With both Ireland and the UK hitting vaccination targets, we have some good news! After over a year of waiting, festival season is finally upon us. Each festival has its own list of do's and do not's – including what you can bring. Where does CBD sit on this festival season list? And should you include it on your list of festival must-haves?
At Candid, we're just as thrilled as you are. While some of our faves graced us with performances from their living room, it's just not the same. Therefore, we want to help you prep for festival season, so you can (safely) live your best life.
Pre-Festival Planning Can Come in Handy
Before we delve into how CBD can make festival season that much smoother, we'd encourage you to cover the basics. In fact, pre-festival planning should start a good bit in advance. This will give you time to get your goods in order and make sure you have everything you need. You should also do your research (emphasis on this!), and manage your pre-festival expectations.
First, we'd recommend doing your research – consider the weather, as this will play a role in what you should and shouldn't bring. After all, if we're expecting sunshine all around, you can skip the raincoats and umbrellas. You can also use the space for something a little handier – like extra water bottles, more hand sanitiser, or yet another tube of sun cream.
By doing this, you're prepared, so you don't have to worry about any festival-related situation. This also gives you time to pack what you have, and purchase (or borrow) what you don't. Therefore, by the time festival season rolls around, you're completely ready for a good time.
Additionally, we'd recommend taking some time to familiarise yourself with festival rules and regulations. Different festivals have varying rules about what you can and can't bring. If you're thinking of bringing some CBD to ease you into festival season, you'll want to check that it's completely above board before packing it. By doing this, you'll ensure that your CBD isn't removed and destroyed, or held securely the entire weekend.
How Can CBD Help With Festival Season?
It's almost hard to believe that lockdown restrictions are finally easing up. While we adjust to the new normal, the progress towards it might make some of us a little anxious. However, there's no reason why your nerves should get in the way of festival season – especially when you have CBD at hand.
Here's how it can help you weather festival season, emerging from the weekend practically unscathed!
Say Goodbye to Festival Nerves
Music festivals are a huge evolution from our new normal. With so many people in an open field, crowding in front of a stage, it's only natural to be nervous. After all, most of us have practised social distancing – or isolation – wherever possible. Because of this, you might be anxious about the physical closeness that comes with music festivals.
Anxiety can put a serious damper on festival season. However, that's no reason to let it ruin that long-overdue first gig in almost two years. While you might be tempted to fight the nerves with alcohol, we're happy to suggest a healthier alternative – without the hangover. Consider this: CBD could potentially help alleviate anxiety during festival season. Many people take CBD to help with anxiety, so the anecdotal evidence is fairly apparent.
The science behind this also seems to back it up. In fact, a study from 2010 concluded that CBD could help with social anxiety. With so many of us nervous about socialising after a pandemic, CBD could be the way forward during festival season. Plus, reduced anxiety without the risk of impeded judgement sounds pretty good to us!
CBD Could Help With Those Festival Season Aches and Pains
We all know that festival season isn't exactly the luxury getaway of your dreams. In fact, camping out in muddy fields, walking around in rain-soaked trainers, and sipping warm, overpriced pints hardly sound like a dream vacation. However, the live music often makes up for it – and the bragging rights that come with the festival. That said, jumping up and down for hours a day before retiring to an old tent can wreak havoc on your body, with unexplained aches and pains springing up the morning after.
Sure, it's part and parcel of festival season, but could CBD help with this? Well, CBD is firmly entrenched on wellness shelves as a natural pain-relief option. However, does it hold up outside of anecdotal evidence? A study from 2018 indicates that yes, it very well might. Results from this study indicated that CBD could be a key player in dealing with chronic pain and inflammation.
Therefore, a few drops of CBD before crashing into your sleeping bag might leave you fresh and alert the next day. You can also keep your tincture of choice or CBD oil with you, availing of it throughout the day. In this way, CBD could play a role in minimising pain, allowing you to better enjoy festival season.
Do Festivals Allow CBD?
While festivals across the UK and Ireland should be CBD-friendly, other locations hinge on the country's CBD-related legislation. Most countries across the EU can be extremely CBD-friendly. However, we'd recommend purchasing your CBD from local selections after you've landed. This is because rules about flying with CBD and bringing CBD into various countries can differ. Therefore, by purchasing CBD when you land, you can avoid any unwarranted attention from airport security.
With that said, it's important to familiarise yourself with CBD legislation in the EU. For example, if you're thinking about attending the Andorra Mountain Music Festival, you might have to leave your CBD at home. This is because CBD is considered illegal across the country. The same can be said of Iceland and Monaco.
However, don't let this put a damper on your high spirits! Simply stick to countries where CBD is legal, and experience a far smoother, more enjoyable festival season this year!