Could a second weekend work?

[dentalplan]

I keep seeing this mentioned (off the forum) and Coachella's dual weekend thing being brought up to scoop up all the demand for tickets but COULD a second weekend of the festival with all the same acts work? The first difficulties that spring to mind would be only getting broadcasting revenue for one weekend and, of course, the cleanup after weekend one, but could these things be hypothetically worked around? Would an untelevised second weekend besmirch Glastonbury or would people throw that aside and actually enjoy being at that one instead?

I'm not lobbying for this; I just found it an interesting concept that I'd never heard mentioned for Glastonbury before today.

[stopwn1981]

Doubt it will ever happen, but money (increased revenue) talks.

[Alcatraz]

There's absolutely no way each festival could run for 5 days if they did two weekends which in my view, would be watering it down into irrelevancy

Edited October 5, 2014 by Alcatraz

[chappers11]

I think the massive impact on the farm would be a major issue, particularly in bad weather. they can get away with it in the desert

[stardustjunkie]

It would be amazing if more people could go but I can't ever see it happening

I suppose it wouldn't be too stressful, it'd be the set up as per usual and then just a weeks break in the middle with a bit of a clear up and possibly some change overs of stalls etc, and then start again.

It'd take a band committing to two weekends though, so potentially two different sets of headliners etc?

It would also cost more but they'd make twice as much on tickets..

[Thearg]

A step too far for the local council and the resources

[Swieve]

and we would all just want to try and be there for the two weekends

[yellowsnow]

Takes up to six weeks to get the site clear and back to normal, can't imagine them to have a quicker turn around for the weekend after. Glastonbury is about one off performances/moments and they wouldn't be that if they just replicated the same weekend twice.

[kalifire]

a bit of a clear up

To put it mildly. Nobody would want to go on the second weekend after the farm had been trodden into the ground just days earlier. There are some parts of the site that are just revolting by the Sunday/Monday morning and it'd take a huge effort, around the clock, to make it presentable again for another huge crowd.

[Beaver89]

It can work for smaller or shorter festivals but for Glasto it is not feasible. It takes 2 weeks to clear litter from the site, the number of acts would make it impossible to duplicate, the impact on the farm would scar the land too much, and the council would never permit it.

It is frustrating (and amazing) how popular it has become but unfortunately everything has a limit. Also, isn't it part of the allure to get your hands on the Wonka factory tickets knowing what the demand is like?

Glasto is a very special thing and to expand it, even if it were feasible, would dilute the magic.

[Matt42]

700,000 registrations right?

300,000 avg tickets won't stop there being a ticket rush

[dentalplan]

Good points about the ground. I hadn't considered that even though it was the bane of my weekend this year. I guess that'd be the main thing on top of a pile of reasons it couldn't really happen.

Edited October 5, 2014 by dentalplan

[jdizzle]

Don't think the site could take it imagine if it rained the first weekend haha no chance

[fowls]

Would the council even allow that much disruption to its local communities? Plenty of people who don't like the festival go on holiday that week... that wouldn't be possible if it was two weekends.

[stuartbert two hats]

I was thinking about this when Pilton Party was on. I wouldn't want another weekend straight afterwards with the same acts, but a different, smaller festival on Worthy Farm might be a goer. For the sake of argument say the 2nd festival takes place solely on Eavis owned land.

Could you imagine if they tried a totally different layout and different programming, almost as a testbed for the main festival? At the moment, the scale of the place is the best and worst thing about it. A second, lower-key event could free things up.

But, yeah the weather would be the sticker. This year, it would have beeb easy to do a July/August event. In 2007? Urgh.

Edited October 5, 2014 by stuartbert two hats

[wweerr208]

I've thought about this for many years and I recon it is very doable with a bit of investment in infrastructure (and that's only for the wet years) - which btw was great last year, the mud situation was contained around the market places and bellas field (need more, but seriously better than previous years)

GFL would easily sell out on +1 weekend for little extra investment, there may be different headliners (of which I wouldn't watch) market stall holder would make more money for a little extra money, since their vans are setup

btw I also think the farm is missing out by not having an around the year campsite (eg with no festival) they could make crap loads of more money with out corporate income

[Cooter]

I imagine if this was mentioned to Michael now he would laugh loudly hysterically for a very long time......and then in 50 years time when he was still giggling madly but very quietly in his cosy little straw bedded grave Emily would say yes maybe next year.

Edited October 5, 2014 by Cooter

[A13]

No, ta.

[stuartbert two hats]

I imagine if this was mentioned to Michael now he would laugh loudly hysterically for a very long time......and then in 50 years time when he was still giggling madly but very quietly in his cosy little straw bedded grave Emily would say yes maybe next year.

I was going to say something about the management. I would wager money that it won't happen in Michael's lifetime. If it happens later, that depends entirely on what happens to the farm after his passing. If the other siblings sell out to GFL, then expect it to happen. I'm not trying to imply that Emily hates cows, but it seems to me that the festival is her clear priority, not the farm.

This is sooner than 50 years off - Mike turns 80 in 12 days!

Edited October 5, 2014 by stuartbert two hats

[Grac]

One a month would be class, thanks. Keep us all sane.

[Bisque]

Imagine the outcry from twitter/fb if one weekend was sun blessed & the other a wash out?

[Cooter]

Yea but Mike's going to live until he's 130, isn't he...isn't he!!! Please God isn't he!

Joking aside, if anything, I'd imagine Emily (or Mikes grandkids) extending the festival to at least 7 days of solid entertainment ie 9-10 days of camping/parking/etc.

[Bisque]

extending the festival to at least 7 days of solid entertainment ie 9-10 days of camping/parking/etc.

More likely & would destroy me!

[wweerr208]

I seriously recon they could get a +2 week - given time (+15years). apart from a few complaints from locals - who let face it could be bought off or over time just simply replaced by an Eavis fans club (ouch I've looked at Piltons property prices, but lets face it there's a lot of very rich glasto fans)

would the glasto feeling, feel a tad less special - yes, but at least i'd be albe to get a ticket. As long they stop short of making feel like disney world!!! LOL imagine a Glasto cruise!!! umm.....

edit: the glastonbury experience is a world heritage, not extending it a bit would be crazy.

Edited October 5, 2014 by wweerr208

[scorp]

i think a campsite spring to autumn on site would be good...with some piped or live music. there is already a sort of camp site of sorts there...