This is your complete guide to doing Glastonbury Festival 2024. From planning your trip, navigating the grounds and understanding the festival layout, read on for everything you need to know this year.
First things first, lets' get there!
When it comes to planning your trip, knowledge is key. Make sure you research the festival's location to determine the best way to get there and any accommodations you may need. Additionally, double-check that tickets are still available, especially if you're reading this later in the year. Festival tickets often sell out fast after their initial release due to high demand. If you find yourself without a ticket, don't worry. You can turn to trusted secondary market ticket exchange sites like seetickets.com where you can still purchase tickets, albeit at a higher price. This option is especially useful if you've recently discovered that the festival dates don't align with your exam schedule. Alternatively, try exploring various internet forums for people who may be selling their unused festival tickets. By staying proactive and considering all possible options, you can ensure a smooth and mistake-free trip. Don't forget to prepare a list of essentials to bring with you and avoid over packing unnecessary items.
Accommodation
Glastonbury accommodation gets booked up very, very fast. If you can, try and book it as soon as you've got your tickets. This mission becomes a bit of a military procedure, often involving groups of people on different computers in different parts of the country ready to pounce on any accommodation that becomes available. If you're going with just a few people, you could try some self-catering cottages in the area. People coming in larger groups will have to do this much earlier, and prices will often be expensive. If you're too late to getting anything in the town or surrounding area, then you might want to try contacting local farmers to see if they'll let you camp on their land for a fee. This can be an excellent option for people, offering a taste of real Somerset life when they'll get to meet the locals and getting away from the hustle and bustle of the festival for an hour or two at the end of the day. Failing that, the only option is to join the several hundred other lost souls driving around the lanes in the week before the festival trying to find any space to put a tent. This usually ends in failure, and those that do find anywhere will often be audaciously hassled by locals who will try to charge them unreasonable prices to camp in their fields.
What to pack?
Being fully prepared to camp for the weekend and sleep in a tent can make all the difference in the world. A firm favourite with Glastonbury regulars is the disposable danger tent, it's cheap, waterproof, and easy to spot in a field of multi-coloured tents. Not having to take your tent back home is a bonus, so it's a good idea to find out if any camping shops near the festival site will be selling them. The temperature in the festival fields can vary enormously, so it's best to take a selection of clothes. Even if the forecast is good, always take some waterproofs and wellies. If it's sunny, pack plenty of sunscreen and a hat, the fields offer very little shelter from the intense midday sun. If you're planning to stay up and dance until the small hours, it's a good idea to take some warm clothes as the temperature can drop rapidly after dark. With regards to food and drink, it's best to take enough for the whole weekend, buying food and drink from the stalls on site can work out very expensive. Don't go mad on the beer though, the heat and the amount of walking can make it a very dehydrating place, it's wise to drink plenty of water while you're there. Remember the best thing to bring is an open mind and a sense of humor, no matter how much you plan there's a good chance that you'll forget something crucial. See our 'The Ultimate List: What To Pack For Festival Camping' blog for more.
Navigating the Festival Grounds
Navigating the Glastonbury Festival site can be an experience in itself. Many festival-goers admit to still finding "new" stages or areas days into the event. At the same time, it can be very frustrating if you are trying to get somewhere in particular, like that all-important Sunday afternoon headline slot on the Pyramid Stage, and find yourself waylaid field after field. This feature is aimed at first-time festival goers and seasoned veterans alike, to pick up some hints and tips about how you can get between 'A' and 'B' with the minimum of fuss.
One of the great things about Glastonbury is that the site is literally a small town with its own infrastructure. So anything further than 15-20 minutes' walk is generally considered an inconvenient journey. For the intrepid explorers among you, the festival does provide a map and if you are based at a campsite with a manned Info Point there is a good chance of picking up a map there. It should also be noted that the map is available on the official festival website in the week or so prior to the event, as well as a text-based guide on how to get to the festival from the bus or car parks.
Understand the Layout of Glastonbury
The Glastonbury Festival can be a complicated place to travel around, and with more than 150,000 people on site, it can be very difficult to get to any one place at a given time. The best way to prepare is to get a hold of a festival program. This will give you the definitive guide to who is playing what and when, and save you from having to carry around a map and a timetable.
The site is divided up into several areas. Each has its own unique atmosphere and attractions.
The Pyramid Stage is the largest and most well-known venue at Glastonbury. This is where the biggest acts will play, and particularly big headline acts have been known to attract a huge percentage of festival-goers. The area immediately surrounding the Pyramid Stage can become extremely crowded, so it can be a good idea to view acts on the screens that are placed elsewhere across the site. Plan to spend a significant proportion of your time around the Pyramid Stage; it's the best place to soak up the essential Glastonbury atmosphere.
Finding the Best Stage Performances
Headline performances aside, Glastonbury is all about happily stumbling across unexpected musical treasure. As you wander around the site, you'll notice thousands of people with different programs and tales of what they've seen, and for many there's a great deal of pride involved in getting to see something amazing. This is, after all, the best festival in the world for finding new music. More importantly, there are some areas of the festival that are so good it's worth spending a good deal of time there, and sometimes part of the magic of Glastonbury can be getting into stuff you know nothing about. It's all very well having a program timetable, but the dance of fate and circumstance is the best way of seeing music at Glastonbury. Sometimes the band you wanted to see will be delayed for some bizarre reason, or a wicked sound clash may draw you from one stage to another. Flexibility and an open mind are two of the best things to take to Glastonbury when it comes to music.
Staying Safe and Healthy
While you're pretty much guaranteed to have an amazing time at Glastonbury, remember it's a small city and just about anything can happen, even to the most careful of people. By taking a little bit of precaution and using some common sense, you can avoid some of the more unpleasant festival experiences and make sure the photo of you in front of the pyramid stage is one you're happy to show your friends and family.
It may sound obvious, but one of the best ways to stay safe and healthy at Glastonbury is to look after yourself! Good personal hygiene is often overlooked by festival goers but it won't kill you to pack some hand sanitizer and wet wipes, as they can make a pretty massive difference. With around 150,000 people all using the same facilities and very little sleep, the festival site can quickly become very unclean and infection can spread quite easily. If it's been raining a fair bit and the ground is looking pretty brown and sticky in areas, it's probably not a good idea to wear your favourite pair of trainers. Wounds and cuts can easily become infected and diseases such as hepatitis have been known to spread on festival sites. Closed shoes are essential for the more health conscious, or if you're intent on wearing sandals, be sure to carefully wash and cover any cuts and wounds. A good sleeping bag will help you to get a decent night's sleep, which is vital for maintaining a strong immune system and overall health.
Glastonbury takes place at around the same time as hay fever season in the UK, and even people who don't normally suffer from allergies can find themselves affected. Make sure to pack some antihistamines and consider purchasing a vogmask, which will not only prevent you from inhaling any pollen but will also keep your face nice and clean in the dusty areas. Be wary of the effects of alcohol and drugs. Heat stroke and dehydration are not uncommon on festival sites, and their effects can be greatly intensified if the weather is particularly hot. Drink plenty of water and try to stay in the shade during the afternoon, as this is the time you're most likely to become ill from the heat. Alcohol dehydrates the body and in combination with a lack of water and hot weather, it can leave you in a pretty bad state. Knowing your limits and drinking sensibly is always a good idea, as is avoiding any illegal substances. Security and stewarding is always tight at Glastonbury and drug offenses can lead to a permanent criminal record as well as ruining the rest of your festival. This may sound harsh, but the best way to ensure your safety when it comes to drugs is to simply not use them. But if you do decide, please make sure you test whatever you're taking and avoid mixing.
Our last must-do's!
Do protect yourself from the sun!
Do check out the hidden gems and art installations!
Do participate in the workshops and activities!
Do embrace the festival spirit and community!
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