“It’s my annual retreat away from the nonsense of the world”: Meet the Download superfans

For most people, Christmas falls on December 25. For others, their spiritual equivalent happens around the second weekend of June. The most wonderful time of the year for many a rock fan is Download Festival, the three-day extravaganza that brings tens of thousands of people to Donington to rejoice in riffs with a pint in hand. It’s a place where friends are made and fans are brought together, with an unrivalled feeling of community.

There’s a level of devoteeism about Download that’s rarely seen with other festivals. It’s not unusual for some folks to make the trek up or down the M1, or even from abroad, every year, regardless of who’s playing. There’s even a loyalty scheme where regulars can be rewarded with money for merch or drinks to thank them for returning again and again.

As the fest makes its long-awaited comeback for the first full-capacity run since the pandemic, we spoke to five special superfans about what keeps them coming back to Download, year after year…

When did you go to your first Download?
“I’ve been every year since 2014, including the Pilot in 2021.”

What, in your opinion, makes Download different from other festivals?
“There’s something extremely special about Download… it’s not about the music so much anymore, it’s more about the atmosphere, meeting up with the huge amount of friends I've made whilst attending the festival. It's almost a religious pilgrimage each year. It has an atmosphere that allows me, as a disabled person, to enjoy and revel in normality in a way not possible in every day life. There is a massive sense of family and inclusion at Download. Nothing and no-one feels out of place. Coming back to Donington each year feels like coming home.”

Have you had any friendships or relationships form with people you’ve met at Download?
“Many! It started out as me and my partner coming alone, but we now have a massive group of friends who all camp together. We call our group Camp Calpol, as we are all disabled and attend together every year. We also met our best friends at the festival in 2015 – something we are extremely grateful to the festival for.”

What does Download mean to you?
“It means more than I have words for. I run the disabled Facebook group so it's a part of my life all year round. The festival has been so important to me – with my severe disabilities, Download allows me to socialise and experience things I wouldn't otherwise be able to experience. I live for those few days at the festival, when anything seems possible. It's a magical place where so many memories are made.”

How has Download changed or improved your life?
“It gives me freedom and an escape from the realities of my everyday life. The disabled facilities here are the best of any festival, which allows me to enjoy a camping festival and live music in a safe and judgement-free way. It’s introduced me to so many new bands and genres of music, too.”

When did you go to your first Download?
“2006 – what a year to choose! Master Of Puppets in full and glorious weather. I have been to 15 in total. I have made lifelong friends thanks to the festival and it's basically our yearly gathering, our Christmas!”

What, in your opinion, makes Download different from other festivals?
“The community, both at the festival and online. No other large music festival has the same community, or the same interaction with the organisers of the festival, with community run events such as The Takeover in the village and the RIP Pub Quiz every year.”

Have you had any friendships or relationships form with people you’ve met at Download?
“Most of my friends were made because of Download and the forums, but I also got with my girlfriend of eight years at Download 2014. We now own a house and have two pesky kittens, Rocket and Hoppus. Thanks, Download!”

What does Download mean to you?
“It is a second home, my annual retreat away from the nonsense of the world. I wouldn't be who I am in this world without it!”

How has Download changed or improved your life?
“As a result of Download and the people I have met, I have moved cities and jobs, gained friends for life and gained my soulmate! Not to mention the mental health break it gives every year.”

When did you go to your first Download?
“Download 2004 – I was 16 years old. Leaving my childhood bedroom to essentially camp at a heavy metal mini-village for a week, unsupervised, in the middle of nowhere, should've been a way more daunting experience, but I never felt more safe, at home and thrilled to be part of such a crazy and chaotic experience! I’ve since between to 15 Downloads.”

What, in your opinion, makes Download different from other festivals?
“The sheer amount of people in there with the same goal: to have fun, and lots of it! It's almost like the rock version of Christmas.”

Have you had any friendships or relationships form with people you’ve met at Download?
“I’ve not only made lifelong friends with people in the crowds and campsites, but the vendors, the sound engineers, even some security guards! There's a lot of people behind the scenes that work there year in, year out that never get mentioned, and I'm lucky enough to call some of them my best friends.”

What does Download mean to you?
“Download means way more to me than any patch of grass should mean to any sane person. Making that pilgrimage, regardless of the layout, line-up or weather conditions is what truly makes the summer. I'd even go if there wasn't any bands – just the village and people alone sells it for me! The fact we get a well-balanced mix of the greatest bands on the planet just makes it an added bonus.”

How has Download changed or improved your life?
“Download changed my life more than I could have ever imagined. From 2010 to 2019 I've been DJing as part of the nightlife and The Doghouse at Download. Download made me who I am today, kickstarted my career, and created some of the best memories I'll ever have.”

When was your first Download?
“It was in 2007, but I've been coming to Donington since 1983 for Monsters Of Rock. I attended 12 of those and 14 Downloads including the Pilot last year.”

What makes Download different from other festivals?
“Download is a one-of-a-kind festival. It has a great mix of bands and it really is a family. Everyone looks out for everyone else and no-one is alone.”

What friendships and relationships have you formed through Download?
“I met my now-wife at Donington ’83 when I was just 15 years old. We got married many years later and now we bring our kids with us.”

What does Download mean to you?
“As soon as I set foot on the grounds for the first time I knew Download was special. Everyone goes for the same reason: to have a fantastic time, meet up with friends and rock! It’s our holiday. It's what we wait for all year.”

How has Download changed your life?
“Download has changed not only my life but our whole family’s. Our son has autism and sometimes struggles with meeting people and large crowds. He used to find people in costume or masks scary. It was with some trepidation that I first took him in 2015, but he absolutely loved it and he totally came out of his shell. People came up to him with masks on and he was high fiving them. Now we can't not take him!”

When did you go to your first Download? And what about it made you want to keep coming back?
“It was in 2015. There's an energy and atmosphere in the air at Download that allows us to forget the outside world for five days. 2022 will be my seventh Download Festival – including the Pilot last year.”

What, in your opinion, makes Download different from other festivals?
“Besides the huge dog head on top of the hill?! The passion and love for this festival is unlike no other. Coming to Donington is like a pilgrimage and attracts fans from all over the world.”

Have you had any friendships or relationships form with people you’ve met?
“In 2016 I met Neil Wilkinson who would become my co-host on our podcast Festpod, and countless others who share my enthusiasm for rock and metal.”

What made you want to start Festpod?
“It was our passion for the festival that made us want to help those thinking of attending for the first time. For veterans, we wanted to share and connect so the excitement can remain all year round.”

How has Download changed or improved your life?
“I’ve discovered so many new bands at the festival. It's given me an appreciation for bands fighting to work their way from small venues up to the Download main stage.”

Download Festival takes place at Donington Park on June 10-12. Get your tickets now.

Read this next:

• 20 bands you absolutely can’t miss at Download Festival 2022
• Holding Absence: “You should never underestimate how profound performing at Donington can be”
• Heavy Metal Truants: Meet the wholesome metalhead bicycle gang raising money for charity