A woman who paid £1k for a Creamfields ticket says she will never travel to another event again after leaving just 24 hours after she arrived. Julie bought a four-day bronze camping ticket for the festival in Daresbury, the largest and most prestigious electronic dance music festival in the UK, and planned to attend the event with a friend.
The pair also shared a large pre-pitched tepee tent so they wouldn't have to lug around equipment as they entered the festival, along with access to a real toilet rather than using a portaloo. But despite spending £1k on the event, Julie admitted that it "wasn't the vibe" for her and didn't even last 24 hours at the event after sharing pictures of the mud at the festival.
Weather and mud at the festival
Thunderstorms, heavy wind and sudden heavy showers have hit the event, along with the rest of the region. Pictures from Creamfields show sections of the festival with major footfall became particularly muddy over the first day of the festival. However, organisers have put down bark chipping and hay in main festival areas to try and combat the weather.
Julie said: "Never again. £1,027 for a ticket, pre pitched tent and outfits, fill tank of fuel. Creamfields 2026 [will] definitely be a touchy subject for a while." "That's not even with everything eld I brought, essentials etc, I might cry."
Festival response and reactions
The festival wrote on social media: "Currently there are some muddy areas of ground on site. While the ground is still generally good and won't stop you dancing we strongly advise wearing good waterproof footwear."
Dozens of people commented under the festivalgoer's post but couldn't agree with the reason she left, which was due to wet clothes and mud. One person said: "You only need wellies and waterproofs and its fine its all part of the experience."
A second said: "We arrived at Download Festival on the Wednesday ten minutes after we pitched tents up it rained non stop until about midday on the Monday! Old clothes, wellies, waterproofs, bin bag over suits with packing tape seams. Pitch the tents with the entrance facing downhill. Adapt overcome enjoy! Or be a utter wuss!"
A third said: "Creamfields has always been a mud bath, saying that global gathering ended up being a mud bath a few times." Others, however, did offer Julie some sympathy. One person said: "My daughter there now in silver camping currently soaked, muddy and starving due to queues I can sympathise with you." A second said: "I camped once, lasted 24hrs also. I get a hotel now." A third said: "Welcome to festivals, overpriced and muddy."
Event scale
More than 250 artists will perform across several stages at the event, with around 80,000 people expected to attend Creamfields.
