Glastonbury - Still the best! (Festivals in general)

Member Name: tornado_pilot

Product:	Festivals in general
Date:	16/09/04 (39 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Music, Atmoshpere, Culture

Disadvantages: A small minority of idiots who ruin it for everyone

Having been to many festivals across the UK and Europe, I always return to my local festival, Glastonbury.

Having such a festival right on your doorstep is fantastic, big name bands, side-shows, plenty of beer tents and enough weird and wonderful sights to make you think you're in a remake of the Beatles "Yellow Submarine".

Everyone who has ever been to the Glastonbury Festival has a story to tell about what they have seen. The naked bloke who walked through their campfire one night, the bloke dressed as a rhino who got stuck in the mud and had to be pulled out by landrover, the old guy with a long beard and a stick who looks like Gandolf from Lord of the Rings, the countless entrepreneurs who sell their home made "fairy" cakes, I could go on but the list is endless!

No other festival that I have been to has come close to the atmosphere of Glasto, there is a real spiritual feel to the festival, which is set in the Avalonian fields that King Arthur is reputed to have used during his days.

Organised and run by Michael Eavis and his daughter Emily, and previously by Michael's wife, Jean who has sadly passed away. Michael and Emily keep the festival real and down to earth, there is a real community atmosphere as you look out across the fields at night with the camp fires flickering away, laugher, drunken shenanigans and a rousing chorus of "BO****KS!" fills the night, don't ask me why but it gets shouted randomly at first finishing with what seems to be the entire festival shouting it in unison, but a great Glasto memory, been going on for years!

What is a shame is a small minority, and it really is a small minority, of idiots who are intent on spoiling the festival for others. Security and the police are helpful at the festival and are usually on the lookout for these prats but as a result it is unwise to leave anything valuable in your tent whilst you are a way from it.

Arrive on the Wednesday to get the real festival experience, although the bands aren't playing until Friday, the camp site is open and you can go to as many as 30 free parties at night due to the market stalls that somehow morph into makeshift night-clubs, providing the beats until the big boys take over at the weekend.

If you've been to Glastonbury (or Pilton as we locals call it) before then you'll know what I'm talking about, if you haven't been before then it's something you need to do at least once in your life, but having said that, if you go once, you'll be hooked.

Leave on the Monday feeling very dirty, very tired and very buzzing!

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