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Have you been to Glastonbury Festival? I’d love to see your pictures and hear your personal stories from the festival. Good or bad, big or little moments…
I work as a photographer at the festival and I am gathering material to create a people’s history archive. I would love to hear from you!
My Glastonbury Story is a collaborative project celebrating 50 years of Glastonbury Festival through the words & pictures of attendees. I’m looking for anyone who has attended the festival to send in their personal photos & recollections. What Glastonbury story do you have to share? good or bad! I ask you to share your memories; who you were with, the year that you attended. Submissions can be sent via email to emma@emmastoner.com or on our dedicated facebook group My Glastonbury Story. I'm looking for max 500 word stories with images if possible. Please leave some contact details too so I can get hold of you. This will be an archive with a different historical perspective, formed from the personal stories of festival goers. The content will form a dedicated online archive. I also aim to produce a book on the people’s history of Glastonbury Festival as part of the collaboration unit for my MA.
NB - This is an unofficial project and not directly related to Glastonbury Festival
Read on for some real Glastonbury Festival Stories…
Jenny Vestey, 1970
I was at the first festival in Pilton with Michale, my ex husband who sadly passed away earlier this year. On either the 30th anniversary or the 40th, probably the latter, I was driving by the site thinking “Was it really that long ago and was I really there?” when on the radio I heard him being interviewed, talking about the first one and what it was like then. He had gone on to work on the acoustic stage in latter years.
As the saying goes “If you can remember it then you weren’t there” All I can remember is that it rained right up to the day that it started, we were there to help set it up so didn't have to pay £1 entrance fee. It was held in two fields, not a lot of people came, there was a St John’s Ambulance, an ice cream van and the sound system was crap!
Ian Anderson, 1970
The first Glastonbury Festival, 1970. Photo by Jo Gedrych. Michael Eavis was quoted in the Guardian as saying "Marc Bolan was late arriving, and I was quite worried, but Ian Anderson saved the festival. He knew I couldn't pay him, but he played a great set that got everybody in right mood” Myself and Heavy Drummer (Ian Turner) pictured here on stage, This was the stage - the only one - and that was the main stage PA mixer down the front with authentic stage crew. Also note complete lack of monitors in those days. Scary, huh? To this day I have no idea why there was a trestle table on the stage.
Will Blomfield, 1970
The opening day of the first Glastonbury, 19th September 1970, coincided with my 2nd birthday - that's me hugging my mum - and being so young I don't remember anything about it.
Chris Robertson, 1970
I attended the Festival in 1970 when I was 19 and it was held at Pilton, I think it was part of the Bath Festival then? I have no strong memories of it other than feeling very daring and slightly wet. It was also my first (and only) experience of smoking what was possibly cannabis. The event was fairly disorganised and slightly disappointing, like the cannabis.
Katie Rowena Underwood, 1970
I was there in 1970, aged 17. I hitched down and had trouble finding it... then saw the sign saying Pilton, and I was there! It was small, friendly and wonderful.
John Andrews, 1971
1971. I hitched up from where I was dossing in Devon to be with friends who went up earlier. Arrived to lots of mud. Cannot remember much, moments only, among them... Guru Maharaj ji, Melanie and Family. I remembered my friends. It was a festival of friends. In these pics by the farmhouse, I am with some friends - Moses, Little Steve, Orch and another. I am on far right in both pics.
Peter Gibson, 1971
In 1971 many of the students and their teacher, Mr J.G. Bennett, went to the Glastonbury Fayre music festival. I had a childhood memory of the festival. It was a dreamlike memory of a friendly raven. As I grew up I began to doubt that this ever happened. If I remember it right the raven was with someone at the festival but befriended me. It was very odd friendship as I had a bad association of raven type birds from reading the Lord of the Rings and Hitchock "The Birds" but I wasn't at all afraid of this fellow. I remember his sharp claws and his deep cackling voice.
Alan Lofting, 1971
We danced naked in the mud and rain in front of the original pyramid stage. Quintensence and Brinsley Shwartz did good sets. Magic Micheal, David Bowie, Melanie. All good. Got a lift to site on a tractor carrying hay bales. After fest we bathed in a water trough with a pallet in it to stop our bums getting burned by the fire underneath. Then Sid Rawles carried us across the mud to get dressed in the cowshed. A gorgeous fest. Very free
Terry Maine, 1971
I took these in 1971. Coming from Glastonbury myself. It was quite an eye opener. Never seen anything like this before. It was quite a revelation being there. Highlights that stuck in my memory - Calm, Peace & Friendship, but they were all strangers. Naked dancing was a bit strange. Totally different from nowadays.
Buzz Tatlock, 1971
Most of the five days I was there are a bit of a blur (understandable I suppose). I travelled down from Leeds on the train to Castle Cary hopped on a bus which stopped at the end of a lane and was told the festival is down there mate. By this time it was starting to get dark, when suddenly a guy appeared out of the gloom and said are you BUZZ? Nodding he said to follow him through a hedge, over a field ,past another hedge and into the Pyramid Field.the stage was still being erected and was starting to shine silver. Pointing to a polythene creation around a tree in the top left corner of the field (it is still there but much larger now) he said "your mates are in there" before vanishing into the night. The next morning I went for a wander and found him and his friends around a camp fire. I asked how he knew me and he laughed and said that all he was told was to look out for a pixie!
Tara Dancer, 1979
I don’t have any photos from 71, the earliest I have is
this one of me as Nephtis, the darker sister of Isis in Nick Turners band Sphynx’s musical interpretation of the Egyptian Book of The Dead, on a pyramid stage which was a tent.
Nigel Rayment, 1979
There was no bar on site, and despite the uniformed copper sipping from a can of Double Diamond at the top of the lane, the only booze for sale was Eavis’ warm cider, which was frankly nothing other than despicable witches’ piss. We headed for the tiny village shop, intent on buying up every fluid ounce they had, which turned out to be a deeply dispiriting 24 cans of McEwan’s Export. Back on site, we secreted them at the back of our tent, terrified they would be rustled. We needn’t have worried for two reasons. Firstly, nobody was nicking anything. Quite the opposite in fact. When I lost my brand new SLR camera, it found its way directly to lost property, where a beautiful naked hippie trustingly handed it over…
Brian Carson, 1979
I got roped in as a booker working for Glastonbury asked a mates band to play and I was one of the drivers. They were a pub band, playing at the Half Moon Pub in Putney and right out the blue they were asked if they could play at Glastonbury Fayre the month later - all the details were noted down on a beer mat.
Geoffrey Harvey, 1978 (the unofficial festival)
We were asked if we could be free for the weekend as a a band had dropped out and we were offered the support slot for "Hawkwind" which was to me like the Gods coming down to have an unexpected chat with me - we were all overcome with astonishment and actually played on the "original" Pyramid stage that sadly burnt down many years later and I can truly say it was one of the very best days in my very happy life.
Ric Hurford, Glastonbury 1982
Four of us from Leeds University hitch-hiked down to Glastonbury in the summer of 1982. This photograph was taken by my university girlfriend Alison Keen of myself in the fishermans jumper, rolling a ‘cigarette’ next to an excited Rosie Hill and America Pete (never knew his surname). It was a wet and cold summer as you can see from the jumpers and coats that we are wearing. The student beard makes me look much older than I was on 22nd June 1982 (which was my 21st birthday), when we spent much of the day sheltering from the rain in our tent, all very memorable……. Van Morrison, Jackson Browne ,The Blues Band, Richie Havens, Sad Cafe, Roy Harper, Black Uhuru, The Chieftains, Judie Tzuke, Aswad, etc.
Caroline Kenmore, 1982
We camped in the Pyramid Field, I was with friends from college. One guy, Julian, had the bright idea of doing his laundry an hour before we set off. Needless to say, it rained. His clothes never got dry. He got quite ill after the booze had worn off.
Rowena Draper, 1983
Here's a little story for yas, it was the hottest summer since Anyone could remember and my parents decided to do Glastonbury. It was a time when the locals were not pleased at all and the road leading to the site had lots of police stoping and searching vehicles. So a long snail's pace to finally reach the entrance, find a spot for the VW caravanette and for my parents to set up the awning, hence my rather ruddy cheeks being confined and cooped up in such heat. My parents took me to a wonderful children’s area having come from the quietness of Cambrian Mountains in Wales where we made our own entertainment, this was a wonderland of pure joy.
Brian Carson, 1983
Glastonbury festival 1983 - female was from Ljubljana in Slovenia {before the break up with Yugoslavia} - this is before mobile phones but was still able to meet her. It was her first Glastonbury and she could not arrive until Friday evening, so I arranged to meet her at the Farm House - I had driven down a day or two before her so it was a big risk that we would miss each other {I had taken all the camping gear down with me so if we did not meet up she would have been stuck with no sleeping bag and no tent}
She was not certain when she would arrive as she was depending on a lift {the driver did not have a ticket} so I came out with meet at 6pm or 8pm or 10pm or Midnight - I think we meet up at 8pm - sure these days there is signs up telling people where things were but away back then there was no signs and very few stewards - anyway she did find it and I was glad I did not have to walk up later - knowing she would have been stuck I would have kept showing up right though the night.
Paul Clements, 1984.
Just waiting for "The Smith's" to enter main stage, 1984. This photo was taken by my good friend Anita Hambrook. Her then boyfriend Paul is laying next to me, worse for wear. He joined-in the stage invasion which meant The Smith's ended their set earlier than normal! Glastonbury was still pretty small then and with no security, which allowed for the stage invasion. Everything was all pretty gentle and everybody looked after each other. It was the year of The Miners Strike and I remember I lot of "Coal not Dole" stickers all over the place, which was great to see. It was also the year which I read Peter Kropotkin's fantastic 1902 book: "Mutual Aid: A Factor in Evolution" .. it kind of summed-up Glastonbury for me that year, living and working together, in a collective and collaborative way..
Gillian Hammond (on behalf of Joe Hammond) 1984
I would like to try and retell a story from my husband who died last November from Motor Neurone Disease. He leaves behind two young boys (3yr and 8yr) and to have some written records of some of his adventures will be something they will treasure.Joe went to Glastonbury in 1984. He was 15yrs old and he told me he jumped the fence to get in. He said he didn’t remember just how he ended up at the front and he hadn’t intended to get up onto the stage but someone out in the crowd just booted him up and then Johnny Marr gave him a hand. He hadn’t known that Morrissey was baiting the crowd to come on up. The Smith’s weren’t welcomed by the crowd at Glastonbury and there was mayhem brewing in that muddy field. Joe just danced about until he was dragged off by security and kicked out of the festival. As he was leaving the stage he saw the crowds filling the space behind him and that was a moment in Glastonbury history. Led by a 15yr old who just took a chance.
Miranda Millan, 1985
I was born in Undle Ground field on 23/06/85, after my parents were part of the peace convoy who had been caught up in Battle of the Beanfield. This photograph circa 1989 after spending all day making my outfit in the kids field. Glastonbury is my birthday party every year, best place on Earth.
Carl Stickley, 1985
Attached pic is from 1985 and shows my Uni flatmates, Andrea and Craig, braving the mud. I was about to go off to study in the US for a year so they'd come down especially for a last knees-up.
There were a lot of Travellers as Stonehenge Festival had been banned. Indeed, at Stonehenge itself on the A303 the police had set up roadblocks. If you didn't have a ticket for Glastonbury they wouldn't let you pass. All the small country roads had tons of gravel dumped on them to block vehicles. I lived 15 miles from Stonehenge and the whole week before the Solstice helicopters were overhead day and night. Fatcha smashing dirty, smelly Folk Devils!
I vaguely remember seeing Echo & The Bunnymen (with lasers!), Ian Dury and The Style Council (who got pelted with mud). But mainly rain. And mud. Lots of mud...
Deborah Maw, 1985
My first Glasto - 1985, thigh deep mud. I was working with the Festival Branch of Samaritans. I have no memory of seeing any bands, just our tent standing on an island amidst a sea of mud - and the tipi field. I had my first sweat lodge - first time ‘meeting’ Sid Rawles - and a gorgeous experience with a lovely guy offering ‘free love and massage’ in a tipi.
Brian Carson, 1986
My friend Bud may look as if he is a Glastonbury regular, but he would never be able to find Glastonbury even if you offered him £50,000! He was only at a few of them in the 80's (when I was able to drive him down).
This photo was taken in the Pyramid field. Likely to be at 5.30am as we were walking about - we just found a few bikes and I thought it would make a good shot - and seeing Bud was a bit of a Cowboy.
Howard Steward, 1986
When I was a student nurse I got involved with the Medical Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons it was the year of Stoney Cross so 1986. MCANW had a beautiful 1964 double decker exhibition bus which I’d collected from Exeter so drove past Stoney Cross on my way to Southampton General Hospital. Then I drove it to Glastonbury met the local GP who guided me onto the site, we parked the bus then sat down and a cup of tea and a lovely chat with Michael Eavis and his wife. One of my treasured memories.
Brian Carson, 1986
Michelle went on to be a Scientist - I was a University Lecturer at the University of London and she had just completed her Ph.D. We were a Couple for some years {say 1985 to 1990} but she got a offer to work abroad and I have not seen her since - she was much younger than me and if she had been older I am sure we would have married.
Cindy Baxter, 1986
My first-ever night at Glasto in 1986 no tent didn’t know the place slept three of us two sleeping bags right in front of the Pyramid stage. No clues. For the rest of it we found the greenfields, thank heavens.
John Novis, 1987
“All packed in the car, my friends and daughters climbed in and off we set on the road back to Brecon, Wales. As we were edging, with other festival goers along the country lanes of Pilton, Somerset suddenly we are pulled over at a police roadblock. I didn’t understand. The police made me follow their car to a ‘festival’ makeshift police station and asked us all to vacate the car. They were accusing us of drug dealing…”
Brian Carson, 1987
What looks like a bundle of rubbish on the ground is in fact a couple
sleeping in two sleeping bags - must be crazy - that could be 1987 - note
no barrier up and they had no security at that time and some people would
climb up on the stage.
Victoria Marsden, 1987
My daughter Zoe, Aged 4, enjoying a horse ride in Kids World.
Stuart Townsend, 1987
My first Glastonbury was in 1987 and it rained a lot, it was back in the day when you drove into the site past Worthy Farm, parked your car in the field and set up your tent next to it. My mate Ade and I barely got a minutes sleep the first night, with the sound of the car wheels spinning in the mud as they made their way onto the site. There were no police on the site, drugs were rife, there was the lingering smell of smoke from the camp fires. There was an edgy almost apocalyptic feel, but it was exciting and from that moment on I was hooked. I have been going most years since and have only missed a handful.
Stuart Townsend, 1989
Glastonbury 1989 was my second Glastonbury and as you can see it was a hot one! We packed the beers but forgot the sun cream! When we returned we looked like we had been on hols to the med for a month! I am pretty sure that the photo was taken as we waited for either The Pixies or The Wonderstuff to take the stage.
Ella Camps-Linney, 1989
This was my first ever Glastonbury Festival
circa 1989; I’m the grumpy toddler and that’s my mum, Jane ✌🏻. It was such a scorcher that she had to put damp pants on my head to keep me cool!
Brian Carson, 1989
1989 was very hot! Tickets were easy to buy in the 80's and I have been a Volunteer since 1988, hence why my total is 31 events as I have a guaranteed place. I have only missed one year since 1979 as I was in ICU in 2017 during Glastonbury week as I had a major Operation.
Simon Laken, 1990
My first Glastonbury festival in 1990. I arrived Friday afternoon to the Happy Mondays playing and couldn’t find a camping spot big enough for our tent so pitched halfway onto a footpath. Archaos were amazing, often performing on a stage on top of the pyramid stage simultaneously.
Ben Hardcastle, 1992
I went with my friend Chris to Glastonbury in 1992. We went by coach from Colchester. It was my 18th birthday that weekend. This photo was taken just after having seen Lou Reed and The Orb.
Scott Williams, 1992
The last of the light was draining away from behind Glastonbury Tor and a woman shoved a large newspaper wrapped bundle in my chest, saying: “A gift for you!” I turned and she was gone, I opened the bundle expecting it to be food from Manic Organic or something. It was chock full of buds! From then on all I remember is sound and colours augmented by the scent of sensi.
Sean Miller, 1992
In those days all the lighting, sound etc. were stripped from the Pyramid Stage overnight... almost as soon as the crowds had gone from the headliners there'd be workmen up there taking things down... by 6am it would be like this... no speakers in the speaker stacks, no lighting rigs... just an empty shell, with perhaps a few boxes lying around... they didn't really care...
In 1992 I 'played from the Pyramid Stage' on Monday morning, but it was only to a few friends... was easy enough to climb up and the barriers had gone... I don't recall if this was the case on mornings when the festival was 'live' - I can't imagine it would have been.
Mandy Borsberry, 1992
Sitting around in the blazing sunshine, probably feeling proud that we had scaled the Glastonbury perimeter fence (or maybe paid a security guard 10 quid to squeeze through a hole in the fence) and gotten in for free! Glastonbury 92
Karen Lee-Moss, 1993
So this could have been 1993, and possibly the year I had to drive that Camper on to site, being the only person with a ticket, whilst 4 or 5 others were concealed in bags and boxes in the back. I drove over a security guard's foot and saw him later in the week plastered up to his knee. So it can't have been the year we came in through a stream and a fence, into a secure artists' area and had to break back out to get our stuff. It could have been the scorching year we'd spent the week before making some killer fudge that funded the week, leaving people who ate it hungrier than before. It might have been the year we saw Faithless, or The Orb, or Orbital, or Massive Attack, or the year we saw no bands at all, drinking chai in the Tiny Tea Tent, or serving tequila in our hidden bar, listening to Dr Didg, keeping out of the mud. It was though the year that my late friend PG slept through the whole of Glastonbury packing up around him, eventually being the only thing left in that field, fast asleep. Definitely good times, 1993. Maybe.
Victoria Marsden 1993
With my children Zoe, Astara and Crystal and Zoe's godmother Samantha in the Kings Meadow by the stone circle preparing to do a handfasting for Samantha and her partner. Astara and Zoe had just done an incense making workshop, when we ran into Zoe's godmother Samantha, on the main drag pathway She asked me to perform a handfasting. We had the incense..element of Air.. which the girls had named Luna. We stopped at the Tiny Tea Tent to buy cake.. element of Earth. Then we bought a candle.. element of Fire and a candle holder. We had a bottle of Glastonbury spring water.. element of Water. So everything had manifested that was needed and we met up by the standing stone circle to conduct the handfasting ceremony. A magical day.
Martin De Heaver, 1993
Two days into a wonderful Glastonbury with my late friend Robin Sandoe, we found ourselves sitting in the front row of the circus tent, more than a little the worse for wear. I was enticed into playing a supporting role on stage by an equally trashed acrobat. Such happy memories.
Karen Hughes, 1993
My best friend Lainey Aldridge and I went to the festival most years as Lainey’s birthday falls on or near Glastonbury weekend. This was the morning of her 24th which we celebrated with some special cookies her uncle had made. We’re still the best of friends but don’t make it to Glastonbury so often as it’s so flipping hard to get tickets these days! There’s always next year...
Kath Watson, 1993
My first time was 1993, arrived day before so plenty of space. Pitched our tent overlooking the Pyramid stage. I remember a very drunk Glaswegian coming up to us and saying " Can you tell me where I live" Funny how that's the first thing that jumped into my head. Never mind The fact Velvet Underground, Robert Plant, Hothouse Flowers, Lenny Kravitz etc were playing.
Malcolm Green, 1993
The police were a bit more relaxed in the 90s in fact they still are. Queuing to get out one year the bobbie on junction duty was letting 20 car through at a time. We were number 21. I managed to bribe him with a bag of wotsits and he let us through, saved us lots time.
Karen-Lee Moss, 1993
So this could have been 1993, and possibly the year I had to drive that Camper on to site, being the only person with a ticket, whilst 4 or 5 others were concealed in bags and boxes in the back. I drove over a security guard's foot and saw him later in the week plastered up to his knee. So it can't have been the year we came in through a stream and a fence, into a secure artists' area and had to break back out to get our stuff. It could have been the scorching year we'd spent the week before making some killer fudge that funded the week, leaving people who ate it hungrier than before. It might have been the year we saw Faithless, or The Orb, or Orbital, or Massive Attack, or the year we saw no bands at all, drinking chai in the Tiny Tea Tent, or serving tequila in our hidden bar, listening to Dr Didg, keeping out of the mud. It was though the year that my late friend PG slept through the whole of Glastonbury packing up around him, eventually being the only thing left in that field, fast asleep. Definitely good times, 1993. Maybe.
Janetta Morton, 1994
I nearly broke my leg one year...maybe 94... teetering on top of the high metal fence and jumping down off into the stone circle field! Then walking out through the gate, getting a UV stamp, getting all our stuff out of the car and waltzing back in again! After that, the following year we found a gap under the fence over a stream in the Orchard... and we did the same UV stamp trick, the festival was full of non ticketed folk selling stuff they got travelling in the winter selling on blankets on the drag through the green fields, or going around selling hash fudge, vodka jellies and mushrooms!
Ru Davies, 1995
I’m last over and my dealer buddies have already done a runner into the dark. The sea of tents and smokey twinkles extend as far as the eye can see. I wander about a while with my sleeping bag bundle, wondering what made me think there was a cats arse chance of finding a pal amongst the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of people. After a couple of hours I find a gap between some tents, stick my bin liners down and get into the sleeping bag. What a shit idea.I wake up soon after dawn to someone taking a piss by my head. Sit up and look about me. Just tents and randoms. No dosh. No food or water. Balls.
Sian Davey, 1995
My first Glastonbury. I was 24 living in Bristol. I had recently met Paddy in Brighton, my first true love and he was going to Glastonbury Festival and I was going to meet him there… We became the most perfect party companions ever. Paddy and I separated 4 years later. Two years ago i went to see him in his hospital bed for the last time, he had a brain tumour. He died that week. That muscle injury still hurts like hell at times and I'm always transported back to that exquisite weekend with my first true love.
Tanya Cooper, 1997
My only image of me at Glastonbury. It was 1997. Very messy, and lots of fun. My sister Ruth Stokes lost the car keys and we had an extra day there raiding all the abandoned tents. People leave the craziest things! We ate and drank like Kings until my Dad drove all the way with the spare car keys! My best memory was when everyone started dancing spontaneously at the stone circle at sunset. Very spiritual and beautiful!
Tom Moorcroft, 1997
I lost my boots in the mosh pit on the Friday night, my only pair, and spent the rest of the weekend barefoot in the mud. The boots in question were wellies, cut off to be ankle high and then sprayed gold. I had just worn them in the school play and thought they would be perfect for Glastonbury. Lasted one day.
Janetta Morton, 1998
In 1998 I was smuggled in by hiding in a teeny gap in the middle of cartons of soya milk, in a truck that was full of chai tipi crew. My daughter had to pretend to belong to one of them! Standing up on a front seat.,,waving to the crowd!
Suzi Underwood, 1998
My best moment was in 1998 - making love under a blanket in the Kings Meadow with Fred!!! We were handfasted that year and together for 23 years!
Malcolm Green, 1998
I built a big costume to get in free - it worked! I was with the Jackson five, we took the security a table and chairs to gate three one year and they let me use the gate instead of going though the turn styles saved me a lot of time. Then I saw about five people outside looking up at the fence tired and lost all there camping stuff on there backs I asked if they wanted to get in! Come with me… we went to my gate and the grateful security let me in, then went to shut the gate on my new mates. I said “they are with me” and they got in. This would not happen now a day's! My reward was a can of Stella. When I opened it it went of like a hand grenade because they had been carrying it for hours trying to get in!
Ian Anderson, 1998
Arrived Wednesday 1998 stewarding at jazz stage. Rain that meant business. All stuff and tent stolen. Went to car, had been broken into and robbed. Got in car and went home :) enduring memory of plastic bags on feet and constant drip.
Lys Wild, 1999
I spotted a man walking so gently and fluidly on the ground. He seemed to sink into the earth with every step, contemplative and kind in his manner and look. I stood up out of the pose and turned away, the next thing I know the same man had come up to me. He took my hand and said, ‘your dancing last night really gave me some peace. You are always welcome at this festival, thank you for what you bring’ I was speechless and open mouthed and a little confused, until a friend touched me on the shoulder and said ‘that was Michael Eavis, he lost his wife this year.’ What a blessing.
Anonymous, 1999
My mate & I took all of our drugs on the way down on the coach. We were 23 at the time. When we arrived with no ticket we went straight up to to the guy on the gate and said how do we get in? The guy said “if you give me a blow job I’ll let you in” I said yeah sure. He let us in. As soon as we got the other side of the gate we legged it!! Muppet
Starcus Baal, 1999
I was in the piano bar trying to get someone to play some Carol King on the piano for me to sing to, when Michael walked in. Everyone started shouting “We love you Michael’ and he raised his hand with thanks as he started to turn to walk back out, as no-one was playing the piano. It was just after his wife had passed. So I started singing ‘You’ve got a friend’ A Cappella. He stayed and listened to the whole song. Everyone applauded, it was a magical moment.
Tor Webster, 1999
My 2nd Glastonbury was in 1999, it was just me and a mate from college. We got there and paid a scally £10 each to squeeze dangerously through a gap in the iron wall that he had wretched open with a crow bar, I was pretty freaked out as I squeezed through as if the crow bar came out I would get squashed and arrested, but there was no wimping out because I had thrown my bag over the fence. We got through and I thought I was in, but I found out there was a Harris fence to climb over also. So I ran and clumsily throw myself over that too, I realised the the local news were filming us so we ran. My parents had moved to Glastonbury town that year and I found out, when I got home, that my mother and sister had seen the back of me on the news running away from the fence, they knew it was me by my run.
John Firth, 2000
The photo that is on my office wall, probably meaningless/ boring for anyone other than those in it, but like so many that stone circle sunrise moment is pretty special and here I can still pick out by name all of the people from their silhouettes :-)
Danny Rhodes, 2000
The sun was setting. Moby was playing Porcelain. Magic was in the air. It’s a moment that will live with me forever.
Amy Antler Wilding, 2000
have just had a message from Ranen, pointing out that, at about 6pm on June 22nd 2000, he picked me up from work after answering my plea for a lift share to Glastonbury. TWENTY YEARS AGO. The only question I could think to ask him, when he asked if there was anything I wanted to know about him was "Are you an axe murderer?" I promised him sandwiches, which he has still never received. We got stuck in traffic and ended up pitching tents at 4am, then hung out together for the rest of the festival.
Royston Naylor, 2000
Throughout the 90s I was always the one who went in with an official ticket, whilst my mates jumped out of the van half a mile before the gate and climbed the fence (and even through a tunnel one year!) so I always felt I was missing out on this particular aspect of the adventure. It got so bad that in 1999 I actually climbed OUT! So in 2000 my young friend Grez fabricated a grappling hook so that I could finally say that I went in over the fence (even though I had an official press & hospitallity pass!)
Ruth Stokes, 2000
Think this was around 2000. The freedom. Didn’t pay. Broke in. Broke out to travellers field. Broke back in. Broke back out etc. Haha. The freedom. The rebellion 👊🏻
Scott Brandom, 2002
The first year of the Mega-Fence. I remember Michael on the local news saying how smoothly everything was going and that nobody had gotten into the festival without a ticket. Somebody drove a car through the fence in the orchard near the South East Corner (a red car) and lots of rascals and criminals were prowling the perimeter fence disrupting the locals. I awoke to a Caribbean Stall being raided at midnight by the blues and twos in riot gear. The following morning somebody had randomly dropped off a Shire Horse (with no tether) and my mates and I spent the weekend looking after this humungous beast (luckily my mates were horse drawn and knew a thing or two about horses!). The safest place was in the festival, where we had a great time. I recorded Coldplay by wearing a microphone in a hat and using a mini-disc recorder (remember those? I bet the TV footage is on YouTube now!). Then there were the Pot-Noodle Heroin dealers who I had to move on when they set up stall on the Monday morning - That was sketchy (and they turned up again the following year!). There was lots of human poo and suspicious piles of loo roll knocking about after the festival, particularly in a barn! Anyway, the following year security outside the festival started to tighten up, eventually, to what it is today.
Robin Fox, 2002
This was one of the downer years for me and I think the photo sums up the mood I was in quite well... I had recently been dumped by someone I was head over heels in love with and she was somewhere in the festival having a great time! I performed in a fire show each evening and apart from the odd bumble about, like this one, I recall spending most of the time in my tent feeling very sorry for myself. We are good friends now.
Ali Bird, 2003
2003. Blagging into the back ballroom at Lost Vagueness, bottles of champagne, staying all night, stone circle sunrise. What a superb year that was.
Sara Wheeler, 2003
I work on the infrastructure crew and my best mate joined me that year. After we finished work, we found ourselves at Lost Vagueness with a bag of gaffer tape and cable ties.As evening drew on, it seemed like a great idea to set up a stall giving out gaffer tape facial hair to members of the public. We also touted ‘anti friend-loss devices’ which basically meant cable tying groups of friends hands together... which was hilarious as we watched them slowly realise that getting into the loo was impossible. We spent the night dancing, laughing and verbally abusing each other over borrowed megaphones; we laughed so hard when we saw people the next morning struggling with *still* being tied together. Now we both have kids; Glastonbury is very different for us, but this photo reminds us of a magical night of mischief in the South East (naughty) corner. We both still remember it as the funniest and probably- best- night of our lives
Beth Walker, 2003
We were Glastonbury children. We grew up exploring the festival as children, and then exploring it ourselves as teenagers. I have so many amazing memories of growing up at Glastonbury. When I was 18, Lost Vagueness was the absolute place to be! We decided that we had to get married there, all of us!! So each of us pick a suitor and went dress shopping. We actually managed to find wedding dresses, which is testament to the craziness of Glastonbury! We procured a horse and carriage, by this point around half the girls had got bored and there was just 3 of us, my sister, Jane, Amber Carter and me. Just before we were due to set off my sisters ‘fiancé’ went missing, so that left two. We had around 40ish people in tow, my mum found out and joined us. The procession got underway, the route was only from Croissant Neuf to Lost Vagueness, but in typical Glastonbury fashion we got stuck in the middle of a mutoid waste procession. A cart and horse in amongst apocalypse style vehicles on the way to a boxing ring in a tin chapel to be married by nuns in stockings and suspenders...
Holly Parsons, 2004
My most memorable Glastonbury was 2004, which was the year I graduated. The festival was shortly before I moved out of my student flat in Bath and I went with a load of my Uni friends. Back in those days I used to litter pick for my ticket. I remember it being a muddy but not overwhelmingly muddy year. I was a practised litter picker so got myself into the circus and theatre fields, which was basically the easy life. I think it must have been before Shangri La as they were always really clean and litter free and there were very few people milling around at 5/6am when we started work. I went to the festival with £80 in my pocket...and came back with £250…
David Green, 2005
My first Glasto, 2005. Surprisingly it rained almost all weekend except for this magical moment. Sunday legend slot is a true legend, Brian Wilson who basically did a set of Beach Boys classics which had the crowd going nuts. About half way though the set in the middle of ( I think ) Lets go surfing lo & behold the clouds parted & the sun made an appearance for the first time that weekend. I was near the front ( you'll always find me about 10 yards in from water aid ) & from way back I could hear a roar which was getting closer & closer to me. I looked round but couldn't see what was going on until all of a sudden the cheering got real close to me & being passed forward above the crowds head was a guy in Hawaiian shirt and shorts on a proper surf board - literally crowd surfing !! I saw the look on Brian Wilsons face when he saw it. Unforgettable.
Victoria Marsden, 2005
Victoria Marsden 2005..chilling in the Jazz World after watching The Wailers. Have been going to Glastonbury festival since its beginnings. In the early years I didn't take a camera, until the 1980s when I started taking my three daughters annually from the age of one, and wanted to be able to share the experience in later years with them. Of course there were no smart phones in those days, so many of us old timers didn't take cameras or pictures. The festival started with just one field and the cow barn stage. The festival site has grown massively since then. We have all grown with it, with many special memories along the way. Many is the year when we smuggled the children and some adults under blankets in vans and even a milk float one year... we would spend at least a week on site.
A lot of time was spent in Kids World, the Circus tent and the Green Fields. As the children got older and did their own thing, I got to spend more time focusing on the music on the many stages. Have seen an amazing amount of musical talent over the years. In 1982 my deaf daughter, aged 2, Astara dragged me through the crowds and the mud to get to the front of the main stage where Van Morrison was playing, because she wanted to be close to the speakers so she could hear the music. Too many highlights to mention but David Bowie and Ed Sheeran stand out because I love them.
I can't believe I have been going there for fifty years. I am now 69 and still happy to go to Glastonbury Festival, which will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you to Michael Eavis and Emily.
Jen Wiseman, 2005
The year of the Pennard floods! We woke up that morning and went backwards up Pennards to see a tiny stream going through a tent and thought, oh, those poor people. Then we got to the bottom of the hill.....!It was Steve's 40th and we managed to get a cake intact on to Pennards from home! Steve had a GREAT BIRTHDAY. He had a terrible day after - and threatened to leave. He didn't - we haunted his tent whispering, don't leave Steve. For an hour, except he wasn't in the tent 🤣And then we stayed in the carpark for 11 hours because traffic didn't move! Fun times 🤦🤣
Kate Leeming, 2007
This was taken during our wedding breakfast at the Lost Vagueness diner. We got hitched in the Chapel in 2007. Our first dance was a punk track, I waltzed with the vicar, my husband pogo'ed with the nuns. We had a traditional honeymoon - an overnight stewarding shift on VG4. It was the worst weather ever, by Sunday evening I was holed up in my tent rocking and mumbling to myself
Jud Relf, 2007
Actually hosting the mud wrestling in the official mud wrestling ring in the tipi field the year it rained constantly from start to end was probably my highlight. And within that the moment a proper professional wrestler came and strutted up and down theatrically taunting his opponent before taking a running dive over the ropes into the pool to start a proper hard mud fight!
Emma Stoner, 2007
I felt a bit ill and by the Sunday I had a fever. I remember seeing The Who and thinking – good I can go now! I rang Ben and his Mum came to pick me up. This really pissed off my boyfriend who stormed off yelling “You're in love with Ben” (he may have had a point... life is complicated at 26!). My last glimpse of the festival was of tents floating around on a river of mud. A couple of years ago Ben's Mum said “Do you remember that time I picked you up from Glastonbury Festival? You were a right mess!”
James Dorset, 2007
Popped my Glastonbury cherry in 2007. We went as a group of about 20 people and set our own little village up on high ground, it was a very wet year. I arrived 7am on the Wednesday and thought the site looked small. Over the following 48hrs I saw the site grow and come alive with thousands of people, it was amazing to witness it grow and I was quite taken back by its size. I spent a lot of time in the John Peel stage and the main dance tent. Highlights for me were seeing The Chemical Brothers, Artic Monkeys, Modest Mouse, Fionn Regan, The Who, Mr Scruff and The Streets, well there the ones I can remember!
Dave Saunders 2007
A big highlight for me was meeting up with some friends from uni and then, by chance, bumping into more really close friends from uni who we didn’t know were coming (they were both teachers and had bunked off to be there so had kept quiet about going). We all watched Arcade Fire together and it was magic.
David Green, 2008
Glasto 2008, my 4th Glasto & every one seemed to be wetter then the last. When I got home from each one I said "never again " but then October comes around and... well you know the rest. So anyway, soaking wet, wandering around with soggy square pie & rain diluted cider. Stopped for wet lunch, back of West Holt stage (or jazz stage as it was then known). Sitting opposite two guys, one facing me (lets call him orange man - om for short) the other one with his back to me looking totally mangled & very muddy (lets call him the falling man, fm for short). As I'm eating my soggy square pie slowly but surely fm starts to tip backwards, first couple of times his mate catches him. By then a small crowd gathered and crescendos rise each time fm starts his journey. About the fourth time om doesn't catch him & fm goes splatt in the mud to a huge cheer. By then the crowd was getting bigger by the second (I think people were thinking there's a secret gig ). This show went on for about twenty minutes by which time I think more people watching om & fm then whoever was on the stage!
Zoe Ayla Davignon, 2009
This is a photo of me and my oldest friend Clare. This is just before my 16th birthday. This was the year Micheal Jackson died and I remember so clearly being in the then dance village and the whole festival turning upside down with the news and playing his music. We were at a beatboxer called beardyman on the Thursdays and suddenly the whole festival came alive with Micheal Jackson. We had the most amazing festival that year as I turned 16.
Holly Parsons, 2009
One from me: 2009 was the last year that Blur headlined the festival. Gareth (my now husband) and I worked out that must be the closest that we were to each other before we met at Shambala in 2014. To the left of the sound desk, half way back to the tree. I had my haircut on site that year, which was a risk, but it paid off as in my true corporate hippy style I had my diploma ceremony on the Tuesday after glasto and wasn’t going to have time to get to a hairdresser. It was a good haircut given the ground was wonky and both me and the hairdresser were a bit worse for wear. This photo is with my friends that I went to the festival with. Having looked back at other photos from the same year, it appears I didn’t spend that much time with them but that kinda sums up my glasto experiences.
Luke Bennett, 2009
As Park Life started I was so buzzing, I got the guy I was with to hoist me up so I could crowd surf. As I was up, lying on the crowd, looking back at the endless sea of happy, dancing people I saw my mate Jonny and he saw me.
In the exact same moment, in all the excitement he had got his bro to hoist him up too. The moment was phenomenal, we looked at each other whilst cheering with joy as we moved towards the front of the stage on the wave of the crowd.
At the front, we were promptly pulled down to the ground by the bouncers. Reunited we gave each other the biggest hug and ran round to join the crowd again. A moment I will never forget.
Jen Wiseman, 2009
My mate Sam, Tim, and Tank came. Tank ruined himself by trying to get to all the bands in wellies! He hurt and was miserable. Being a vet - I knew how to Glasto correctly! Sam and I are not related despite appearances! We had a brilliant time - she really wanted to be up close for Springsteen - we got in! I Gandalfed a bunch (you shall not pass, but my chair, don't care - someone else has it now) - it was packed and the sound was cack so we left after two songs! Better sound back at the tent where I went to crash early! But, going to your favourite place with your best mate - this is one of my favourite photos ever! Miss Cheap / Miss Nasty forever ❤️
Neil Thomas Douglas, 2010
Things I remember! I went to get Jen a cider and never returned. She found me several hours later in the kids field watching a dude inside a giant balloon bounce to Mambo number 5. At the end the balloon popped and he was dressed as Elvis.
Gaia Campbell-Coles, 2011
I first went to Glastonbury in 2011 incredibly ill prepared with only a hold all, which cut my hands to pieces, and a single layer pop up tent which blew away after our first night. This was the joyous moment my friend and I invested in a new tent to share after his also met an untimely weather related end.
Helen Leigh Steer, 2011
I worked the Glastonbury Green Field kid's area in 2011. Me and a group of friends ran an alternative education collective called Mission: Explore and we ran a tent where kids could get and complete fun missions. We had a tiny archaeology site where kids would dig for architecture models with toothpicks, a makeup and storytelling mask station where you could create and become a character and loads of kids also made a massive balloon chain with us, which took over the pirate ship.
Russ Hollowell, 2011
One time I was standing in the Park and a guy with guitar stood close by looking around and seemingly in discomfort . He caught my eye and asked if I would look after/ watch his guitar while he went to the loo!! It was Ed O’Brien, Radiohead guitarist and he heartily thanked me on his return! He asked if I’d like to watch them on stage!! So I just followed them up when they went on and ended up with signed set list and a thank you for watching guitar with Authentic Glastonbury rain stains !!)
Heidi Wesson, 2013
No midwife was available and someone told Tracy I had been taken in. She called Lindsey to see if I was alright and appeared in her panda outfit (Glasto-style!). She said very calmly “let's get her out!”.... Emelia (or Acadia as the festival family call her) was born at 3.10am on 30 June, weighing a healthy 6lb 6oz. Tracy, still dressed as a Panda, was crying her eyes out and covered in blood. Her & Sean cut the umbilical cord.
Jen Wiseman, 2014
Club De Fromage on a Thursday night! Official shenanigans crew! Woodhouse (tall) and Jonny Hill! We get messy every year! Since 2004!
Russ Hollowell, 2015
Woodys story.Our Glastonbury adventures began in the 80’s and continued with family through the 90’s and beyond .After securing tickets for 2015 in the initial sale, we found out two weeks later that we were ‘adding’ to our ‘kids field ‘ gang !! .. natures last laugh ... at the age of 52 and my lovely wife 45 this was a bit of a shock but a very joyous one .Then reality bit ... so the new arrival would be making his appearance towards the end of .. er .. JUNE !!
Harriet, 2015
This is my first photo with Harry on the weekend we met at Glastonbury 2015. He’s on bottom left and I’m on top of him. It was Sunday afternoon, hours before our first kiss at the pyramid stage, watching The Who. We were due to get married this June in Somerset and head to the festival for our honeymoon. Like many things, the wedding and Glastonbury have been postponed! Till next year...
Dafydd Prodger, 2015
At some point during the song, Evan was collected from the stage by the crowd of between 100-200 and they carefully crowdsurfed him through the entire length of the bar, to Tony's continued singing and request to the masses not to drop him. Tess and I stayed by Tony so he would know where to come back to and Evan was also chaperoned by a couple who were later to become members of our extended Glasto family. Both Tess and I were immensely proud as Evan took it all in his stride cheering as he went and remembering my instructions threw both hands up and gave the 'rock salute' with both hands held aloft as he was supported by the group of fellow festival goers all chanting his name.
Emma James, 2015 (pic by Vanessa Miles)
That’s me in the background with the rainbow hat. I think the girl was actually a woman knelt down on her knee. He was so gracious and stopped to speak with several of us along the route. He held my hand just before this shot and I wished him a happy birthday.
Mayor of Glastonbury Jon Cousins, 2016
“Just to hear the opera singer singing rock & roll so pure – I thought I saw the Mayor there, but I wasn’t really sure.”
Jo Cooley, 2016
Glastonbury 2016. This year was the first time I took my kids and they absolutely loved it. This brought back so many memories from my days, about their age, going to Glastonbury. 2016 was a VERY VERY muddy year and my youngest got stuck in the mud in his little wellies but was scooped out by a passer by, it rained so much you couldn't even walk on the grass.. there was no grass. But this did not dampen our spirits at all. The Friday was also the day we found out we were leaving the European Union, and although shocked and saddened I couldn't of wished to be in a better place at that moment to make me feel human, alive and connected with the greatness of the world, because this is what Glastonbury means to me!
Ali Bird, 2016
2016 - gosh that was a hard year. Going to the Jo Cox Memorial and listening to Billy Bragg sing so sweetly on the Thursday, then waking up to hear the Brexit vote result reverberating across the site with tent after tent just going "fuuuuuuuuck". That was HARD. This picture was taken while we were waiting for ELO to start on Sunday afternoon
Cara Ann Naden, 2016
Setting up at Glastonbury with Croissant Neuf 4 years ago (2016) one of the wettest set ups when having to be towed on site! Comradeship & family vibes are the foundation of this festival & am missing being there creating this magical world with all the crew.
Emma Stoner, 2017
This photo was taken at the Leftfield stage in 2017. My daughter Lila & I had just been watching Jeremy Corbyn address the crowd. It was electric. Jeremy had actually given Lila a little wave earlier on in the day when we saw him having lunch at the Greenpeace field!
Lila was only 2 at the time so I didn’t want to expose her to really loud music. This was the main gig we went to that year. The rest of the time was spent in the green-field’s & kids field, exploring small bands & art workshops. We still sometimes sing “Oh Jeremy Corbyn” together!
Andy Gibbon, 2017
The Lemon Twigs in a packed Crows Nest in 2017. Only way I could get into the tent to see the gig was to sneak on to the back of the stage.
Gaia Campbell-Coles, 2017
At the end, we jumped over the broomstick we had made into our new lives together. Sandie and Andy then presented is with a hand written card from Michael Eavis wishing us the best in our marriage and expressing his happiness that we chose to be handfasted at his festival. We knew they were local but we didn't know how local! It was an amazing moment.
Jen Wiseman, 2017
From The Voodoo Tweed Cult of Your Mum first gigging Glastonbury. We played the Fluffy Rock Cafe to no one, but we still played! Oh and the weatherman came with his flute! The weatherman is a barefoot hippy with a garden trolley full of weather symbols from the stone circle. We busked the stone circle and got some great professional photos and appeared on the Sunday daily photos! The other two are the Stone Circle and the artist who made a watercolor painting of us. We persuaded her to sell it to us!2017...
Lucinda Bayley, 2017
My most solid memory from Glastonbury that year was actually tearing ligaments in my ankle very late one evening on the Friday night (post seeing Lorde perform) while navigating myself (very drunk) through a city of tents. I tripped on a tent peg, and went down like a sack of potatoes.
Michelle Browne, 2017
On the first day of the festival in 2017, a blisteringly hot Wednesday, we strolled up to Strummerville together, taking in the view on the way up without a care in the world. I thought nothing could top being back in my favourite place with my best friend... until I turned around to see that he'd whipped out an antique ring box! Of course, in a flurry of shock and excitement, I said yes! The opening ceremony that night felt extra special, and spending the weekend celebrating our engagement with some of our closest friends was an experience I'll never forget.
Sarah Adams, 2019
Just as Kylie started Joe pointed to the sky which made me look up & there was the banner. My friend then had to get me to turn around to find Joe on one knee holding the very ring he bought at the festival the Thursday before, & of course I said YES!
Emma Stoner, 2019
I was a little stressed about the logistics of Glastonbury with a 4 year old. The last time we went Lila was 2 and she still fitted into her sling. It was super easy. For 2019 I invested in a festival wagon which seemed like the best option. It looked super cosy and she fitted into it well. It was great but I had very heavy camera gear too and a brief which took me to each corner of the site in the blazing heat! At the end of the festival my hands were red raw from dragging both kid & heavy equipment through the crowds. At one point I got heat exhaustion and had to be driven back to camp! Luckily the Sunday was cooler and we had a fantastic day to make up for all the hard work!!
Gaia Campbell-Coles
2019 was slightly different in that we had an extra member of the team, our 9 month old daughter Flora! Glastonbury is certainly a different experience with a baby, but it was equally as amazing. She absolutely loved it. The only part Calum didn’t love was when we were watching Kylie minogue, flora was on his shoulders and he was dancing. When he lifted her down we noticed an orange stain on his collar that hadn’t been there before. On closer inspection it turned out that Flora's nappy had leaked all down his neck! (For reference we got a photo of the before, or should I say during!)
Brian Carson, 2019
This shot was from Tuesday 25th of June 2019 - its a Glastonbury crew bar hence why its so packed - shame it was so packed as I wanted a WBC (Workers Beer Company) Team photo but we were spread around 3 tables.
The guy on the right is The Chief of Police of the Keflavík area that includes Keflavík International Airport {Iceland}. He has been on my Team since 2009 although he has been kicking himself for years because I first offered him a place either in 1997 or 1998 but it took a long time to persuade him as he is not into camping and neither is his wife.
Jasmin Smith, 2019
2019 was the first year I'd attempted to get tickets and I managed to secure them. There were 12 of us from work but I was the only one to get through so only 6 of us ended up going. All I remember is that the heat was unreal, I'd woken up on the Sunday with a swollen/split lip due to sunburn (don't wear vaseline and get sun burnt) and spent the morning in the medical tent. I was given an antihistamine and sent on my way. It was one of the worst and best experiences ever, the Sunday was so hot I remember missing Kylie to seek shade and sleep in the shadow of one of the flags. I also remember walking around and finding endless new things. At one point I'd found a small boho tent where light, calming music was being played followed by artists of similar style. There must have been only about 20 of us in there and we were all laying on the floor, heads on the laps of friends and strangers, falling asleep to this beautiful music at 2pm in the afternoon.
Jen Wiseman
I don't know what year! Jonny is a legend! He has been since 2003 I think? He is an indie kid! He leaves his wellies home EVERY YEAR! So then we have to queue (or he does - I'm in a beer tent). He nicks aviators off Richard (the hairy one). He's always disorganized chaos! He loses his ticket! He loses everything! Sometimes it's payday at Glastonbury and he buys all the drinks and then regrets it! He forgets the tent poles! He turns up on a Thursday at night because he's failed to organise himself! So then he has to carry his shit all night because we are not going back until 2am🤣 Best turn up ever- 2017? R had a movie on in the Groovy Movie - Jonny found us, in white trainers, with his stuff, stacked it in the mud! Oh how we laughed 🤣
Andy Driscoll
‘If you see someone without a smile give them yours’ I learnt this loving 25 Glasto’s over 35 years and carry this through every day. I have stories.. just have to remember them… oh feck…
Kyleigh Carrow
Glastonbury 2008. Working abroad as a teacher meant that for the first time I could attend for the whole time rather than for just the weekend.
I'd agreed to meet an old uni friend there. I walked into gate A and came to the first camping field... We clocked eyes. By the end of the weekend we were head over heels. We met again a few weeks later to decide if what we had felt was real...or just the Glastonbury magic and 'Brothers cider'.
We were both cautious due to past heart ache but each time we met was electric. I moved back from Spain and then to Glastonbury town to live with Jon within the year.
Twelve years on, handfasted and blessed with three beautiful children, the magic continues....
Gilly Baker
My friend and I had a plan to run the most helpful but also most hilarious campsite crew team at Glastonbury (and we did. She still runs it, at South Park). We wanted maximum silliness to make people smile, so Buttercup was born and became our mascot. One year she went on tour before the gates opened and had her photograph taken all over the site, including with Julian Temperley, farmer and cider-maker to the stars, who was a bit taken aback but got into the spirit of the thing. Every year we hear exhausted campers coming up the hill and telling each other ‘almost there … I can see the cow!’ Buttercup is getting old now, but still has some life in her. Last year she turned up with a baby at foot, young Daisy. She has also done guest appearances at birthday parties. Dear old girl.
Tracie Hollingworth
Our Glastonbury festival story starts in March 2007 when out of the blue a friend of ours asked my husband if he would like to help crew a bar on site.
The answer was an almost immediate YES.
Andrea
My dear brother Wayne Hamilton who sadly passed away this year went to Glastonbury most years since the very start. In later years he joined the Astrologers and worked as security. He was an amazing artist and musician. He knew many people and I expect many will know him.
This is what Glastonbury means to me, I have never been, but then with his memories I don't need to anymore.
RIP Wayne
Forever in our hearts and memories.
Your loving sister Andrea.
Robin Fox
My first years at the festival were as a young 90s raver. Hitching rides and jumping trains were always the start of the adventures, meeting new friends along the way. Often I traveled with just the clothes on my back and the freedom of an open mind that allowed the mischievous hands of Glastonbury festival to lead me astray, very astray. I loved it.
Janetta’s Story
I adore Glastonbury festival, just up the road from the Town of the same name where I live. Most of my friends work the festival, the whole Tipi field is full of them. The astrologers are like family and our camp is luxury. With a communal fire and all our kids growing up year on year having adventures. I almost cannot separate one festival from another its one long memory stream of sunshine, heat, thunder storms, deluges, mud and wellies and dancing and outrageous outfits and music, theatre, comedy, high emotion, sometimes tears and fears, sometimes laughter and ecstatic highs. But always the fire, the tribe, family and love in the light of a rising Sun over the best most beloved festival in the World.
Tracy Harrison (by her daughter Lindsey Harrison)
She would always put everyone else first and top of that list was Glastonbury. To her very last day on earth she was making sure everything was OK, her role was taken care of, and she managed to visit the site to say her goodbyes. Tracy was and is a very inspirational woman I hear stories prop up about her all the time that I had no idea about even 4 years later. She was and always will be THE mistress of the portaloo. THE mistress of the portaloo.
Dasha & Nick
What better way to celebrate your wedding and start your honeymoons than Glastonbury? Everything was arranged around the dates of the festival. In Russia we were blessed with a perfect full moon for the canal trip in St Petersburg and the weather in England was just right, it had been raining the previous weeks. Both serendipitous events only happened thanks to Glastonbury, so we went back to diner in full wedding garb to celebrate!
Joe Greenwood-Hau
A few months short of ten years later, as I was approaching the end of my PhD, some friends who were planning to go to the festival in 2017 emailed to see if I was interested. I'd always regretted not enjoying it in 2007, and felt my circumstances were much better: in a happy long-term relationship with my now wife, Katie, slightly more financially secure, and with the prospect of finishing my PhD (which was a difficult experience but ultimately rewarding) worthy of celebration. So, I seized the opportunity! Fortunately, by the time the festival rolled around I was in full-time employment so had some money to spare and could properly throw myself into the experience. Most importantly, I went with an absolutely lovely bunch of friends: Ric, Alys, Sarah, Adam, and Sophie. The evidence is the photos, which speak for themselves! I'm so glad that I gave it a second try, and would certainly consider going again in future.
Venetia Dearden
I grew up next to the festival site, our house is walking distance from one of the entrances and in the early days the traffic went right past our front door. As a child, I loved the annual caravan of people who came by. They would often come to our house for eggs & cheese or to use the phone. My parents always had the door open and would help anyone. It was thrilling in so many ways. My family love the festival and I haven’t missed a year since I went at 8 months old in 1976. This has been helped by the fact the Eavis’s give tickets to all the locals which is wonderful. For most of the year, the valley is empty and its always incredible to see it fill up and become a huge temporary city.
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