bexj

Thanks Neil, I've been here since 2004 and the information you provide and platform for communication you've created to support the festival world is 2nd to none. All the best for the next phase in your life x

Plenty of space in the outer edges. Certainly closer to the action than TF!

I'd be calculating the ticket prices, wholesale market prices and traders pitch fees!

Portaloos are now gone. There's a mixture of both long drop and composters in the camping. The biggest change since you last came is the frequency that the toilets are cleaned by the amazing Wateraid crew. Rarely now do you see a really grim one except maybe in the really busy areas late at night.

Arriving at 5am will put you right at the back of the long overnight queue. You might be lucky with a central spot, but unlikely. If that's critical to you, then be there overnight, otherwise arrive after 10 ish and camp further out!

Yes, this is right. Settlers get a programme and someone usually kindly scans it onto here for the rest of us!

Yep, 2014 and 2016! Have you had a tickle there?

Back in the late 90's/early 2000's there was thieving scum literally walking round the carparks trying to grab tickets off people. It was scary - imagine now, those same folk would be pointing guns or knives at you. I experienced that - luckily didn't get mugged for a ticket - but anything that can be done to prevent that and I'm all for it.

To everyone who has ever engaged with our feather duster - thank you! Yes, its a big duster on the end of a stick! We get "What's it for?" a lot! And of course its not for dusting!! But it gets us talking with hundreds of random people over the weekend, we laugh with it, we tickle people, we let kids stroke it, we dance with it.... last year it was used as a limbo pole by the rave tree in the Greenpeace field. Its a pain in the arse to carry all weekend but the fun we get with it is magical - and that couldn't happen without YOU!

I'd already been to over 10 Glastonbury's before I lost my dad 3 weeks before Glastonbury 2010, so I was very aware of the special nature of it. There was never really any doubt that it would be a big part of my grieving process and so I came along with my husband and a few close friends. It was, on the whole, great. I had a few quiet moments where I'd taken myself for a little sad time. The incredible thing that happened was I met, through a friend, another couple. We stood infront of the Pyramid together watching Ray Davies, and when he got to "Days", my tears started falling behind my sunglasses. Years later and as I'm now good friends with this other couple, I was talking to the lady and she told me that she'd also had tears falling down behind her sunglasses because her dad had also died a few weeks earlier. That year changed lots of things for all sorts of reasons but finding a lifelong friend who was experiencing grief alongside me was one of the most special things. I don't regret ever going to Glastonbury that year.

You calling me old? Haha, I am! 35 years of festival going, old school tricks all the way!

Store your tins under your tent, keeps them cool

From what I understand the roles are slightly different for different festivals but can Include wristbanding, vehicle gate checks, fire towers, tent/stage management, traffic management, general crowd interaction.

I've seen people with these although look treacherous to me after a few sherberts!

Gate A general queue is bigger than the coach arrivals, plenty of car drivers arrive at A hoping to camp on the North side. But they let coach passengers through quicker to a) incentivise coach travel and b) not clog up the festival coach station with queuing passengers.

I'm volunteering with Oxfam, went to Bearded 2019 as a punter and thoroughly enjoyed it! There's so much on the line up that I'm not bothered that I'll miss some. Can't wait!

Oxfam... No, it won't help, you have to keep refreshing the website frequently to see if a spot pops up.

Hey Spirits and buy mixers... Or get friends to take booze for you. Can't answer about arriving on thurs v weds, but you have no choice so you'll make it what is! You won't get a spot in Oxlyers or Paines on Thursday. But there's plenty of space further out. If you get friends to save you a spot in Paines, you'll need them to take your tent.. I doubt a groundsheet would be enough tbh. Enjoy!

Nick, welcome, and its great that you're asking questions about Glastonbury. I'm in my mid 50s but have been going to festivals since I was a teenager! Most festivals cater for camper vans and most (although not all) you'll find a wide range of ages from newborn babies up to, well, how old is too old!! Most are easier to get tickets for than Glastonbury and all are physically easier! Its a bit like going on a city break after a rural life and choosing New York as the first city you visit! Think about what concerns and likes you have. Most festivals are where strangers chat to and hug each other. All festivals are exposed to the elements, 24/7, and can be brutally hot or knee deep in mud, or sometimes both. Most festivals have an "arena" where the entertainment is, with the camping /camper lying outside of the arena. Most festivals you will see people drunk or on drugs mixing with families. All festivals have grotty toilets and limited shower/washing facilities. Most festivals you eat from food stalls, some are great, a lot are awful. Most festivals have a mix of different music, and many have non musical entertainment, from science to comedy and theatre. If you think you like the ups and downs, then let us know what sort of music you like and someone will give recommendations! Ps, people can and do Glastonbury for the first time in their 60's...my mum was 63, but it helps to be curious and find out what you're letting yourself in for! All the best, happy to answer any questions!

I have always taken a small 1 ring burner for hot water for coffee/washing/noodles. I have a Trangia stove, which my dad gave to me for my 1st festival in 1988...and it had been going a few years by then!! So, hard wearing kit but not cheap. You can pick up all sorts of other types from normal camping stores. If you decide not to take a stove, then its never very far to a stall selling coffee. Most campsites don't have food stalls, but Paines does, Oxlyers has millions of them as its where the Other Stage is - not sure about facilities on the other side of the site. Food is £10-£12 (last year) for a big main meal, breakfast rolls maybe £6-8 ish, can buy snacks and cheaper stuff in the greenfields - but thats a trek from the main stages. There's also a Coop at the bottom of Park Home camping I usually take cereal for breakfast, which I have with water. Then buy food out for the rest of the day.

Theres never enough time to do the shopping!!

Pretty wrong! It definitely doesn't go on all night like some venues at Glastonbury but Magical Sounds tent goes on until 2ish, maybe later. I think there's a few other venues that go that late too.

Also take into account the physical distance, you don't know where you're going and Pennards is a long way from Gate A!

I think they are amazing although thankfully never needed them myself. I have a monthly small donation to them, done it now for about 5 years.

I started in Cockmill before it was family camping, then moved over to Park Home, gradually moving west with the fence and have camped in Baileys the last few times. We had one exception, when we camped over somewhere nr where Woodsies is but found it too far out for us!