This summer, I spent eight days (seven camping nights) volunteering at Into the Wild Festival near East Grinstead, West Sussex. My role sat within the interior decoration team—one of around seven or so volunteer teams that, together with exterior decoration and other crews, made the festival happen.
What struck me most was the diversity of the volunteers: people of all ages, from all different backgrounds and walks of life, coming together with a shared purpose. Some were seasoned festival veterans; others, like me, were trying something completely new. That mix of experience, perspective, and energy is what made the crew feel so vibrant and inclusive.
I’m a veteran of wellness festivals, but not a veteran of volunteering—although this was the third festival I’ve volunteered at this year. Into the Wild offered a different kind of challenge and community, and it quickly became one of the highlights of my summer.
Our broader aim was to transform big-top-style workshop tents from a clinical space into something that truly reflected the festival’s “Into the Wild” theme, while the exterior decoration team worked in parallel to bring that same energy to the outside spaces. In total, the interior decoration team decorated six different spaces—six different tents—each with its own character and requirements.
I Ended Up Stepping into a Trainee Florist Role…
One of my specific responsibilities was to become a florist! Over the course of the event, I created around 70 bunches using plants foraged from around the festival location. These bunches were then hung inside the tents. It was hands-on, creative work that was quite different to pressing buttons on a keyboard. Also, it was quite easy as nature had already done all the hard work.
The interior decoration team’s intention was to soften and re-wild the main tented spaces, moving them away from a sterile feel and into something more organic, immersive, and on-theme. Early on, our team lead, James, gave me autonomy to place and arrange items based on our initial discussions—trust that made the work feel meaningful and let me contribute.
Life as Crew: Camping, Storms, and Community
As crew, we were provided with food and camping on-site, which made the long days and late finishes manageable. I was joined by a couple of local friends who also volunteered—one ran a workshop, the other worked in the festival box office—so there was a nice mix of familiar faces and new connections across the festival.
Camping for seven nights was the longest stretch I’ve done in one go. We had a couple of serious storms, including torrential rain, thunder, and lightning. My tents held up well (no leaks!), though some other volunteers weren’t so lucky. Tents … I had three: one for a friend to sleep in, one for me to sleep in, and another full of spare gear. Despite the weather and the length of the stint, the experience was energising: I made new friends, picked up new skills, and enjoyed being part of a team that cared deeply about the event’s atmosphere.
Beyond Floristry: Setup, Styling, and Autonomy
Floristry wasn’t the only work I did. I also helped with general setup and decoration, using various add-ons supplied by the team to dress the space and bring the theme to life. LED lights, mirrors, and other touches helped transform each tent. Having the freedom to decide where things went—within the vision we’d agreed with James—made the work feel collaborative and creative rather than just task-based.
It was also clear how much coordination it took across all the volunteer teams. Interior and exterior decoration were just two parts of a wider machine, with seven or so other teams contributing everything from feeding the volunteers to operations, all essential to making the festival run smoothly.
Why I’ll Be Back Next Year
Volunteering at Into the Wild was different, challenging, and thoroughly rewarding. It took me outside my usual routines and comfort zone, but in the best possible way. I enjoyed the mix of physical work, creative input, and community spirit so much that I plan to reapply to volunteer again next year.
If you’re considering volunteering at a festival—especially one with a strong theme and a supportive crew culture—I’d highly recommend it. You’ll come away with new skills, new friends, and a story (or two) about camping through a storm.