are positioned in front of any holes under fences to stop intruders.
TikTok user posted a video of them attempting to break in through a hole under a fence before using a temporary gate to climb over and gain access
The two men pictured gained access to Reading festival by wearing a water bottle wrapper as a wristband
One TikTok user turned up to Reading station at 12am with six other men before breaking in to the festival
Sneaking into reading festival #readinglist #readingfestival #readingfest #readingfestival2022 #readingfestival2023 #sneakingin #sneakingintofestival
The Thames runs alongside Reading festival and causes some holes near fences.
Large towers are set-up in each of the main camping grounds. A guard is stationed at each of these and is able to spot people sneaking up to the festival’s perimeter.
One Reading ticket-holder said she was surprised that people were able to break in due to the festival being ‘very well managed’ by security.
She added that her wristband was checked three or four times before she was allowed access to the main area.
A TikTok user posted a video of him attempting to break in through a hole under a fence before using a temporary gate to climb over it. In the video he says staff ‘nearly’ caught him.
The man and his friend show themselves wearing a 7up wrapper as a makeshift wristband, but this ‘failed’ and they switched to wearing a Kirkland spring water label instead, which gained them entry.
The account ‘bread gang’ has videos of the men breaking into festivals such as Boomtown, Tomorrowland and Creamfields – in addition to Leeds festival
Security guards have said it is a recurring problem at the Reading event which attracts around 100,000 people. Part of this is due to its accessible location just a 15-minute walk from the train station
https://youtube.com/watch?v=RE6TiRW5hn4%3Frel%3D0
At the end of the video he says he’s ‘ready for another grind tomorrow’.
According to security, Sunday is the most popular day for break ins because the bigger acts perform on the final day – this year included Billie Eilish, Imagine Dragons and Becky Hill.
One security guard said you cannot control every loop hole, but they do their best.
Festival Republic, TikTok and YouTube have been contacted for comment.
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