We’re excited to have you join us in pitching up under the stars amongst the beautiful Pakefield Dunes. Our Wild Beach Campsite is a short walk south along the beach from the First Light Festival site.

This page contains important information about your stay – please make sure to read it thoroughly before you head for the beach.

The Campsite will be open to Friday & Saturday Campers from 6pm on Friday 16th June, and from 10am on Saturday 17th June for Saturday Campers. But before you set off, have you got everything you need?

– Up to 4-person Tent
– Extra-long pegs or weights (more on that below!)
– Sleeping bag, pillows and mats
– Torch
– Warm clothes – it gets chilly at night next to the sea, trust us!
– Drinking water bottle
– Rubbish bags
– Spare toilet roll
– Tooth brush and tooth paste!

Please consider the ground conditions and our unpredictable British weather when deciding what equipment you might need to bring with you. You will need to carry everything to the campsite from the car park so best to go basic. Although there will be security on site at all times belongings are left at your own risk and best to leave valuables at home.

Also – please leave dogs at home! They are not allowed on most of the festival site due to summer season beach rules and it just wouldn’t be fun for them.

Festival Timings

We’re changing up our timings on the beach this year with a new format that embraces the cycles of the sun. We’ll be kicking off from 12 Noon on Saturday and run until 9.30pm Dusk, after which the beach will close as the party moves into Lowestoft town with a series of ticketed events. These events will go on sale late in Spring (you’ll be the first to know).

We’ll then meet up by the shore at 3.30am Dawn to welcome the sunrise with a special programme of music and dance, with Sunday’s programme kicking off proper from 10am until an extended finishing time of 4pm.

When you arrive
Please check in with the Campsite Manager at reception (signposted from the car parks), who will issue campers with wristbands for the camping area. This is camping on the beach festival style – pitches won’t be marked out but please camp within the roped area and be considerate of space and other campers.

Parking
For those who have booked additional parking, the car parks will be open from 6pm on Friday 16th June, and then accessible throughout the weekend. There is one car park space reserved per ticket booking/pitch in Pakefield Street car park (next to Jolly Sailor) or Pakefield Road Car park (next to Cefas), NR33 0HS. Any additional cars will need to make use of public car parks available.

If you have booked a camping pitch but not a parking space, and would like to book a parking space, please contact Robbie@firstlightlowestoft.com.

Considerations
Camping on the beach is pretty special, but not as straight forward as camping in a field! There are a couple of things to bear in mind: When you booked you will have seen that we have to limit the tent size to a 4 person tent. This is for practical and safety reasons due to the nature of the area so please DO NOT bring anything bigger than this.

Most of the dunes area is grassier and less sandy, however regular tent pegs may not be as effective. Dedicated sand stakes are available that work pretty well in sand or corkscrew type metal dog tie-outs can be bought from B&M. Sand bags will also work, and we’ll have some available to borrow from reception. You will need at least one full bag per pole point, and you can also try bringing carrier bags and a spade so you can fill up from the beach.

A useful article  about camping on the beach can be found at https://coolofthewild.com/camping/beach-camping

We have sought advice from Suffolk Wildlife Trust and due to the public nature of the beach they are not concerned in terms of wildlife or grasses being disturbed, however please do be conscious of these.

Campsite rules!
We would like Wild Beach Camping to be an enjoyable experience for everyone, which unfortunately means a few rules…
1. No fires, BBQs, fireworks or paper lanterns. We know fire is an important part of camping, so why not join us at the campfire on the beach by the Sunlight stage?
2. No smoking please
3. No glass please
4. If you have a gas stove or lamp please make sure this is used and switched off properly and stored safely away from your and other people’s tents.

Facilities
This is wild beach festival camping – not glamping! There will be toilets and drinking water available, however there will not be showers or washing facilities.

Evacuation
In the unlikely case of an evacuation of the campsite an alarm will sound. Please follow the instructions of the campsite manager and/or security, leave the campsite immediately and head to the field adjacent to Pakefield Road car park.

If you have access requirements please make yourself known to the campsite manager so they can assist you in the event of evacuation.

Packing up
The wild camping code: leave no trace. This is the crucial rule of wild camping and ideally you will create minimum impact on your desired area so it still remains natural and wild. Better still, you should leave the site so no one can tell you’ve even been there. Litter – this goes without saying, but ensure you collect all your rubbish and take it with you. Walk the site slowly before leaving to check that nothing is missed. Leave the site as you found it – don’t leave holes, fire damage, litter, and take care not to damage vegetation. Empty any sand bags back where you found it. The campsite must be clear by 2pm on Sunday afternoon.

If you have any questions please do get in touch by emailing info@firstlightlowestoft.com.

See you on the beach!
First Light Team