22 Awesome Ways to Sneak Alcohol into Festivals (or Anywhere!)

Once you add up the ticket, the equipment, the food and the alcohol, festivals are expensive. There’s no doubt that they’re worth every penny, but if you can work out how to sneak alcohol into festivals, successfully, you stand to save A LOT. 

This post is here to help. 

I want to show you how to hide alcohol to help you bring the costs of festivals, cruises and events down. If you learn how to smuggle alcohol without detection, it’s a lesson to learn for life, and you stand to save many pounds!

– All this advice also works for sneaking alcohol on a cruise too!

Glitter at Festival No6
Me looking pretty happy about smuggling alcohol in to Festival No 6!

Most of the weekend camping festivals let you take your own booze in, Glastonbury and Bestival included. There are always a few that are just out to make as much money as possible though, such as EXIT, Field Day and Eastern Electrics.

They charge an absolute fortune for a glass of wine, making getting drunk at these things, way too expensive. Sneaking alcohol into festivals like these becomes a necessity.

How to Sneak Drink into Festivals and Concerts

Here I’m going to take you through a few ways to sneak alcohol into festivals, cruises, parties and events to save on money and time, so you can spend more on having fun.


READ MORE: My Advice on the Best Alcohol for Festivals


If you need to get alcohol into festivals…

1. Lotion bottle

How to sneak alcohol into festivals

If you want to hide alcohol, simply empty a tube or bottle of lotion and refill with booze. Or if you want to be really crafty, and probably safer, put your booze in a food bag and push to the bottom of the bottle. That way if they open it up and sniff it or look at it, there will still be sunscreen on the top to throw them off the scent.

You could just adapt your own sunscreen bottle, or buy these specially-created-for-smuggling bottles from Amazon. This is one of the best ways to hide alcohol when you’re trying to get the booze into the festival. 

2. In the Pringles tube

Same idea, different smuggling vessel. Just add a food bag filled with booze in the bottom – weighs less than bottles – and stack a few Pringles on top.

Sneaky.

This is how to sneak alcohol into a festival on the cheap, and you get to eat some tasty Pringles too.

How to sneak alcohol into festivals

TOP TIP: All these tips and tricks for smuggling alcohol into festivals can totally be used to sneak alcohol into a concert and to sneak booze into a club.

All you need to do is keep that alcohol hidden and discrete.


I’m a festival blogger

I’ve been to 49 different festivals in 19 countries, I know what I’m talking about when it comes to getting alcohol into festivals!


3. Wine bags

Buy the boxed wine – which I like to call ‘cardboardeaux’ – and take the bag out. Then just put it down your trousers as a voluptuous bum, or in your top as a squidgy belly.

Dress discreetly and accordingly.

How to get alcohol into festivals

Or buy these Boobie Bags where you don’t even need to bother binning the box, they come ready bagged and waiting to be filled with a helpful straw for sucking. Simply stuff in your bra or down your pants and your guaranteed to smuggle your alcohol in.

This is one of the top hacks for alcohol smuggling.


How to Sneak Alcohol on a Cruise

All these tips will work to sneak alcohol on a cruise too. Ditch the glass and put the alcohol in cruise drink bags, or tightened tetra packs, and you’ll get past the security easily.

Smuggling alcohol onto cruises
Is that really water? Or has she smuggled alcohol on her cruise?

Sneaking alcohol on a cruise is easy when you have secret flasks, alcoholic capri suns and cruise alcohol bags. Most cruises charge an absolute fortune for alcohol packages, so sneaking the booze in, is the best way to get around it.

Don’t pay over the odds for alcohol when you can just smuggle it in! 

Just let me know in the comments below if you need any more help or advice when it comes to getting alcohol onto cruises. 


4. Mini bottles in the welliesSneak alcohol into festivalssmuggling alcohol into festivals

Just turn your wellies into a mini bar, watch how you walk and you’ll be the most popular kid in the field. In all my years of festivals I’ve never had my wellies frisked so either buy some miniatures, or be cheap and make your own with these 50ml bottles from Amazon.

Then, when you’re out of sight, you can enjoy your stash of alcohol to your heart’s consent. See, this is how you sneak alcohol!

5. Secret Umbrella Flask

You can sneak alcohol into any event with the Secret Umbrella Flask. Saves on money and on queueing at busy bars. It’s easy and obvious to use just take the top (handle) off, and you can use the umbrella like a bottle. It holds just under half a litre of your favourite alcohol!

The secret umbrella flask is perfect for sneaking alcohol into festivals, smuggling drink into sports events, and for saving money on alcohol on any night out. This makes for the perfect gift for anyone looking to save a few pounds on booze, even if that’s yourself!

6. Secret tampon flasks

A tampon flask? Errrrm, sounds a bit weird?

Well, it is. But, it also helps you save money on festivals by hiding your favourite spirits away in the form of a tampon no security guard would ever even think to check.

These undetectable hidden tampon flasks hold five shots of your favourite tipple – saving you money, and time in queueing at the bar. They’re perfect for festivals, sports events, and any night out – no one will suspect a thing. And that includes your friends, if you want to keep a private stash to yourself!

Makes for a great present for any event. Prefill for an even better one!

7. Cans in the hood

It’s worth a shot.

Slip a few cans in your hood and act casual as you walk by. Let me know how you get on with this one. Sometimes just being totally casual and blatant is the best way to hide alcohol at festivals.

You can also smuggle the alcohol in under your hat.


8. BONUS *NEW* way to smuggle alcohol into festivals

Check out the Boozey Bladder. It’s the best way to sneak alcohol into any event. Perfect for smuggling booze into festivals, sports events and any night out. It’s an undetectable hidden flask which holds a huge 1 litre of your favourite alcohol!


If you’re desperate to sneak booze into festivals…

9. Specially adapted bra

Again fill food bags (probably want to double bag them) half way and stuff into your bra like chicken fillets. Bear in mind that the booze will be lovely (bleugh) and warm when you get them out, but at least you’ll have saved money on a drink.

Sneaking alcohol into festivals

Or, if you can get your hands on one of these ‘Wineracks’ (£35), you’re laughin’.

Buy me one if you do.


TOP TIP: Try to smuggle more alcohol into the festival / concert / club / cruise than you need. Get your friends involved. That way you don’t put all your eggs in one basket and at least one of you will get it in, if not all.

The price of alcohol on the outside is way cheaper than the inside, so invest! Even if it gets taken off you, it won’t break the bank. But if you get it through – woo!


10. Camelbak

Something like this Hydrobak 1.5 Litre Camelbak is perfect for smuggling alcohol in under your jumper. Strap it to your back with tape to prevent the security guards from feeling the gap between your back and the bag.

Sneaking alcohol into festivals

Or you could go for something a little smaller and cheaper like this 2L Hiking Hydration Bladder Bag, at £6.99. 

Looks like it’s got some pretty good reviews and would be easier to hide under your clothes.

I reckon you’d need to not fill it to the top so it could feel a bit more like a fat belly, rather than an overloaded bag, but could be a goer.

11. Crotch bottle

Boys will probably have a few troubles with the above, so why not take the idea and shove it down your crotch instead?

Pretty sure if anyone felt a saggy bag in that area they wouldn’t investigate any further…


TOP TIP: Whether you want to sneak alcohol into Coachella, smuggle booze into Sziget or get a few drinks into Bestival, I really hope this post helps you have the best festival experience ever!

Let me know how you get on!


12. Novelty-shaped hip flasks

sneaking alcohol into festivals

These Iggi hip flask binoculars are really cool and I want them, and this lipstick-shaped hip flask could come in handy too. Not sure if trying to take a pair of binoculars into a festival is more obvious than a welly mini bar, but it’s another option.

camera shaped hip flask

You could also try the paddle brush secret hip flask, or even one shaped like a digital camera. So many trixty ways to get your alcohol into the festival!

Secret hip flasks. Sneaky!

13. Sippin seat

Check this out. I think they must be big in the USA, but I’ve never actually seen them before. It’s a Sippin Seat; a handy soft pillow you can use as a chair and that where can also store 750ml – more commonly known as a bottle of wine – inside.

Definitely number one on my Christmas list to keep me hydrated at festivals around the world… 


TOP TIP: If you get told off trying to conceal the alcohol, and get it in, just go with it. Let them be annoyed and give it up. There is no way you want to risk your ticket for the sake of a few drinks!


When it’s essential to sneak alcohol in…

If you’ve drank a lot of booze then you’ll be needing my top tips on how to avoid the toilets at festivals – you’re welcome.

14. Inject vodka into oranges

Or any fruit.

Just get yourself a syringe and you can make most innocent of foods super alcoholic.

how to sneak alcohol into festivals

If you do resort to this, have a little word with yourself to check everything’s ok and life is heading the way you want it. Also check if you’re actually even allowed to bring fruit in, and that it’s not weird. As you could just get it taken off you anyway – that would be sad.

15. Double use colostomy bag

If you can get your hands on a colostomy bag and tube you can fill it with whisky and lemonade so it looks like wee on the way in, and then get your doctor mate to fix it up to use it properly when you’re watching the bands and it’ll save you some time there too…

sneaking booze into festivals

TOP TIP: Once you’ve passed security don’t whip out your contraband out straight away. Just keep walking and wait until you are in a bit of a crowd to get your alcohol stash out.


Glastonbury Advice: How to Survive the Best Festival in the World 

12 Reasons Why You Have to Go to Latitude Festival

My Review of Sziget Festival in Budapest


BRAND NEW WAYS TO SNEAK THE BOOZE INTO FESTIVALS…

16. In your tampons?!

sneaking alcohol into festivals

Just what we’ve all been waiting for! New for this year Shot Tubes & Tampon Wrappers to help you get your booze into the festivals.

You get 5 ‘shot tubes of party fun’. They’re easy to fill – just peel the adhesive strip and fill the leak proof booze tube with your liquor of choice.

I want!


TOP TIP: Getting alcohol into festivals really isn’t that hard. You just need to act confident, keep it concealed and get out of the way when you’ve got it through!

Don’t go whipping it out before you’re safe!


17. Lads? In the Lynx

These Lynx shaped deodorant bottles are perfect for ensuring you have boozey supplies as the night goes on. They’ll make for a great summer time present for your friend!

Alcohol into festivals

18. All in the wrist

And then, another new one, the rose gold bangle. Simply fill with booze and when you’re ready you can access it easily as it’s already on your wrist.

Sneak alcohol into festivals

19. Bury it at the festival

There’s a festival where I live, in Portsmouth, called Victorious. And I know of people who will go down there the day before and bury their booze in the bushes, so they can retrieve in when they’re in there. Risky, but what a thrill!

20. Hidden as sunglasses

sneaking booze into a festival tricks

So, along with the sneaky fake camera, the sneaky fake lipstick and the sneaky fake umbrella, we have the sneaky fake sunglasses. Buy this drinks holder and you can smuggle a decent amount of booze in the festival, all under the guise of sunnies. Genius!

21. Hidden as a banana

How about sneaking alcohol into a festival hidden as fruit?

Not quite as crafty as some of the other options, but still worth a go, is this whisky flask banana. Ever heard of the phrase, hidden in plain sight? Well this banana is the epitome of that. You can fit 5oz / 150ml of liquid in here. Three shots! Nice.

22. In the nappy

And I don’t want to get too dark here, but if you have a baby, their nappies are wonderful places for a cheeky little miniature. I’m sure when they’re older they’ll be proud to say they helped you sneak drink into the fest!

smuggle booze into festivals

*I haven’t done this!


Quick alcohol smuggling Q&A 

How do you sneak alcohol into events? 

Try all the suggestions above, but also…. 

– Hide it in your hair 

– Be confident 

– Casually walk in with it in your hand 

– Drink vodka from a water bottle as you go in 

– Just get drunk before you go

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How can I hide alcohol in my bag? 

Cut yourself a little hole in the bottom of the bag and then insert alcohol bags in, but make sure the material of your bag is thick, or they’ll be able to squidge it.

Try those tampon alcohol smugglers I mention above too. No one’s going to want to investigate those!

–– 

Can you bring alcohol on a cruise? 

No. Thats why I have all the 22 suggestions above – enjoy!

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Have you got any more tips for smuggling alcohol into festivals?

Let us know in the comments box below…

– All the links above will earn me around 5% of the total price if you click. Won’t cost you any extra!

And remember, drink alcohol responsibly. If you feel as though you are drinking too much, then don’t feel embarrassed about reaching out for help, including seeking out alcohol addiction treatment if necessary.


PIN THESE WAYS TO SMUGGLE ALCOHOL FOR LATER


READ MORE: The Best Flag Poles for Festivals


sneaking alcohol into festivals

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71 Comments

  1. girls grab your fat pants and stick the flat half bottles of vodka in them! get about 3 or 4 in there!;)

  2. I always go the hip flask down the pants route but have a decoy bag on top that you offer to be searched.

  3. All over numbers 2,3,4 and 7
    for T in the Park in 11 days.
    Love the sipping seat but there’s no seats allowed to be brought over from campsite.
    We make sandwiches and scoop out the bread and put the mini Smirnoffs in there, slice of ham on top and jobs a goodun.
    😉

  4. I bought that camera thing and it works a treat. I just walk in confidently and sometimes even ‘take photos’ of the security guards as I glide past. They don’t bat an eyelid.

  5. I smuggled drink in by buying extra ice packs, empty and rinse then fill with alchol! Never be caught again.

  6. Stock up on Capri sun (the ones with a screwcap) fill with various alcohol & squish a few in your pockets, Wellies, uggs, socks, hoodie, bottom of your bag. Been doing this for years, it’s never failed. Iv even casually strolled past security with one in my hand. They call me the one woman bar 🙂

  7. My mate did the Pringle one at Reading a number of years ago. Vodka into a water bottle with a couple of decoy Pringles on top. He even offered the security some as he went through as a double bluff. I’m happy to say it worked.

  8. SInce when have you not been able to take booze into Glasto?! Good lord, not in my day, it was just glass bottles you couldn’t go in with for H&S purposes! Certainly Cardboardeaux was fair game 😉

    1. You can! In the intro I say how awesome Glasto is because you can, it’s those other pesky festivals you have to watch out for 🙂

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  10. Hello Niall, would love to, but I have no more annual leave days from work! I’ll spread the word though 🙂

  11. Hahaha this is hilarious! The sunscreen bottle is genius.

    I recently got a reasonable quantity of booze into a festival by hiding it in my jacket. The trick is a leather jacket that’s so beaten up that the lining tears away from the leather exterior. You can’t see the bottle through the stiff leather.

    It gets you double cool points for being sooo rock and roll.

  12. This is awesome Vicky you sneaky little thing. Half of which I have never thought about before citing my ‘magic water’ as the best invention ever. Sunscreen bottle needs a try out! Thanks 🙂

    1. Ha, no problem Becki. I’m looking forward to trying some out in a few weeks at Field Day. See how much trouble I get in 🙂

  13. Awesome Blog Vicky with rea Awesome Ways to Sneak Alcohol.
    I wonder, what made you think of them.

    By the way, if there is any scope for a swimming pool at the site of festival, then you may prefer filling Alcohol in a Life Jacket Ring, which may contain a big quantity sufficient for a large group of friends… ha ha

  14. Oh my god! Those really are desperate measures. I do like the wine seat a lot, but I think Santa will judge me in a big way if I ask for one next Christmas…

  15. This is hilarious! The fruit is genius. Surely they wouldn’t notice a vodka melon if you look super innocent and the sort of person that sticks to the 5-a-day rule even at festivals?!

  16. Hahaha this made me chuckle. I think I might try all of them for Glasto later this year… In particular injecting fruit!

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