Top 3 moments of this year's Falls Festival Byron Bay

WE TOOK a look into the unknown sides of the festival experience, and this is what we found.

FALLS Festival is over for another year, but the memories will last forever.

These are our top three moments of the North Byron Parklands event:

Protected festival: The festival's marshall's office offered a number of different services, but the most popular of them all was the free condoms given away to revellers.

The General Store had some camping items and ice blocks, and Red Frogs delivered lollies and offered help to those who needed a chill out.

But the biggest tip around the camping area was to visit the marshall for a refill of the rubbers before heading back to the tent.

The war on plastic: With single use plastic bottles banned from the festival, cartons of water were the 'it' item this year.

Although single use plastic was still available in cups, most food vendors offered paper straws.

However the festival's official bars had plastic straws.

Part of the festival's sustainability plan means that fresh, untouched food was donated to Byron's Liberation Larder to feed people in need.

Howl and Moan stage rocked: For the last couple of years, Howl and Moan Records has become a platform for young bands from around the East Coast to play gigs in Byron Bay.

For those too young to be offered shows at bigger Byron venues, Howl and Moan is the place to go, and the best place to check out fresh new bands in the Northern Rivers.

The bands featured this year were Bedclub, Pineapple Lazer, Miniskirt, Captain Squidlicker, Stoker, Hobo Magic, P.A.F.F, Preston, all-female ACDC cover group Her Way To Hell, Demi Casha, From Crisis to Collapse and Masochist.

Curated by the store's owner, Mario Fraietta, the new stage at the festival was a reflection of the music space created by Howl and Moan to shine a light on new bands.

It was part of the festival's arts program, curated by Byron artist Andy Mac, which also included comedy by Mandy Nolan, inclusive dance company Bring a Plate, a Wishing Tree and daily morning yoga classes at La Henge.