Glastonbury Festival

If you are looking to spend a weekend at a music festival with several thousand of your closest friends as well as hear some of the best music on the planet, then the Glastonbury Festival is for you.  Held each year on 900 acres in the Vale of Avalon, Glastonbury brings together some of the world’s finest musicians.  Music lovers can find anything from heavy metal, old Motown, jazz and alternative and the only rule of the weekend is to have a good time.  Whether that good time involves making sure you take in one or two specific acts, doing some shopping or celebrating life at the Sacred Space, there is something here for everyone.

Getting to Glastonbury is easy and can be done in a number of ways.  Car park tickets will be available for £20 at the gate.  Festival goers can arrive on the Tuesday before the festival and leave their cars through the weekend.  If you don’t feel like driving yourself, Glastonbury can also be accessed by bus with coaches departing from Bristol, Leeds, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Taunton and Winchester.  Festival goers can also take trains running from Castle Cary or fly into the Bristol International Airport which is the closest airport to the festival location. 

Tickets to Glastonbury are available online for years in advance so there’s no chance of missing the next festival.  Simply visit the official website for detail and make sure to click the box saving your registration details for future events.  Ticket prices will run approximately £185 plus booking fees.  Don’t forget to include the cost of any transportation, campervans or Tipis. 

Most festival goers spend the weekend out under the stars, but if that isn’t for you then there are numerous bed and breakfasts in the vicinity.  Do keep in mind, however, that the regions hotels are generally not within walking distance and do fill up fast.       

If you’d rather spend the festival outdoors, the price of your ticket will also include being able to take advantage of the camping fields located on the festival grounds.  Different parts of the camping grounds cater to different groups of people with the areas on the periphery tending to be quieter while others are an ongoing party.  If you do camp, it is highly recommended you clearly mark your campsite with a flag or something else.  It can be a nightmare to stumble around trying to find where you are going to lay your head.  In addition, locate the camp steward in case you have an emergency and be sure to be friendly to your neighbors.

Tipis are another popular way to find shelter while at Glastonbury.  There are a limited number and they go quickly for a price of £820.  Each Tipi can house up to six adults and are available from Wednesday through the following Monday. 

Still another way to take in the festival experience is by bringing a campervan.  Tickets for these must be purchased in advance for a cost of £75. 

It also wouldn’t be a music festival without food.  Glastonbury boosts over 250 onsite food stalls offering everything from food from the Far East to English grub.  Of course, to buy this food you will need money and there are ATMs situated throughout the festival site.  However, they will charge a £2 transaction fee.  Do take a friend along if you plan on getting cash after dark and expect to queue. 

If you plan on visiting Glastonbury, be sure to bring with you a tent complete with lines and poles.  Sleeping bags or mats are also a necessity as are medication, sunscreen, mobile phones, cameras, personal I.D., money, flashlights with extra batteries, toiletries, your festival ticket.  Be sure to bring waterproof overcoats in case there is a turn in the weather along with sturdy shoes, shorts and jeans.  If you do forget anything, there is no reason to panic.  There are several stores where you can get what you need.