Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Avril Lavigne and Russel Crowe on stage, Michael J Fox as a surprise guest and Tom Cruise and Gillian Anderson celebrating in the audience: the legendary Glastonbury Festival once again attracted some of the world’s biggest stars to Worthy Farm in the southwest of England this year. But it’s not (just) the celebrities that make the world’s most famous festival so special. All those who spend five days immersed in the colorful parallel world with them, camping, celebrating, singing, meditating and dancing around the campfire late at night, play at least as big a part. We met some of the Glastonbury 2024 guests on site and talked to them about the fascination of Glastonbury. All Images: © Astrid Hofer.
Sahr: Glastonbury-Newbie
Sahr comes from Pakistan, lives in London and says he is “an absolute festival fan“. Glastonbury had been on her wish list for a long time: “My friends go every year. They now have a sophisticated system to increase the chances of getting tickets on the day of sale. I’m delighted that it worked out for all of us this time.” For Sahr, the festival is “a huge playground for adults where you can really let off steam.” True to the motto “try everything”, we meet her in the afternoon at the first Qigong lesson of her life. In the evening, it’s time for concerts on the legendary Pyramid Stage, followed by dancing until sunrise.
Rachel: Festival-Fan with the whole Family
Rachel went to Glastonbury Festival for the first time in the mid-1990s. “There was no fence around the site back then, it was all a bit different, a bit more disorganized,” she laughs. Four more times followed, then a 17-year break from Glastonbury. This year, the Brit was back for the first time, accompanied by her husband and two children. “You get to know a completely different side of the festival,” she says of the family trip. What does she particularly appreciate? “The separate camping fields for families and the fact that you can do so much here with children. There’s a new attraction on every corner – and it’s all free. Glastonbury is extremely family-friendly.”
Dan & Rosie: The Couple Who (almost) Tied the Knot
For Dan and Rosie, a couple from the north of England who have been inseparable since high school, the Glastonbury Festival is simply “the best place in the world“. The two have grown so fond of Worthy Farm that they even got engaged at the Glastonbury Festival in 2023. “The wedding is still to come,” they say. However, there was already a trial run at this year’s festival: In a so-called handfasting ceremony, a Celtic ritual in which hands are symbolically joined, they swore allegiance to each other as Glastonbury 2024 guests in front of family, friends and festival-goers who happened to be in the vicinity. They plan to return in 2025 – for the first time as an official married couple.
Katherine: Glastonbury Regular
Londoner Katherine is now practically part of the Glastonbury inventory. She hasn’t missed a festival since 2013. When it was canceled in 2021 due to Covid and the organizers streamed live performances to Glastonbury fans’ homes instead, she “sat in the bathtub with tears in my eyes and a bottle of wine while Coldplay were on stage”. “There’s nothing quite like Glastonbury,” says Katherine. Your personal festival highlights? “The smaller stages, where you can find real one-offs and insider tips.” The Glastonbury audience is also something very special: “Everyone is incredibly nice, this year even more so than usual.” Unsurprisingly, Katherine has already marked the festival date for 2025 in her diary.
Gemma, Gemma & Shelly: Trio from the neighborhood
Gemma, Gemma and Shelly are among the lucky ones who live close to the Glastonbury site – and therefore have access to a separate ticket allocation. This is because only local residents can buy day tickets for the final on Sunday. The trio has already been to the festival in 2022. Favorite memory from back then: “the Pet Shop Boys”. In 2024, Avril Lavigne is her absolute highlight. But for the three of them, it’s not just about the big names. They love Glastonbury on Sea at least as much, a faithful replica of a typical British beach pier, complete with deckchairs and a candy floss stand: “We could sit here forever and watch people.”
