Volunteering 2025

[amfy]

@philipsteakI was the same about it! I really really hope they can keep it! The people deserve nice things! 
Anyway - we are near the Harrison fence at the bottom of live in right now having a few drinks if you want to join us! Next to a cream Barefoot caravan (which isn't ours!) 

Edited July 30, 2025 by amfy
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[amfy]

I'm an idiot! @stuie we are still having. a drink down by the Harrison fence at the bottom of live in, behind the Barefoot camper. There are a few of us so you can't miss us! 

[amfy]

I'm an idiot! @stuie we are still having. a drink down by the Harrison fence at the bottom of live in, behind the Barefoot camper. There are a few of us so you can't miss us! 

[stuie]

On 30/07/2025 at 23:39, amfy said:

I'm an idiot! @stuie we are still having. a drink down by the Harrison fence at the bottom of live in, behind the Barefoot camper. There are a few of us so you can't miss us! 

didn’t see this message last night but then today the lovely @amfy was on my team patrolling the swimming lakes! 
 

Also seen @buddiepaul knocking around the place… turns out I worked with him at Glasto but didn’t know it was him! 

[TheBoz]

Off to Boomtown tomorrow. First-timer there.

 

I have the arrival info from Oxfam, but just wondering if anyone has got any Boomtown specific tips who has stewarded there before? 

[barcelonista1899]

5 hours ago, TheBoz said:

Off to Boomtown tomorrow. First-timer there.

 

I have the arrival info from Oxfam, but just wondering if anyone has got any Boomtown specific tips who has stewarded there before? 

 

You're in the thick of it so be prepared for some full on (but interesting) shifts.

 

Expect some furry friends to greet you on first entry.

[Jack H]

Hey everyone! Apologies if this is the wrong place for this! Hope all are well and having a great summer volunteering! I really want to volunteer at festivals next year so just wanted to ask what were peoples tip for getting in to volunteering at festivals and how long you are on site for (just so I can anticipate booking time off work). Thank you!! 

[dotdash79]

3 minutes ago, Jack H said:

Hey everyone! Apologies if this is the wrong place for this! Hope all are well and having a great summer volunteering! I really want to volunteer at festivals next year so just wanted to ask what were peoples tip for getting in to volunteering at festivals and how long you are on site for (just so I can anticipate booking time off work). Thank you!! 

There is a few different organisations that do festival volunteering, these will have different roles at different festivals. e.g. festaff do just wrist banding at glastonbury but at kendal they did that with ticket scanning, bar and also site traffic escorting. Places open up in around the feb or march time most roles you need to be onsite the day before your first shift (if you get pre festival shifts) or the first day of the festival, and most finish on the the last day of the festival or on the departure day depending on shifts.

 

If you are only interested in a certain festival, they might have direct places for volunteering.

[Pinhead]

5 hours ago, barcelonista1899 said:

 

You're in the thick of it so be prepared for some full on (but interesting) shifts.

 

Expect some furry friends to greet you on first entry.

It will, as ever, depend on the shifts you are allocated. It's quite a mad festival though so you might get some mad positions. I remember getting woodlands and downtown vehicle which were both a challenge in their own ways but memorable.

[amfy]

15 hours ago, Jack H said:

Hey everyone! Apologies if this is the wrong place for this! Hope all are well and having a great summer volunteering! I really want to volunteer at festivals next year so just wanted to ask what were peoples tip for getting in to volunteering at festivals and how long you are on site for (just so I can anticipate booking time off work). Thank you!! 

For Oxfam you usually have to be on site from the day before the public arrivals (so that you are ready to start work when the public arrive). For Glastonbury (which isn’t next year) you can be on site from the Monday if you want.

 

You can apply for early or late shifts, which you might not get, which can mean being on site longer, but having more of your shifts outside of the time that music is on.

 

if you want a place at Glastonbury 2027, it’s a good idea to do 2 festivals next year so that you can apply for a place in the priority window.

[JackP1994]

Apologies if it’s already been asked. But does anyone roughly know when we could expect to see our deposits returned this year? 
 

I got mine later last year as I volunteered a festival in August too. But wondered when we might receive it back this year having only done Glastonbury.

[Watergirl]

2 hours ago, JackP1994 said:

Apologies if it’s already been asked. But does anyone roughly know when we could expect to see our deposits returned this year? 
 

I got mine later last year as I volunteered a festival in August too. But wondered when we might receive it back this year having only done Glastonbury.

 

I am in the same situation. There was a newsletter from Oxfam two days ago with various bits of news that mentioned "deposit refunds are on the way".

[balti-pie]

After exclusively volunteering at festivals since 2019, and i think ive been to eleven in that time, i finally got a punter's ticket and went to Bloodstock this weekend - man, you have so much more time and energy when you're there as a member of the great unwashed 😄 

we should all have a festival off every now and again and not volunteer so much yknow, it was absolutely blissful not to have any shifts - and the smaller site and ease of getting around specifically comparing the Catton Hall site (Bloodstock and Bearded Theory are both there) to the Glastonbury monolith was amazing. i'm quite glad its a glasto fallow year cos a year off will be nice. Maybe its my age but im starting to think glastonbury is just too physically demanding and too big. 

[Skip997]

1 minute ago, balti-pie said:

Maybe its my age but im starting to think glastonbury is just too physically demanding and too big. 

It’s definitely too big, way too big and far too many people. 

[balti-pie]

1 hour ago, Skip997 said:

It’s definitely too big, way too big and far too many people. 

It was so nice to be at a festival and everything was within a ten min wander - tent, bar, food, all four stages, spots for a seat, other non-music stuff, everything.

Comparing that to seeing a band at Woodsies and then wandering to the SE corner for a set on the Truth stage - half an hour if you get a decent stomp on, and if youre fighting against a crowd from a just-finished set youre absolutely knackered.

 

20k people is a lot nicer than 200k and thats just how it is, smaller is better! 

 

edit: and the joy of being able to fairly effortlessly get near the front of the main stage just fifteen mins before the band starts - headliners, everyone - is magic

Edited August 13, 2025 by balti-pie

[Skip997]

48 minutes ago, balti-pie said:

20k people is a lot nicer than 200k and thats just how it is, smaller is better! 

Yes

I’m off to Shambala next weekend. Massively looking forward to it, unlike with Glastonbury this year, I wasn’t sure (although I did have a great time).

[philipsteak]

17 hours ago, balti-pie said:

After exclusively volunteering at festivals since 2019, and i think ive been to eleven in that time, i finally got a punter's ticket and went to Bloodstock this weekend - man, you have so much more time and energy when you're there as a member of the great unwashed 😄 

we should all have a festival off every now and again and not volunteer so much yknow, it was absolutely blissful not to have any shifts - and the smaller site and ease of getting around specifically comparing the Catton Hall site (Bloodstock and Bearded Theory are both there) to the Glastonbury monolith was amazing. i'm quite glad its a glasto fallow year cos a year off will be nice. Maybe its my age but im starting to think glastonbury is just too physically demanding and too big. 

 

My lot always talk about this but never seem to get round to it.

Think we're all a bit institutionalised

Maybe next year...

[stuie]

I’m glad we have Glastonbury - the huge spectacle, biggest festival in the world… and we also have some quality smaller festivals too. 
 

I wouldn’t want to do 2 Glastonbury’s a year, but love doing other smaller festivals too alongside it. 
 

That doesn’t mean Glastonbury is too big now - it’s always been a monster! 

[stuie]

3 hours ago, philipsteak said:

 

My lot always talk about this but never seem to get round to it.

Think we're all a bit institutionalised

Maybe next year...

I normally volunteer at Glasto and 1 other and then do another 1 or 2 on a ticket with my mates. 
 

I love working with Oxfam for the people connection and supporting the charity but I also value my free time to fully let go too! 🤪

[efcfanwirral]

On 13/08/2025 at 14:25, balti-pie said:

After exclusively volunteering at festivals since 2019, and i think ive been to eleven in that time, i finally got a punter's ticket and went to Bloodstock this weekend - man, you have so much more time and energy when you're there as a member of the great unwashed 😄 

we should all have a festival off every now and again and not volunteer so much yknow, it was absolutely blissful not to have any shifts - and the smaller site and ease of getting around specifically comparing the Catton Hall site (Bloodstock and Bearded Theory are both there) to the Glastonbury monolith was amazing. i'm quite glad its a glasto fallow year cos a year off will be nice. Maybe its my age but im starting to think glastonbury is just too physically demanding and too big. 

So we did Y Not last year and Kendal this year and you really do appreciate it. The lack of showers isn't great though! 

[balti-pie]

10 hours ago, efcfanwirral said:

So we did Y Not last year and Kendal this year and you really do appreciate it. The lack of showers isn't great though! 

Ah, i got posh camping with showers, a VIP bar and all sorts of free bumf - i'm softened by the volunteer experience now 😄 got to be clean and nice!

[philipsteak]

I couldn't shower at Glastonbury this year (had a wound on my foot I had to keep dry and the logistics of that just weren't worth the effort for various reasons). Part of me quite enjoyed going a bit feral again. Was like the old days before I started volunteering.

[amfy]

Just in the way back from Beautiful Days as a customer and the shower/toilet experience is just as good as a customer as it is when volunteering. 
It's definitely good to mix up volunteering and going for a festival full on. 
Glastonbury is a bit different in that volunteering is pretty much the only way in these days because it's so hard to get a ticket, and because it has such a great selection of crew bars which become a pretty essential part once you get used to them, especially with how busy it is these days.

[Jay Pee]

Just got back from 6 day's volunteering at Green Man and absolutely blown away with it.  Easily on a par with the Glastonbury feel good factor if not better.

 

The location, the organisation, the beer festival within the festival, swimming in the river, the people, the band's and their positive attitude. Absolutely loved it.

 

Just about to start emptying the van as off to Krankenhaus on Wednesday. Buzzing

[Skip997]

1 hour ago, amfy said:

Just in the way back from Beautiful Days as a customer and the shower/toilet experience is just as good as a customer as it is when volunteering

Have they improved the toilet situation? They’ve always been dreadful. Stuck in the dark ages with portaloos instead of compost loos. Mind it is a bit of a 80’s throwback event so I guess it’s in keeping