Glastonbury Festival

Glastonbury Festival is a large festival that takes place annually in Great Britain. It is one of the country's most important music events. Some of the world's most popular artists perform there. The British festival is almost as cool as the famous Tomorrowland, which was first held in 2005.

History of the festival

Michael Eavis is the organiser of the British festival. The first edition took place in 1970. At that time, the festival was attended by only 1,500 spectators. The original name was Glastonbury Fayre. Later, the event was renamed Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts. The original concept was to promote rock music. Nowadays, it combines different genres, including not only rock, but also:

• pop;
• hip hop;
• electronic music.

Together with the Sziget Festival, which has been held since 1993, this event offers an extensive entertainment programme, including dance, theatre and circus acts and performances by folk groups.

It has a multi-genre format and attracts a large number of fans from all over the world. The emphasis is on contemporary music, but other art forms are also promoted. Famous pop and rock artists from different countries present their new and favourite compositions.

The site where Glastonbury takes place is 1,500 hectares of farmland. The festival organisers ensure the safety of all participants, both artists and spectators. The record number of visitors was set in 1994, when the festival was attended by 300,000 people. The headliners of that edition were Levellers.

The vast majority of the festival's staff are volunteers, whose work is unpaid. The money raised by the festival is transferred to the accounts of charitable organisations. The festival actively supports the activities of organisations fighting poverty and social inequality, and pollution of the natural environment.

Glastonbury Festival is a large-scale event in the world of modern English culture. The organisers are inspired by the spirit of hippies. It all started in 1970 after Michael Eavis attended an open-air concert by Led Zeppelin the year before. The music event he organised has been held every year, except during the pandemic, and has become a cult event.

Michael Eavis said the following in an interview with The Telegraph:

Every year, the line-up reflects what is happening in the music world at that moment. That is the main secret of the festival's success. Several years have passed since the first edition, but its popularity has not waned.

Festival attendance

The record attendance for the Glastonbury Festival dates back to 1994, when 300,000 people attended.

In 2000, the event was attended by 200,000 spectators.

In 2019, attendance increased to 203,500 people.

In 2023, the festival was attended by 210,000 spectators.

Glastonbury headliners by year

1970: T-Rex.

1971: David Bowie

1980s: The Cure, Van Morrison, The Smiths, Joe Cocker and The Boomtown Rats.

1990s: Lenny Kravitz, Johnny Cash, Bjork, Sting, Bob Dylan, Robbie Williams, Muse and Coldplay.

2000: David Bowie

2017: Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Ed Sheeran.

2019: Stormzy, The Killers, The Cure.

2024: Dua Lipa, Coldplay, SZA.

Glastonbury line-up

Glastonbury can be compared in popularity to Rock Werchter, which is held in Belgium. These events have a similar concept and bring together leading pop, rock, electronic and dance artists.

Friday (27 June):

1. THE 1975
2. LOYLE CARNER
3. BIFFY CLYRO
4. ALANIS MORISSETTE
5. BUSTA RHYMES
6. MARIBOU STATE
7. GRACIE ABRAMS
8. FOUR TET
9. WET LEG
10. ANOHNI AND THE JOHNSONS

On the same day, BADBADNOTGOOD, BLOSSOMS, BURNING SPEAR, CMAT, DENZEL CURRY and several other well-known performers will take to the stage.

Saturday (28 June)

The main headliners on Saturday will be:

1. NEIL YOUNG AND THE CHROME HEARTS
2. CHARLI XCX
3. RAYE
4. DOECHII
5. JOHN FOGERTY
6. DEFTONES
7. EZRA COLLECTIVE
8. JOHN FOGERTY

As well as PA SALIEU, SCISSOR SISTERS, THE SCRIPT, BEABADOOBEE and other musicians.

Sunday (29 June)

1. Olivia Rodrigo
2. Rod Stewart
3. The Prodigy
4. Noah Kahan
5. Nile Rodgers & Chic
6. Wolf Alice
7. Jorja Smith
8. Overmono
9. The Libertines
10. AJ Trace

And also performing on stage will be Black Uhuru, Celeste, Cyman, Danilo Plessow, Sam Ryder, and DJO.

The full list of performers invited to the festival can be found on the official website. Every year, the organisers strive to prepare the most exciting programme of performances and bring together the most famous representatives of contemporary music, and 2025 will be no exception.

Information for visitors

The dates for the Glastonbury Festival in 2025 are 25th to 29th June. It's best to book your tickets in advance, as they sell out quickly. Decide how you're going to get there.

Glastonbury ticket prices

The ticket price is £378.50 (for comparison, in 2000 it was £87, and in 2010 – £185). Tickets are available on the official website of the event. Tickets go on sale 9 months before the festival. They usually become available for purchase in October.

A surcharge of £5 is charged for advance bookings. In addition, a deposit of £50 is required, with the balance payable later. Full payment can be made starting from the first week of April. Tickets for which full payment has not been made will be sold by the organisers to other interested parties, and the deposit will be returned to the owners minus tax.

On the website, you can also pay for delivery to the venue from major towns in England.

Postage and packaging costs are £10.25 (£2.75 for bus ticket orders).

Glastonbury Festival registration

Glastonbury Festival registration takes place in several steps, including:

Visit the official website. There you will find a link to the registration page. It usually opens a few months before tickets go on sale.

Fill out the registration form: enter your personal details: full name, address, email address and date of birth.

Send a passport-style photo: clear, showing your face against a plain background.

It is advisable to register in advance.

Glastonbury festival camping

For camping at the Glastonbury Festival in England, consider the following options:

General Campsite is a classic campsite offering a lively atmosphere and the opportunity to meet other festival enthusiasts.

Pilton Hill Camping is located two miles from the festival site. The site has areas for campers and tents, private parking, toilets and hot showers, which are free to use.

Glastonbury Festival parking

Parking at Glastonbury Festival is available in several locations.

The Car Park Pass costs €50 and allows you to park your car in one of the designated areas for the duration of the festival. If you require accessible parking (Blue Badge), please complete the Festivals Access Application form.

Accessible parking can be found through the Yellow Gate on the west side of the site. It is intended for visitors with disabilities who have completed the online access form. Parking in this area is limited, so friends and relatives arriving in separate cars are not permitted to use it.

There is also VIP parking at the entrance to the site. To access it, you must purchase a special pass and obtain a blue badge that allows you to drive through the reserved internal motorway, past the festival gates and park further down the road.

Glastonbury festival outfits

There are several ideas for outfits for the Glastonbury festival:

Young girls can choose crochet tops, mini skirts and cowboy boots. Women in their 30s prefer the boho-chic style with maxi dresses and layered jewellery. Women over 40 usually wear flowing jumpsuits and bright jackets.

Men can go for an indie rock style with bandanas, skinny jeans or cargo pants paired with a denim or leather jacket. For a boho chic look, choose loose printed shirts, linen shorts and beaded jewellery. Many people go to festivals dressed in streetwear — oversized hoodies, cargo joggers and chunky trainers.

When choosing your outfit, consider the weather. It is important to wear comfortable shoes.

Glastonbury Festival Map

The Glastonbury map allows viewers to orient themselves before arriving at the location. It helps them understand how to get to the main music venue, where the main stages are located, and estimate distances.

Postcode

Postcodes for access to the Glastonbury Festival:

From south London, follow the M3, then the A303 and A37 motorways.

From the north-east, use the A1 or M1, M25 to the M3 (junction 12), then the A303 and A37.

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