Gig Buddies at We Out Here Festival 2025!
This summer, two Gig Buddies projects, London Central and Portsmouth, each headed to We Out Here Festival 2025 for a weekend of music, friendship and community.
For both groups, it was about more than just seeing great bands, it was about inclusion, fun, and the joy of being out together, dancing under the sun (and stars!). From camping and late-night raves to lake swims and bumper cars, everyone made memories to last a lifetime!
Gig Buddies London Central @ We Out Here
This summer marked the project’s first ever festival weekender together, and they made the absolute most of it.
Here’s what everyone had to say:
Marcio: My festival was so good. I had some some real fun. The music was good, very good. Bashy was heavy good good. He was my highlight. I was singing and dancing all weekend. The festival was just really really good. It was my first ever festival. I would love to go again. Loved the atmosphere and the bracelets and the poster. The weather was so good. It wasn’t long enough!
Toby: This crew are made for festivals but most festivals aren’t made for us. I go to festivals to feel a sense of community but that means nothing if not all our friends can access that community. This weekend felt radically different, and we had the best time showing ‘We Out Here’ what we’re made of. I couldn’t have felt more grateful, amazed and fulfilled spending the time laughing, dancing, crying with my new friends making memories for life. This was a truly punk experience to its core. Can’t wait for the next one.
Henry: I enjoyed camping, it’s fantastic, that was my favourite. The market stalls were my favourite as well. I really liked dancing and eating food and drink. It was a fantastic time 3 months ago. I want to go again next year!
Veena: WOW the greatest - we out here for real! Gig Buddies London Central’s first ever camping festival and it was absolutely BANGING! Sun blazing, tunes shaking the fields, we laughed, danced, and partied our hearts out. Nothing but pure vibes, culture and community, roots. Bring on next year! Massive shoutout to the fab accessibility team and just the party goers in general! Easily my favourite fezzie and fav stages - lush life and the bowl obvs!
Audie: I loved the music. I really like hip hop and dancing with my friends. Camping was fun.
Daisy: The time of my life! Everyone should have the opportunity to party all night long in an inclusive and wonderful space and We Out Here really really provided the perfect setting.
Hemma: This was my first festival and I love camping. My festival time was good fun. I was dancing and rocking it! The music was amazing. We made our own breakfast at camp, like eggs and rice. We also went out and got good food like pizza. It was an amazing time. We went on bumper cars! We’ve got to go again next year. I loved all my campers. Just an amazing time!
Mac: What a wonderful festival - our first ever festival and we’ve got to come back every year! Everyone was so caring and cool and fun. We got to party exactly as we wanted to. Big up the accessibility team! ... and the bowl.
Rumi: If ever a festival was a community this was it. An inclusive space, filled with beautiful humans, sharing a collective beautiful experience.
The London Central group set up camp in the accessible campsite, which was complete with fairy lights, sparklers, and blow-up sofas. The staff were “caring, cool, and kind,” and even made sure everyone’s gadgets stayed charged while they relaxed with tea at camp.
They partied at The Bowl, cooled off with a swim in the lake, explored the market stalls, and sampled every kind of festival food from wood-fired pizza to blue milkshakes. Marcio even joined a DJ course (“watch this space!”), while Hemma became a festival legend for cooling everyone down with her water pistol at Love Dancin’.
When the weekend came to an end, no one wanted to go home, so they stopped off at Bournemouth beach for fish and chips, ice creams and arcade games before heading back.
“We didn’t want the weekend to be over!” the group said. “We had the best time ever.”
Gig Buddies Portsmouth @ We Out Here
Meanwhile, Gig Buddies Portsmouth were also getting their party on at We Out Here Festival 2025. For some, it was their first ever camping experience, and for others, a long-awaited return to festival life.
The Portsmouth crew embraced everything the weekend had to offer: music, food, market stalls, and above all, friendship. Everyone came away feeling uplifted and inspired.
Liv: “I have been to many festivals across the UK and overseas and We Out Here had the warmest and most relaxing environment of any festival I have been to.”
Sylvia: “Supporting my Gig Buddy at a music festival was really cool. It also pushed me outside my own comfort zone and helped me overcome some anxiety I had before going, as everyone was so friendly and helpful at We Out Here.”
Ada: “I liked the festival. I had not camped before and it was good to do this with friends as it gave me confidence and I had lots of fun, thank you.”
For Portsmouth, the weekend was all about stepping out of their comfort zones, gaining confidence, and showing that festivals can be for everyone when inclusion is at the heart of the event.
“We Out Here really lived up to its name… we were out here together all weekend,” one buddy said. “It felt amazing to be part of something so welcoming and full of love.”
A Festival for Everyone
Both Gig Buddies London Central and Gig Buddies Portsmouth came away with the same feeling: We Out Here truly celebrates inclusion.
From the accessible campsite with hot water and chargers, to the viewing platforms and supportive staff, the organisers made sure everyone could experience the festival equally. It showed what’s possible when accessibility is part of the design, not an afterthought.
And the result? A weekend that perfectly captured the Gig Buddies spirit where everyone can share in the joy of live music, make friends, and stay up late together.
Thank You We Out Here
A massive thank you to everyone at We Out Here Festival - the accessibility team, artists, volunteers and fellow festival-goers for creating such a welcoming space where everyone can join the party.
Both London Central and Portsmouth are already counting down the days until next year’s festival and other Gig Buddies projects are hoping to join in the fun too!
See you in 2026!
