34 replies to this topic

[Glasto Mad]

My excitement about this year’s festival has already hit me. I think it was the announcement of the Isle Of Wight headliners that did it! Some friends email me asking whether we should go to IOW instead this year. However I’m a strict Glasto fan and refused (although I would love hear Shakespeares Sister’s 'Stay' live.) I looked into the price of IOW and realised that it would actually be more expensive than Glasto if it were just the two of us going. Then out of curiosity I looked at some other big festivals and couldn’t believe how expensive the other festivals were in comparison with Glastonbury.

The prices of festivals seem to be escalating wildly lately. I’m bias of course but in my eyes Glastonbury just seems better value for the money considering how much we have to spend now. My reasons are - its so much bigger than most festivals, last longer, free programme and most importantly you can bring your own food and drink which really keeps cost down if you have a vehicle with you.

NOTE: My price includes a campervan as I steal my partners parent’s vans ever year


GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL
£190 – per person
£75 – for the van
Cost for 2 with van = £455

IOW FESTIVAL
Adult Camping £150 – per person
Campervan permit: £250 (all occupiers must also have a valid Camping ticket)
Cost for 2 with van = £550


READING FESTIVAL
£180 approx – camping per person
£20 approx – for the van
Cost for 2 = £380

T IN THE PARK
£180 approx – camping per person
£105 approx – for the van
Cost for 2 = £475


There were many festivals missed, but a quick look shows that reading comes out cheapest out of the big festivals (for my needs). However reading is more expensive when you get inside - and you can't take your own alcohol.

But taking all into consideration Glastonbury is actually quite competively priced? Festivals aren't cheap anymore, so as prices are so close - are other festivals offering the same value as Glasto? Or are all festivals the same and I'm just blinded by my Glasto hippy loving eyes!

[sifi]

Given the non-commercial nature of the festival, it wins hands down on value for money.  Where else can you get a festival ticket and hapiness that some of the cost goes to Wateraid, Greenpeace and Oxfam?

[Langdale Wolf]

sifimaster, on Jan 4 2010, 03:34 PM, said:

Given the non-commercial nature of the festival, it wins hands down on value for money.  Where else can you get a festival ticket and hapiness that some of the cost goes to Wateraid, Greenpeace and Oxfam?

What he said.

It's ace.  And it's bloody cheap for a week's holiday with some top entertainment.

[musiclove123]

Yes it by far the best value-due to the number of days, how good it is and size. By far the BEST!

[Felna]

Think you need to factor in the number of days as well, Glastonbury gives you two whole days onsite before the festival starts properly. That's got to be factored into the equation:

GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL
£190 – per person
£75 – for the van
Cost for 2 with van = £455
Cost per day: £90

IOW FESTIVAL
Adult Camping £150 – per person
Campervan permit: £250 (all occupiers must also have a valid Camping ticket)
Cost for 2 with van = £550
Cost per day: £183


READING FESTIVAL
£180 approx – camping per person
£20 approx – for the van
Cost for 2 = £380
Cost per day: £127

T IN THE PARK
£180 approx – camping per person
£105 approx – for the van
Cost for 2 = £475
Cost per day: £158

[grumpyhack]

Glasto wins hands down on quality as well as price.  Many fests are just a load of bands playing.  You get so much more at Glasto.

[Redwinevino]

sifimaster, on Jan 4 2010, 03:34 PM, said:

Given the non-commercial nature of the festival, it wins hands down on value for money.  Where else can you get a festival ticket and hapiness that some of the cost goes to Wateraid, Greenpeace and Oxfam?

Roskilde is also non-profit and you get 8 days

[Kinky Boots]

Any free festival is infinitely better value than Glastonbury - mathematical fact  

[NeilVJ]

Out of the major festivals you will prob spend less at Glastonbury as you can take your own food / drink. Plus you have 5 / 6 full days there
However a lot of the smaller music festivals are much better value. Take Bingley music Live for example. They had doves, editors, ocean colour scene, revereand and the makers, undertones, toploader, zutons, sunshine underground, calvin harris, futureheads and loads more all for £25.

[Bradders]

Felna, on Jan 4 2010, 04:42 PM, said:

READING FESTIVAL (is actually a 5-day festival aswell)
£180 approx – camping per person
£20 approx – for the van
£10  -  for Wednesday
Cost for 2 = £400
Cost per day: £80

Just needed pointing out, people always say Reading/Leeds is a 3-day festival, when in fact it's 4 (5 with a £10 wednesday pass).

[BlackHole2006]

I think Glastonbury is excellent value for money.

Anybody who said Glastonbury is too commercial is lying. Compared to the other "mainstream" festivals it's absolutely nothing apart from the minor stuff which is easily ignorable.  I'm going to try Reading this year. I expect it to be a COMPLETELY different experience to Glastonbury. But I'm really looking forward to it all the same

[Kyelo]

Kinky Boots, on Jan 4 2010, 05:17 PM, said:

Any free festival is infinitely better value than Glastonbury - mathematical fact  

NeilVJ, on Jan 4 2010, 05:24 PM, said:

However a lot of the smaller music festivals are much better value. Take Bingley music Live for example. They had doves, editors, ocean colour scene, revereand and the makers, undertones, toploader, zutons, sunshine underground, calvin harris, futureheads and loads more all for £25.

However these festivals don't have the big hitters that Glastonbury provides.

It is the best value for money festival around because it provides nearly all genres of music from small local acts to the biggest selling acts around plus all the comedy, poetry, cabaret etc forgetting about all the random entertainment in Shagrila etc

Compared to the other big festivals in the UK it blasts them into space, no comparison.

[Mel & Claire]

I always try and work out the value of Glasto by looking at how much a ticket would cost to see the bands you see at Glasto in their own gigs.

I mean, I've no idea how much it would cost to see Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young or Blur normally, but I'm guessing combined it would be quite near the £175 I paid to attend Glasto 09. And that's forgetting all the other bands, big and small that I saw!

I have friends who know about music who can't quite understand why I pay all that money to see bands do shortened sets. Then again, one of them has said the only band he would pay to see is Muse.
But I also have a friend who knows nothing about music whose first comment was how good value it must be due to the criteria I mentioned above.

Edited by Mel & Claire, 04 January 2010 - 09:16 PM.

[deschwah]

yes

[mike46]

for me I would say a definate YES!, factor in the wednesday-monday, atmosphere and just general non stop action.

Last year I went to V festival which cost around £20 less i think? and won't be returning again unless they have an amazing line up, major dissapointment after the week at Glasto!

Will be trying Reading this year I think as my second festival, although may not stay the sunday night due to the riots   (are they really that bad?)

[FunkyDenz]

Mel & Claire, on Jan 4 2010, 09:10 PM, said:

I always try and work out the value of Glasto by looking at how much a ticket would cost to see the bands you see at Glasto in their own gigs.

I do the same.

[lord stradmor]

I dunno about other festival prices, but Glastonbury is cheaper than three 90 minute sessions watching Chealsea play Watford, Sunderland and Birmingham over the next four weeks in January from the West upper stand.
And the pies are nowhere near as good as the ones at Pieminister.  
And they haven't even got a cider bus.

[Kinky Boots]

To be fair I'd almost certainly stump up the cash even if there were no bands on at all. On that basis all of the bands are free as far as I'm concerned so it represents stellar supersonic value for money. Weds and Thursday always my favourite days of the festival and Friday always feels like a drag when I've got to make sure I don't "miss" anything. No other festival where I'd consider going if there were no bands on so the case may rest there as far as I'm concerned.

Am I alone in feeling this way?

[zlatan07]

having never been to glasto i reckon its way better value than any of the rest of the "major" festivals as it is fundamentally different, titp and reading/leeds etc are essentially gigs in a field with a campsite attatched to the arena whereas glasto is one big massive 24 hour machine.

from what i have seen there is so mmuch going on around the place u could go for the week and not see a band and still be thoroughly entertained!

[grumpyhack]

Kinky Boots, on Jan 4 2010, 11:50 PM, said:

To be fair I'd almost certainly stump up the cash even if there were no bands on at all. On that basis all of the bands are free as far as I'm concerned so it represents stellar supersonic value for money. Weds and Thursday always my favourite days of the festival and Friday always feels like a drag when I've got to make sure I don't "miss" anything. No other festival where I'd consider going if there were no bands on so the case may rest there as far as I'm concerned.

Am I alone in feeling this way?

No, to me there are almost two separate festivals - Wed/Thurs before the music starts, which would be worth it alone and then Fri/Sunday when we take in a few bands.

Edited by grumpyhack, 05 January 2010 - 03:26 AM.