Festivalgoers Brave Heavy Rain, Discover the Real Splash Zone

Tens of thousands of music fans braved heavy rain as they arrived at the Reading Festival on its first day, with wet weather putting a damp twist on the start of the annual event. Around 100,000 people are expected to attend the festival, which is set to feature performances from some of the biggest names in music, including Charli xcx, Raye, Chase & Status, Dave and Fontaines D.C. The festival runs until Sunday, while Monday, when most attendees are expected to leave, is currently forecast to be drier. From Sunshine to Heavy Rain For some festivalgoers, the weather changed dramatically within a matter of hours. Jack arrived in Reading with his friends on Wednesday, when the group was able to take advantage of sunny conditions to pitch their tents. However, Thursday morning brought heavy rain, leaving some campers dealing with flooded tents. One of our tents did get a little bit flooded, Jack said. Fortunately for him, his own tent was not affected. He joked that the friends whose tent was flooded would now have to cope with the consequences. They should have set it up properly ! he said. Jack, who also attended the festival in 2025, said last year dry conditions brought their own problems, with dust covering parts of the site. This year, however, he expects mud to replace dust as one of the main challenges for festivalgoers. First Time Visitors Face an Unexpected Start For first time festival attendee Tabby, the heavy rain was not what she and her friends had expected when they planned their trip. Tabby is attending the festival with Evie, Issy and Ellie, and said the preparations for wet weather had been something of a last-minute affair after a period of hot weather. It's not what we expected when we were going to Reading, especially after all of the hot weather. Preparing for it was all a bit last minute, she said. Despite the difficult start, Tabby said the group was still excited about attending the festival. We're all very excited. The rain has brought down our mood slightly but we'll have fun in the rain, she added. Rain Set to Continue The wet conditions are expected to remain a feature of the festival, with rain forecast across all three days. For thousands of people camping at the event, the persistent rain could mean muddy walk ways, wet tents and difficult conditions around the festival site. However, the weather has not stopped crowds from arriving to see the packed line up. With major performances scheduled throughout the weekend, festivalgoers will be hoping that the music, atmosphere and excitement can outweigh the inconvenience caused by the rain. And while last year's visitors had to battle dust, this year crowd appears to have swapped the dust clouds for mud, proving that festival season rarely comes without a little weather drama. A Wet Start, But the Show Goes On The heavy rain may have dampened clothes, tents and spirits on the opening day, but it has not washed away the enthusiasm of the crowds. As tens of thousands of people settle into the festival site, they face a weekend of music alongside unpredictable weather. For many attendees, the message appears to be simple- bring waterproofs, prepare for mud and keep the festival going.