What got you to go to Glastonbury in the first place?

[The Goo Goo Doll]

2010 was the first for me (and a late starter with festival - 38 years old).

Me and my mate were watching Blue at Glastonbury (2009) and just decided to go last year.

This year I am going solo, but I wouldn't miss it for the world

[Nyika]

My first Glasto was 2009 when I was 17, I'd been wanting to go since about the age of 12 but I didn't have the money to go until just after my A levels. It was everything I'd hoped for and more and now I'll be going forever, probably.

[denwyn]

Even though i am not now going this year, it was the variety in the music that first made me first go, i did not start going till late on in life, and i was never keen on the very long journey there but as i moved very near Glastonbury, i deceided to give it a go., i do now regret taking that decesion not to go when i lived a very long distance away. Although i must say that i now only live 26 miles from the site it still takes me almost 6 hours to get there on a Wednesday. Never got my head around any of the fringe stuff though, still put the music as the main reason to go. Only thing i would have changed is making the effort to go when i was younger. To late now though.

[Party-'Scatter'!]

I love this thread

My best mate went in 2005. She text me all the time and I spent the whole weekend watching it on the TV regreting every second of not being their with her. I was almost in tears.

2006 I was completely guttered was the fallow year, so we went to TITP. Which I thought was brilliant.

2007 was my first Glastonbury at age 30 - in the thick mud and non stop rain - it was AMAZING! Never looked back and I regret every one of the ones I missed. I've promised myself I will try for tickets every year until I'm old and grey.

[jollynolly]

My first was 1986. I was in the 6th form and was desperate to go as Christie Moore was playing and the Pouges. I told my parents it was a young peoples camping weekend (they were not at all perturbed) Bought my ticket from the HMV in Swansea about 2 weeks before hand. You could just drive in and pitch up by your tent. I can remember lots of drainage ditches with little planks of wood to walk over to get in to the main areas, with people sitting buy them selling hash cakes.

A few bits were a bit hairy the guys with black baklava's selling the hard stuff were intimidating.It was so much smaller then with less crowds. The Green Fields were amazing I fell asleep in a tent there and woke up in the middle of a belly dancing workshop that I had to participate in. Happy Days.

[4AssedMonkey]

Me and a mate talked about it for years, always watched the TV coverage, but life got in the way. Marriages, kids, careers etc. I nearly went in 2003 (gutted I didn't as the line up was awesome) but was scared of going solo. Then in 2008, same mate said that we ought to just do it before he turned 40 so we could at least say we'd been. So 3 of us bought tickets to '09 and that was it. Addicts all 3.

I try not to regret things in life, but not taking the plunge sooner does leave me a bit gutted.

[fred quimby]

What a great thread

First year for me was 1982, wanted to go the year before with my Brother but was to young (for my folks) at 15. Went because of the music (randy california, Black Uhuru, Aswad) and to escape to the country with my mates to get trollied. Been to everyone since except 2009 for a wedding. Reallly wish I'd gone in '81 but hey ho. Boy has it changed, but still really enjoyable.

I work there now back stage (Circus and theatre)and it's great to meet up with friends down there,who I generally only see there. This year I'm taking my kids (8 and 10) so will experience a different festival again

[amfy]

I think this thread is giving a sense of why Glastonbury leaves you feeling so ageless.

The older people all either regret not being there when they were younger, or find loads of memories of their youth there.

The younger people all want to still be going when they're old and grey.

This is why no-one thinks their age range owns it. No-one looking at anyone in a different age range and thinking they shouldn't be there, theres a shared understanding of why it belongs to all of us.

[Party-'Scatter'!]

I think this thread is giving a sense of why Glastonbury leaves you feeling so ageless.

The older people all either regret not being there when they were younger, or find loads of memories of their youth there.

The younger people all want to still be going when they're old and grey.

This is why no-one thinks their age range owns it. No-one looking at anyone in a different age range and thinking they shouldn't be there, theres a shared understanding of why it belongs to all of us.

[NunuD]

Good Lord - I cannot remember my first Glastonbury. I live in Somerset, just up the road in Bridgwater and my Mam used to take me year on year till I was about 12 - end of the free tickets and of course she never paid herself as she either worked it or hopped in. I remember it being amazing and a place where I could get away with hell! So much went on and being a kid there - well it gave me an alternative education lets put it that way! I couldn't tell you who I watched or when or what year, but I can say I remember the first year I was aware that it was midnight and I was still up and dancing along to music and eating some amazing food (think it was a pancake?) - it was completley mindblowing to an 8 year old.

Then I didn't go again until last year. What with one thing and another - university, a complete twat of an ex, money, a snobby phase of only listening to top 40 tunes - it just didn't happen.

Then all of a sudden I had this memory of that moment of dancing around with a pancake, and it was just - yes, I need to go back. I volunteered as a litter picker, and gotta say it was great to get that aweseome feeling of helping everyone enjoy it a bit more whilst at the same time having the most amazing time. It is home. It is perfect. It is a nowhere place and an everywhere place, and I hope it goes forever.

But just think, if it doesn't you will be able to tell your children and grandchildren about this magical place you visited where you danced all night and ate stardust, and show them the photos of you in a tutu or indian head dress and reassure them that it was normal there.

It's purely awesome.

[evilduck]

This will be my first year

I've been going to Reading every year since 2006, and back then I was a student and could only afford one major festival. Reading is smaller (easier to peg it between stages and see about 12-13 bands a day) and was generally better suited to my tastes so I always chose that one over Glasto.

My mum has gone to Glasto for the last 2 years (making up for lost time at 50!) and all her stories have finally persuaded me to go. I'm really looking forward to it!

[alanr]

My festival history is Weeley 1971 when I was 17. I remember an Amazing weekend, 3days 24hours per day music.

No tent, just a sleeping bag and a poly sheet. Only left the arena to use the foul toilets.

Then college/work/family got in the way and my next "festival" experience was various local Jazz & Blues festivals in the late '90s onwards.

Then with the family grown up and more time I did the Big Chill in 2007. I chose BC mainly because it is local and I could easily escape to my own bed.

The festival bug had bitten.

Did Womad 2008, then Big Chill 2009.

Went to Big Chill 2010 and found it had been almost destroyed by Festival Republic, so decided never to return.

Got a ticket to Glasto in October, so 1st time this year aged 57.

If all goes to plan it will be the first of many

[gooner1990]

This will be my first year

I've been going to Reading every year since 2006, and back then I was a student and could only afford one major festival. Reading is smaller (easier to peg it between stages and see about 12-13 bands a day) and was generally better suited to my tastes so I always chose that one over Glasto.

[parTy animal]

First went in 2009 after meeting a few members/ former members off this site

I'd been tempted to go for a good number of years but very few of my friends wanted to do festivals other than T in the Park. Ended up popping along to the Glasgow Efest meet back in October 2008 and met up with Paul tm, mynameisearl, Glitter & Vodka and a few others who all convinced me to go. Within a week I had registered and bought my ticket. Became pretty good friends with Glitter & Vodka and mynameisearl in the run up to the 2009 festival and been going with them (and an ever growing group) ever since

[denwyn]

Really good thread this...Lots of oldies wishing they had gone earlier including me...I don't think i would have liked it when they had all the trouble though, its far safer with the fence, and limited numbers. So if your a youngster all i can say is if your lucky enough to get a ticket..GO..you will never regret it. My love affair with Glastonbury has ended now,i shall miss it but all good things have to come to an end sometime and at 63 i think i am to old now.

[Mardy]

Early June 1993

On the dole in Margate, monkeying about. Nothing happening

Small pice in the news bit in the front of Melody Maker. Litter pickers wanted for Glastonbury. Fill in a form, send a cheque. 35 quid? 45?

Go up, kitbag over my shoulder, no idea what's going to happen but you know, you're young, you're daft, you've read one too many novels.

3 days of the festival having a great time. Don't remember much about it, lots of time in the theatre fields etc.

Litter picking for me started on the Tuesday. I volunteer for the tractor crews. Jump on the back of a trailer. Get chatting to the 3 birds on the back of the trailer, turns out they're from the same town as me, were in the year below me at school, never met them before mind but we've got lots of friends in common.

Ended up being a great, and I mean f**king great summer. Worked at Glastonbury for an extra 10 days, nice little bundle of cash dished out from a metal box by ME. Ended up going to the Feile with two of the girls. Man, what a summer...

[Pinhead]

For all those going for the first time and have been thinking of going for a few years . . . . . . . . . . . My God you are all going to have such an incredible time! I remember my first time. There's simply nothing like your first time.

[Moogles]

I had to sign in and post just for this thread - awesome work gooner1990.

My first glasto was 2009 at 23 - been at festivals since 2005, but I was a student so money and the hassle of trying to get tickets stopped me from going to Glasto. I’ve watched bbc coverage of Glasto since I was about 15 - always always wanted to go, never got round to it.

Anyway yeah 2009. Arrived on site after the nightmare 10 hour traffic jam. Knew it was something else immediately after I arrived on site due to the sheer size of the place! Massive! Stone circle on the Wednesday night, the fires, the drums, the sheer amount of wonderful likeminded people… definitely knew this was something special. Then Michael Jackson died during East 17 which just added another dimension of surreality (all good though).

Had an absolutely wicked mash-up of a time the whole of the festi (entered Shangri la on the Friday night was the icing on the cake - Glasto had just entered another level of awesomeness).

The cherry on top was Blur though, so thankful that gig was at my first Glasto. I swear to god when I die Blur @ Glasto will be one of the moments that flashes before my eyes. I still get goosebumps whenever I think about the crowd singing tender. Being amongst that crowd during Blur was akin to a religious experience for me - whenever I think about that moment I can’t help thinking about humanity and our collective consciousness and how f**king fantastic it is to be alive right now.

At THAT moment I knew I’d be back every single year until I can’t walk for trying.

[KirstyJ]

My first glastonbury was last year, when i was 14 and I absolutely loved it, especially the kidz field, but as I am not 12 they wouldn't let me on the helter-skelter i wish my parents would have taken me when I was younger

[Spider43]

I've been going to Reading for years as live local but in 2008 my mrs planned a weekend away in June so looked for something to do, luckily due to rain/jayz (!) tickets were still available so I took the plunge. Best idea ever!

Can't imagine not going now and have roped in a load of mates each year!

Roll on June!

[bucko]

wow what a great thread.

first time for me this year at the age of 40.

i'm really wishing the days away after reading this.

someone should get a film crew to go round and ask people the same question it would make great tv this.

[ian the worm]

it was a 15 year unacted upon dream until 7 years ago. I finally got off my busy little arse and secured myself a bar job with the local boozer that runs a backstage bar there. 2 years on the waiting list and finally i get the best job in the best festival in the best country in the world!

xx

[Funkyfairy!]

Me and a mate talked about it for years, always watched the TV coverage, but life got in the way. Marriages, kids, careers etc. I nearly went in 2003 (gutted I didn't as the line up was awesome) but was scared of going solo. Then in 2008, same mate said that we ought to just do it before he turned 40 so we could at least say we'd been. So 3 of us bought tickets to '09 and that was it. Addicts all 3.

I try not to regret things in life, but not taking the plunge sooner does leave me a bit gutted.

[ian the worm]

The reason I go now is that 175000+ people of the alternative nation showing the world what humanity(get along and have fun) can do makes me go again.

[strolling wanderer]

It was 1999 and I was 32 and had been asked by a friend if I would like to help out as a steward with Oxfam. I had always thought of going but never quite got around to sorting out a ticket so this was an ideal opportunity.

Camped in Tom's Field, looking down over the festival site and listening to the fence jumpers at night coming over the old style fence. I never thought I'd led a sheltered life until being on site and working at that first festival directing cars and people down Blue route past the old Travellers vehicle compound. I loved it and have been back volunteering with Oxfam every year since.