Sober events 'not a trend but here to stay'
Conscious ClubbingThe organiser of a sober festival says their music events, where alcohol is not allowed, are growing in popularity as more people turn away from drink.
Lindsay Hamberg from the Conscious Clubbing group, which runs Over the Dunes Festival this weekend in Druridge Country Park, Northumberland, said more people were attending their events every year.
She said: "In the North East, it's got arms and legs, it's about a community coming together - it's not just a trend, it's here to stay."
The latest data from the Health Survey for England for 2024 found 24% of adults surveyed from the region said they had not drunk alcohol in the last year.
Nationally, data suggests the number is rising, but far fewer older people abstain from alcohol, and those who do drink are likely to do so at more dangerous levels.
She said she thought more people were motivated to attend sober events because they were prioritising their health and mental wellbeing.
"You can really feel the music and how you want to move, it's a liberation, and it comes with the joy of doing it in a community of like-minded people," she said.
"It's not all about having alcohol or drugs to have a good time, you can do it on your own supply, you've got your own internal chemicals to ignite that."
She added that it also now "costs a lot" to have a night out, which some people could not afford.
Amongst the attendees of their events, she said there were also a number of people who had struggled with alcohol misuse or addiction.
"It's a safe space where everyone is welcome," she said.
