Planning your summer of music festivals but eyes bulging at the cost of a good time? If you're looking for the ultimate festival hacks for cutting costs and avoiding the expensive festival bars – I've got 15 Creative and (and Slightly Outrageous) Ways to Sneak Alcohol into a Music Festival. I'm your festival queen bestie and I've been to music festivals all over the world – from the UK to Costa Rica. I've got the best festival tips and advice for making your budget stretch further while having fun.
Music festivals are magical — glitter in your hair, sun on your face, bass in your bones. But nothing kills the vibe faster than paying £10 for a warm beer. As a seasoned solo traveler and festival wanderer, I’ve seen (and occasionally tried!) some ingenious ways people get around the overpriced drinks problem. I've gone for some practical ways to avoid the security searches ath the festival gates – to the more outlandish and wild ideas that just might work if you carry them off with enough confidence and a cheeky smile.
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15 Creative (and Slightly Outrageous) Ways to Sneak Alcohol into a Music Festival
Here’s your unofficial, purely for entertainment purposes only guide to sneaking booze into a music festival — mixing tried-and-true tricks with a few wild ideas that just might work.
1. Take a Campervan to a Music Festival
One of the best tried-and-tested ways I've found to sneak alcohol into a music festival was by taking a camper van! Yes it costs a bit extra for a camper van parking pass for festivals (and not all festivals have camper van options) but those that do often have more relaxed security, or no drinks rules for entry to the festival.
I've been to several UK festivals such as Wilderness Festival and Secret Garden Party where I was able to take alcohol in cans or plastic bottles into the festival. Whenever I take my camper van to a music festival, I always load it up with extra drinks which even if you're not allowed to take in the festival – you can still enjoy while chilling at your campsite.
2. Spike Your Skincare
Ladies, this one is for you! Those of us guilty for overpacking the make-up and beauty products for a music festival could actually have a great way of sneaking alcohol into a festival by decanting the boozy bottles into dark or labelled skincare bottles that have been washed out.
It's a good way to decant alcohol minis of your favourite spirit – because security are very rarely this thorough at checking smaller products. You could even use foil to fake a seal!
3. The Sunscreen Flask
A festival classic. Buy a stealth flask shaped like a sunscreen bottle (or empty and clean a real one). Fill it with your drink of choice, slap on the cap, and boom — you’re the most “responsible” sun-lover in the crowd. These sunscreen flasks hold 15 SHOTS making them a cost-effective hidden alcohol container and they come with free leakproof seals.
Another great option for a secret flask is this discreet umbrella flask which is a great option for UK festivals where the weather can be a little unreliable at times – no-one would judge you for going prepared for rain!
4. Refillable Drinks Pouches
These refillable drinks pouches are super easy to use and sneak into festivals (I've done it many times!) – you can also use them as many times as you need to during the festival. Smuggle alcoholic drinks into a music festival under your hat or down your shorts/trousers.
5. The Hollowed-Out Soft Drink
Peel the label off a soda bottle, cut the bottle near the base, fill it with booze, glue it back, and rewrap the label. Perfect if you want your gin & tonic to look like flat cola. Just be careful to hide the evidence of cutting the can, and make sure you seal it up well and seal up the box of cans for extra coverage.
For an even more subtle way to do this one – try tins of food which are usually heavier and less likely to be checked.
6. The CamelBak Hack
CamelBaks Hydration Backpacks aren’t just for hiking. Swap water for wine or a stiff cocktail blend. Bonus: hands-free sipping while dancing. Just be warned — some festivals have caught on to this one.
7. The Fruit Soak
If festival security are looking for liquids, why not turn your liquid solid? Inject vodka into watermelons, oranges, or even grapes. You’ll look like the picture of health… while casually demolishing a spiked fruit salad in the middle of the dance field.
You can even soak sweets in vodka to sneak alcohol into a music festival– gummy bears work well for this. If you put them in a clear container, there's no need for security to open the box and risk smelling the booze.
8. The Boozy Bra and Boozy Bladder Trick
Yes, it exists — the Wine Rack bra. It can hold over a bottle’s worth of liquid, and the sipping tube tucks right into your outfit. You’ll literally be holding your drink close to your heart. If you're a guy, I have a great alternative – the Boozey Bladder – which has a 22-drink capacity, this secret flask will save you on average £62 every time you use it!
9. Get Media Passes or Crew Tickets
If you have any good contacts for festival crew tickets, work as a festival writer/reviewer or volunteer at a festival – you often get access to music festivals in a different way. Instead of going through the main gates, you'll often be ushered in through a smaller or side entrance.
Often there is very little security or they simply don't check your bags. It's a great way to access the festival and sneak a few extra drinks to save on money – you'll also likely be blagging free festival tickets!
10. The Tampon Trick
Pack clean tampons, soak them in alcohol, and repackage them in a sealed tampon box. Security’s not opening that. Okay I'm kidding, don't do this – but did you know you can actually buy Tampon Flasks to store your booze?
11. The Hairbrush Surprise
Another unsuspecting object you could use as a decoy for smuggling booze into a music festival is your hairbrush. Most women will have a paddle hairbrush at home – imagine if yours was hollow and you could use a Paddle Hairbrush Secret Flask to store your booze on the sly when sneaking alcohol into a music festival.
12. The Frozen Flask
Hide a bottle of spirits inside a block of ice in your cool box alongside legitimate snacks and drinks. Security’s less likely to go fishing through a puddle of freezing water – you could even freeze your alcohol into boozy ice cubes and then drink them as they melt. Or check out this flask set which includes secret flask ice packs for smuggling alcohol into music festivals.
I only use Coleman Coolers and love this one – Coleman PRO Heavy-Duty Insulated Hard Cooler – with wheels to make it easy to take into a festival.
13. The Fake Crutch
Get a hollow crutch (yes, they exist online), fill it with alcohol, and practice your “injured but still here to party” limp. Sympathy + free refills? Win-win.
14. The Pre-Party Bury
For camping festivals, this one’s the stuff of legend: weeks before the gates open, sneak into the grounds, bury your stash in a waterproof container, and mark the spot on GPS. Dig it up once you’re inside.
I'm not sure who has the level of forward-thinking for this one but it might not be the most practical option to sneak onto private land or access a "festival site" across the country a week early.
15. The Helium Balloon Decoy
Bring inflatable helium balloons “for decoration” and hide small booze pouches inside the balloon or weighted base. Nobody questions a happy party balloon and they're also perfect for helping you find your campsite when you're a bit tipsy at the end of the night!
Part of the festival fun is the thrill of the adventure — whether that’s solo traveling across continents or finding ways to save £60 on drinks. But rules exist for a reason, and getting caught could mean losing your stash or your festival pass. Festivals ban outside alcohol for legal, safety, and profit reasons — so if you get caught, security might confiscate your stash or kick you out.
Always read the rules, and maybe just buy that overpriced beer sometimes too. Take these tips with a sprinkle of salt if you're looking for inspiration for your next wild weekend — but remember, to be safe and focus on making memories with your friends over sneaking alcohol into festivals.
