News story

Enjoy a trouble-free music festival in Spain this summer

If you are going to a music festival abroad, get the inside track on how to enjoy without getting into any hassle

• From: Foreign & Commonwealth Office
• Published: 21 March 2013
• Last updated: 17 June 2013 — See all updates

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Enjoy your music festival

Every year, thousands of Brits attend music festivals across Spain, for example SONAR, the Festival Internacional de Benicassim, Bilbao BBK Live 2013 or the Gay Pride Maspalomas. Whilst the vast majority of festival goers have a great time with no problems, those that do need help is almost always because their passport has been lost or stolen.

Enjoy the festival

This is the last thing you want to deal with - replacing it can be a hassle, is expensive and could mean you miss out on the festival fun.

Make sure it doesn’t happen to you!

Before you set off, do these five simple things:

• Get travel insurance and check what it covers
• Apply for a European Health Insurance Card
• Leave a photocopy of your passport with your family in the UK
• Fill in the last page of your passport with your emergency contacts
• Become a fan of the British Embassy Madrid on facebook and follow us on Twitter – we will keep you up to date on what to do if anything goes wrong.

When you arrive, make sure you:

• Lock your valuables in one of the lockers available on site
• If camping, don’t leave anything valuable in your tent
• Carry a photocopy of your passport with you and leave the original locked away
• Have one of your cash cards and some cash separate from the rest of your valuables just in case
• Be extra careful in large crowds, keep your cash in a zipped pocked or bag
• Follow the instructions of the event organisers and Spanish Police whenever necessary

After it’s over, be extra vigilant:

• Bear in mind you will be tired, which makes you more vulnerable
• Don’t fall asleep on the beach if you have your valuables on you
• Public transport can be busy so give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport or to get your train

If something goes wrong:

Your local Consulate is available to offer help and support if you have been hospitalised, arrested or are a victim of crime. You can call us on 0034 913 342 194 if you need help, advice or an Emergency Passport.

Don’t forget that the festival organisers can also support you. Go to one of the information points, or contact the Red Cross (Cruz Roja) for more information.

Summer Checklist

PDF, 774 KB, 1 page

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Published 21 March 2013
Last updated 17 June 2013 + show all updates

1. 17 June 2013

   Link added to Bilbao BBK Live 2013

2. 21 March 2013

   First published.