Is Glastonbury still a 24 hour festival?

[Cooter]

Having read some of the replies to the friendly Americans questions that are coming to Glasto 2016, some have described it to them as a 24 hour festival. I can safely say it was once upon a time but now it seems less and less like a 24 hour party with every year that passes. Yes, there's pockets here and there that do go all around the clock but they seem to be getting smaller and smaller so I think describing Glastonbury as a 24 hour festival these days is debateable, is it not?

Apologies for the downer....... I guess it's more licence and neighbour issues killing something else that used to make it so great. Or maybe just too many old fogies like me that are still going that are tucked up in bed by 3am!? Or maybe a festival covering such a huge area is just impossible to be partying 24 hours a day?

[A Guy Called Matt]

I would call it a 5 day festival.

[stuartbert two hats]

Having read some of the replies to the friendly Americans questions that are coming to Glasto 2016, some have described it to them as a 24 hour festival. I can safely say it was once upon a time but now it seems less and less like a 24 hour party with every year that passes. Yes, there's pockets here and there that do go all around the clock but they seem to be getting smaller and smaller so I think describing Glastonbury as a 24 hour festival these days is debateable, is it not?

Apologies for the downer....... I guess it's more licence and neighbour issues killing something else that used to make it so great. Or maybe just too many old fogies like me that are still going that are tucked up in bed by 3am!? Or maybe a festival covering such a huge area is just impossible to be partying 24 hours a day?

It seems to have more stuff open late these days to me.  Maybe I'm just getting old and going to bed at 5 so don't notice.

[rubenz]

I'd say it's 23 hours. You need a gap between 6am and 7am to differentiate between one day to the next. Also need this time for emptying the bins and stuff like that. 

[Gucci Piggy]

I was getting home at 7am most nights this year, and things were still going on when I left them. And I'd say, if you'd been to bed earlier, you could get up at 7am and find stuff to do, so yeah I'd say it's 24 hour. If sleep wasn't necessary I think I'd be able to keep myself entertained at all times.

[incident]

I can safely say it was once upon a time but now it seems less and less like a 24 hour party with every year that passes. Yes, there's pockets here and there that do go all around the clock but they seem to be getting smaller and smaller so I think describing Glastonbury as a 24 hour festival these days is debateable, is it not?

To be blunt about it - it's probably you that's changed in this case more so than the Festival.

There's more going on than ever until about 5/6am, and the major stages start up again about 10/11am.

Yes, that leaves a 5 hour gap where most people sleep/whatever - but that was always the case. There's still stuff going on at that time if you're desperate to keep going just as there was before. The only real difference is that you might have to look a bit harder for it and not in certain parts of the site - the noise restrictions mean that you're not going to find Joe Bananas pumping out serious volume at 6am.

But in terms of people being catered for if they want it, yeah it still exists, just as much as it ever did.

[LeeGalvin]

Yeah, a bit like a city, there are parties here and there going on all night... just as there are plenty of people tucked up in bed. You can mould Glastonbury into whatever kind of festival you'd like it to be. 

[Untz]

Definitely. It might not be in the programme, but there's stuff about. If nothing else, there's always wreckheads up at the Stone Circle/down in a tea tent enjoying themselves.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

It still can be 24 hour a day festival, as long as you don't take your foot off the accelerator. It just means that in the very wee hours you get to talk to your mates more (assuming the majority are with other people) because there's less competition from other sources of entertainment. Then before you know it you suddenly realise it's 8 or 9 am so you think to yourself 'well, I may as well go around the clock now and sleep when I'm sleepy'.

The above said, I did one year not make it past 1am during the festival. In my defence I had just had a major operation which had reduced my strength somewhat. One thing I haven't done is watch the sunrise from the Stone Circle (Sacred Space). I should make ammends on this one. I'd actually like to do it on the Sunday night and just lie in all of the day then before leaving late evening on the Monday.

[dentalplan]

The Deluxe Diner stage opens Wednesday evening, closes for a few hours at 6am then runs from Thursday morning till Monday morning. 

[Gucci Piggy]

It still can be 24 hour a day festival, as long as you don't take your foot off the accelerator. It just means that in the very wee hours you get to talk to your mates more (assuming the majority are with other people) because there's less competition from other sources of entertainment. Then before you know it you suddenly realise it's 8 or 9 am so you think to yourself 'well, I may as well go around the clock now and sleep when I'm sleepy'.

The above said, I did one year not make it past 1am during the festival. In my defence I had just had a major operation which had reduced my strength somewhat. One thing I haven't done is watch the sunrise from the Stone Circle (Sacred Space). I should make ammends on this one. I'd actually like to do it on the Sunday night and just lie in all of the day then before leaving late evening on the Monday.

I was at the Stone Circle for the sunrise Monday morning this year and didn't even realise it come up.

Was at the top of the ribbon tower as the Sun was beginning to rise Friday morning which was nice.

[Untz]

The two times I've been up at the Stone Circle for the sunrise it was so cloudy you couldn't tell when sunrise was. I have plenty of memories of being in the SE Corner at sunrise and feeling the burning sun expose my debauchary though.

Good old Britain. 

Edited November 4, 2015 by Untz

[Superstu]

Last year Saturday night/ sunday morn there was still a large amount of people in bezz's acid house tent until the music finally stopped about 6.30. Always know it's been good fun when you leave a tent and its light outside. 

[BlackHole2006]

Definately still a 24 hour festival. Looking at the line up you could still definately make it a 24 hour festival and still see bands/djs. Breakfast selection is on at The Rocket Lounge at 6am. Always makes me laugh thinking about the people monging out there in the morning after spending all night in the s/e corner.

Edited November 4, 2015 by BlackHole2006

[Gucci Piggy]

Last year Saturday night/ sunday morn there was still a large amount of people in bezz's acid house tent until the music finally stopped about 6.30. Always know it's been good fun when you leave a tent and its light outside. 

Yeah on Saturday night I left the Back of Beyond and the Sun was fully in the sky. I was baffled.

Edit: Obviously it was well and truly Sunday morning by this point.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Will-2609

[Andy0808 v5]

There a party in my pants that you're all invited to in 2016. 

 

(And yes, it's 24 hour)

 

edit: apologies, don't know what came over me. I've just jumped from that thread where the guy is looking for sex. Contagious

Edited November 5, 2015 by Andy0808 v5

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

There's a wake going on in my pants. Your not exactly all invited, but if you really want to see the deceased then I'll see what I can do.

[DeanoL]

Yes. Not only does more stuff run late, but there's more stuff starting earlier too (9am-ish).

[Hugh Jass]

As lame as it sounds I'm usually in bed by about 2-3am. I'm not a huge lover of dance music and I stopped taking drugs a few years ago so I never feel like there's much on for me after the bands finish, usually a few drinks in one of the bars then some back at the tent then off to bed. Plus I'm usually knackered from walking, standing and drinking all day.

One of the pitfalls of getting older.

[incident]

As lame as it sounds I'm usually in bed by about 2-3am. I'm not a huge lover of dance music and I stopped taking drugs a few years ago so I never feel like there's much on for me after the bands finish,

There's probably a lot more than you think for you.

Green Futures Field - Small World Stage, Lizard Stage, Mandala Stage, all run until sunrise with mostly folk/acoustic music but other stuff as well.

The Park - Bimble Inn has a mixture of stuff after midnight. Same for the Rabbit Hole and HMS Sweet Charity. Between the 3 of them you'll probably find something to your taste.

Mavericks, in Bellas Field - Surreal cabaret stuff - not sure how late it runs but definitely well past midnight.

I can't stand dance music, but there's plenty of other stuff around the site. There's probably loads of other stuff I've forgotten, those are just the places I might end up.

[gerardfenton18]

Having read some of the replies to the friendly Americans questions that are coming to Glasto 2016, some have described it to them as a 24 hour festival. I can safely say it was once upon a time but now it seems less and less like a 24 hour party with every year that passes. Yes, there's pockets here and there that do go all around the clock but they seem to be getting smaller and smaller so I think describing Glastonbury as a 24 hour festival these days is debateable, is it not?

Apologies for the downer....... I guess it's more licence and neighbour issues killing something else that used to make it so great. Or maybe just too many old fogies like me that are still going that are tucked up in bed by 3am!? Or maybe a festival covering such a huge area is just impossible to be partying 24 hours a day?

There was twice last year where I hit the hay roughly between 7am and 9am and I certainty wasn't the only one.

Definetley all night, not sure about the Wednesday though

[ian the worm]

I was on site for 6 dawns and I saw 5 of them.  Admittedly I work in an area that doesn't close so I take the opportunity to live the 24 hour life style as its a great opportunity to do so. 

The quietest time is between 6am and noon and if you're on a 5/6 day session, this is the period to eat, drink tea, wash and rest.

[mungo57]

Wouldn't know but I have always seen things occurring at all hours. 

I never 'do' clubbing or extremely late ones (I don't particularly like dance music and the clubs near where we live are mainly aimed at students/youngsters) but I do at Glasto - you can always find something to do.

i tend to go til about 4/4:30 and then PPP back to the tent for a kip before the sun rises. But I always end up walking past open bars etc so I would still really call it a 24 hour festival

[northernbro]

my group participated in the 24 hour party aspect most nights (back to the tent after stone circle around 7am) but its something that you have to commit to and be organised about if there's specific djs or people you want to see past 1am

on the Saturday after suede we naively stayed at the blues for fatboy slim when our real headliner of the am were 808 state in bez's but we just didn't leave enough time to get over there and when we finally did rock up in the unfairground it was half 3 and people were queuing to get in all energy and momentum of the night went as we wandered around shangri-la not really staying in anywhere mainly as we needed a break from relentless D&B 

this experience will hopefully make next years late night ventures a lot better

[Pinhead]

"Green Futures Field - Small World Stage, Lizard Stage, Mandala Stage, all run until sunrise with mostly folk/acoustic music but other stuff as well."

This is where I usually end up for the night. Its a 24 hour festival if you want it to be and you are prepared to look about a bit at night and sunrise. I'd say its far more so than its ever been right now - (old fart mode) 'back in the day' when the comparatively fewer stages and venues shut just before midnight or just after, the choice was basically Stone Circle until sunrise or back to camp and campfire for late night / early morning drinking, arsing around and other shenanigans...