If you were asked to name a music festival, what’s the betting that Glastonbury would be the first that popped into your head? A regular feature since 1970 (with the exception of the disruption caused by Covid), this is a festival that is loved and just seems to get better and better.
With its 50th anniversary slightly belated, Glastonbury is back in full swing. As the world’s biggest artists line up to perform to an audience that just can’t get enough, what is it that makes this festival so great? Why will audiences face the risk of the great British weather for 5 days of camping and frolicking in fields? Let’s take a look.
A mammoth event requires meticulous planning
Great events like Glastonbury don’t remain great just by chance. To pull off what is pulled off every year, an enormous amount of work goes in. Croissant Neuf of 36 years, Sally Howell, reveals to Betway Online Casino that it’s a year-round job.
Howell reveals that this five-day event is something that one needs to live and breathe to keep it so great. Whether receiving CDs to listen to, working through emails, or recruiting staff, the planning and preparation never stop until the day itself. Five days down the line, and the process starts over.
A sense of community
While the music fans all flock and create their own communities, those working at the festival experience it too. It’s this community aspect that makes the festival quite as special as it is. Howell states that her area is relatively small, but there is still a crew of 175 people, and that’s before you even consider any performers.
With the event taking place in June, Howell reveals that they begin to recruit staff right after Christmas. She says, “The stewards in my area just work for me. They’re not given to me. You get a lot of the same faces back every year, they’re like family.”
The biggest variety
When you take a look at some of the other big music festivals, none of them come close to offering the same level of variety as Glastonbury. The likes of boomtown have 25 stages, Tomorrowland just 16, while Exit boasts 40. These festivals combined don’t come close to what Glastonbury has to offer.
With over 100 stages, spread across numerous fields, Howell describes her area as “Like putting on a mini-festival within a festival.”
Great value for money
To get the fans to attend, there’s a lot to get right. Of course, the acts are hugely important, but so is the pricing. Too much, and people just can’t afford to attend. This leads to smaller crowds and a loss of atmosphere.
The thing is when compared to other festivals the world over, Glastonbury represents exceptional value for money. There are other festivals, that offer nowhere near as much in terms of entertainment, that charge far more. The Glastonbury experience is worth every single penny.
