Frequently Asked Questions

• What time does the event start?

Doors to the event open at 10:30am, with entertainment starting at 1pm. Due to our security measures in place we suggest you get there early and be prepared that the search procedure could take up to two hours.

• What time does the event finish?

On Saturday the event curfew is 11pm and on Sunday the event curfew is 10.30pm. Please plan your journey in advance and be aware it may take some time to leave the event site.

• How do I get to Radio 1's Hackney Weekend?

Hackney Marshes is located on Homerton Road in the borough of Hackney in East London. Please ensure you plan your journey in advance. Our event partners Hackney Council will have the most up to date transport details including a special shuttle bus service to and from Stratford Regional. Details can be found on the Hackney Council website.

• What security checks will be in place?

All tickets have your photo, name, address and a unique barcode on them. Please keep them safe and dry. We have to be able to scan this barcode on the gate.

Please note everyone attending the event will be required to pass through airport style metal detectors and undergo body and bag searches as a condition of entry. We reserve the right to refuse admittance to any person who refuses to be searched by a steward or other person acting on their behalf. Please be advised that you may have to queue upon entry so we ask that you are patient - these plans are in place to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable event.

• Can I bring food and drink into the event?

No food or drink can be taken into the site - with the exception of personal supplies of water in a plastic container with an unbroken seal (up to 500 ml per person), or special medical supplies (please bring a doctor's note if these are not obviously medicinal).

Food and alcohol will be on sale inside the venue, however if you look under 21 please do not be offended if we ask you for proof of age when buying alcohol, the bars will be operating a strict challenge 21 policy. The only forms of ID acceptable will be a photo driving licence or a passport.

• Can I bring a camera?

Yes, but please be aware professional photography equipment is not allowed and we advise you to leave zoom lenses and other pieces of expensive equipment at home.

• Can my band play at Radio 1's Hackney Weekend 2012?

One of the six stages at the event will be the BBC Introducing stage which will be a platform for brand new talent from the local area. Details of the line up will be announced at the end of May.

But don't worry BBC Introducing has many other stages and opportunities throughout the year, so if you're an aspiring artist and looking to take the next step with your music then head to bbc.co.uk/introducing, upload your tracks and find out more about the opportunities that BBC Introducing could offer you.

• What facilities are you providing for disabled people?

We are committed to doing all we can to ensure everyone can enjoy this unique event. Hackney Marshes is set on grass parkland, with no hard pathways, but there will be raised viewing platforms for the two main stages and other facilities for those with disabilities.

Disabled ticket holders who would be unable to attend without full time assistance are being considered for an additional complimentary ticket for their carer. Priority for this scheme is being given to those in receipt of Medium/Higher Rate Assistance for Personal Care and/or Mobility; however we consider each completed application individually. If you indicated your interest in this scheme during booking you should now have been contacted by Festival Republic, event producers on behalf of the BBC with further details of how to apply.

Please note these facilities are not available to customers with temporary conditions such as broken legs, or those who are pregnant. There are medical and welfare facilities on site for all customers, but use of the disabled facilities will be strictly regulated.

• Can I request tickets as a prize for my charity?

We get numerous requests asking for tickets for charity initiatives and other good causes, but unfortunately are not usually able to help. We try to read all emails sent to us; however please do not be offended if, due to the large number of enquiries we receive, we do not have time to respond to you personally.

• Can I volunteer or do work experience at the Radio 1's Hackney Weekend?

The BBC does offer a range of opportunities throughout the year. These are advertised here.

• Will you be showing the football on Sunday?

We did look into showing the England Euro 2012 game on Sunday but as there will be performances on throughout the evening, it is not going to be practical to play the match. Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend is the station’s biggest ever music event with an amazing line up of artists and we feel that we should keep the focus on the music which people have come along to enjoy.

But we do appreciate that people will want to know what is going on with the match, so we are looking into keeping everyone updated on the scores with information and announcements on stage, so that people can enjoy the music and keep up to date with the football as well.

• Can I still book tickets?

Unfortunately no. All tickets for Radio 1's Hackney Weekend have now been allocated.

• Will you be re-opening registration?

Priority for the remaining tickets is being given to those who successfully registered for the event before the closing deadline of March 19. Given the large numbers without tickets, we expect them to claim all those available.

The event was widely publicised and registration was open for six weeks in total - we're sorry if you missed this period for any reason, but we have no plans to re-open registration. 

• Are there any other ways of getting tickets?

A few final tickets may be given away in on-air competitions closer to the event, keep listening to Radio 1 and 1Xtra for more details. 

• What happens if I move from my registered address before the event?

Tickets will be sent to the address of the first person named during the booking process. If you move and are unable to receive the tickets, you will be able to order replacements. However, you will need to prove you lived at the address you registered with at that time before collecting them. 

• Why is a £2.50 handling fee being applied to each ticket?

Radio 1's Hackney Weekend 2012 event is funded by the BBC Licence Fee. It is designed to be a huge celebration of music that can be enjoyed by everyone via their radios, on TV and online - but we also need an audience!

The actual ticket is free for those lucky enough to be attending in person, however there will be a ticket handling fee, used to partly offset the costs of the ticketing process including registration, printing unique tickets, postage and event ticket turnstile and stewarding. The fee will be non-refundable, whether the ticket is used or not, even in the unlikely circumstance that the event itself has to be cancelled.

The £2.50 handling fee will be payable via Visa, Delta, MasterCard, Switch Solo and prepaid cards

• How secure is the system?

All tickets will be printed with unique barcodes and include the names and photos of the person receiving them. The barcode is scanned at the entrance to the event and tickets with invalid barcodes will be rejected. Tickets are fully traceable and we can cancel them at any time by invalidating the barcode.

• How do you prevent people selling tickets?

Tickets will include photos, which will be matched against the holder at the entrance of the event. Those with tickets featuring photos which are missing, illegible or do not meet the required standards will be refused entry - buying a ticket with someone else's photo on it will be a waste of money.

Radio 1 also works closely with major sites like eBay and Gumtree, who remove posts offering tickets for sale once they become aware of them.

Please be aware that some people in the past have claimed tickets have not arrived and cancelled them, ordering replacements. They have then sold the original tickets, knowing the barcode on them will not allow admittance on the day of the event.

• Can I give my ticket to someone else if I am no longer able to go?

Unfortunately no. Because of the number of tickets involved and the time it takes to print them, tickets for this event will be strictly non-transferable.

• What happens if my tickets don't arrive?

The tickets for BBC Radio 1's Hackney Weekend will be posted throughout May. They will be posted to the registered address for the Lead Booker and should arrive no later than Friday 1st June. Please note, these tickets are non-refundable, non-transferable and we cannot change the Lead Booker's address.

Your tickets are personalised and traceable to you. If your tickets have not arrived by Wednesday 6th June, then please call our 24 hour helpline, run by See Tickets - the number for this is on the Booking Confirmation email you would have received. You must contact us no later than Wednesday 13th June or we will be unable to assist. We will then cancel your tickets and arrange for you to collect replacements from the box office on the day of the event.

In order to collect replacement tickets, each person will need to provide photo ID and proof they live at their registered address. The photo ID should be carried with your ticket at all times or you will not be allowed entry into the event. If your original tickets arrive after you have cancelled them, please destroy them as the barcode on them will not work and you will not be able to get into the event with them.

• What performances will be available?

All performances on the Main stage, INMWT stage, 1Xtra Stage, Dance Arena and BBC Introducing stage will be recorded by the BBC. We will endeavour to air each of these performances live or show extended highlights across BBC Three, Radio 1, 1Xtra, Red Button and here online.

• Why don't we show all artists and songs?

When the BBC covers a music festival, it needs to work within a tight budget to provide the best value for money for Licence Fee payers. This means we cannot always afford to record all performances from every stage. At Radio 1's Hackney Weekend we are recording the Main stage, In New Music We Trust stage, 1Xtra Stage, Dance Arena and BBC Introducing stage. These stages offer the main headline acts from the festival and interesting newer artists.

On occasion an act may not wish to be filmed or recorded. Artists may also agree to be recorded but only allow a limited number of songs to be aired. This could be for a number of reasons for instance: the quality of some parts of the performance, because they do not wish to broadcast new or unreleased material, or they do not want to broadcast their entire live set.

The material an artist plays may not agree with the BBC Taste & Decency guidelines, such as containing excessive swearing. In these instances there is no way for the BBC to air that material.

The BBC is committed to making sure the sound and visual quality of a performance is high. In live open air arenas, the quality of recordings and performances can vary greatly due to environmental and technical factors. The BBC may decide that the recording of particular songs are not of a high enough quality to air, although we endeavour to provide at least a sample of a band's show if we feel they are central to the festival.

Another reason why certain songs are not available on the BBC is due to there being a limited number of broadcast slots to air material. Around 85 hours of performances will be recorded at Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend, but TV and Radio slots will amount to much less. This means TV and Radio producers select the performances that reflect the festival best and appeal to the different audiences for networks and channels. Much more material is featured on Red Button and online but even then the practical limitations of editing such a large amount of material quickly can prevent performances from being available.