How to host an at-home festival with Virgin Red

With festivals hanging in the balance this summer (many in the UK have been cancelled), those of us who love dancing in the moonlight will need to find alternatives. And a backyard party – complete with fab tunes, fairy lights, and your favourite mates – could be just the answer.

“How the hell can we compete with Glasto and Latitude?” we hear you cry. And fair play, the line-up won’t be quite the same. But this is a chance to conjure up a unique festival spirit, with an intimate gathering of your loved ones and your very choice of music. Better still, you won’t have to queue for the Portaloo. 

As a member of Virgin Red, the new rewards club from Virgin, you can stock up the essentials for an at-home festival – all using your Virgin Points. Whether you’re spending points on wine and vinyl, or earning them with glitter and glow sticks, this is an adventure that can be shaped end-to-end by Virgin Red rewards. 

So grab those wellies and get set to boogie under the starlight – for those based in the UK, the festival dream begins here.

Use points to stock up on Virgin Wines and lagers 

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The bar may well be the centrepoint of your backyard festival, and Virgin Red has plenty of rewards to give it wings. For 12,000 points, you can nab a six-bottle case of white Virgin Wines, full of premium labels to keep your festival guests on form. For lager lovers, you can get your hands on this lip-smacking edit of German brews for 5,470 points. Only the best booze here.

Get the tunes rolling with Virgin Red vinyls

Any festival worth its salt involves some bangin’ music. And, while the likes of Stormzy or The Cure might be a little beyond budget, you can create your own special ambience thanks to the magic of vinyl. Virgin Red has a great selection to choose from, including Illuminate by Shawn Mendes (3,250 points), Bad Blood by Bastille (3,000 points) or The Heart Speaks In Whispers by Corinne Bailey Rae (3,250 points). 

Earn points on funky outdoor lighting

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Want to crank up that atmosphere? A handful of tree lights or lanterns on your patio will have you throwing it back to Bestival in no time. This solar-powered flamingo garden light from Etsy has festival vibes written all over it, while Dunelm’s light-up star decoration is just the thing to light up your party. Meanwhile, Wayfair LED fairy strings are simple and magical in equal measure. Purchases from all three brands will land you more Virgin Points.

… and outdoor seating and accessories 

Ultimately you want to create an outdoor landscape for your festival, which means a few statement garden pieces won’t go amiss. Made’s hanging TiiPii Bed is a beauty for lounging on in the early hours, and its sleek black firepit beckons for singalongs and toasted marshmallows. On the entertainment front, John Lewis’ portable digital radio promises cracking tunes in sunshine shades, while an outdoor projector is your cue for an alfresco cinema stage. Want to throw a curveball in the mix? Why not opt for a novelty inflatable popsicle from Argos. Remember, you can top up your Virgin Points by buying from any of these stores. 

Not to mention festival essentials (glitter, boots and glow sticks)

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Break open the glitter, because there’s points to be earned on a ream of festival must-haves, too. Boots has this handy festival set to get you started (hello, dry shampoo), while John Lewis does a lovely line in Joules floral wellies. Crashing in a neighbour’s garden? This Currys portable power bank will keep your phone juiced up, and it may be an idea to arm yourself with a Selfridges eye mask. For footwear that’s fun without being too fancy, H&M’s braided slides are festival style through and through – and let’s not forget eBay neon glow sticks. 

Camping? We’ve got you covered

Of course, having an at-home festival means you don’t have to camp – but you may want to all the same. It is a festival rite of passage, after all. For back garden camping, Virgin Red has you covered: with points to earn on all types of equipment. This includes a B&Q flashlight torch with high performance LED, an oh-so glam cooler tote from Fortnum & Mason, a swanky folding chair with wine holder from Very.co.uk or a luxury double sleeping bag. See? You can build your very own kind of boutique festival camping. 

Find out more about Virgin Red, the new rewards club from Virgin that revolves around you, right here.