The Ultimate Guide: Tips For Your First Glastonbury Festival

Attending the iconic Glastonbury Festival for the first time can seem both exhilarating and overwhelming. With its vast size spanning over 900 acres, potential for muddy conditions that live up to the hype, and a jampacked lineup boasting legendary headliners alongside exciting up-and-comers, navigating this globally revered outdoor music experience as a beginner is no easy feat.

However, while enduring the sheer awe of your inaugural Glastonbury odyssey may sound daunting, fret not! By following guidance from our team of seasoned experts with decades of collective Worthy Farm wisdom under their belts, your first Glastonbury Festival can actually be smooth, comfortable, and unforgettable fun.

This definitive 4000+ word guide covers tips ranging from critical preparation steps to on-site survival tactics to health and packing advice from festival veterans. It also includes insight from first-timers on their most recent maiden voyages. Follow it closely to steer clear of common rookie mistakes and fully embrace the infectious magic that transforms Glastonbury Festival from a loud, crowded music festival into a soul-stirring cultural institution and British eccentricity celebration like no other.

Planning and Preparation: Ensuring a Smooth Start

Making some key arrangements ahead of entering Worthy Farm can set you up for success by ironing out logistics that could otherwise derail focus from the revelry at hand. Think of it as consecrating sacred intent to summon Glastonbury’s mystical powers of elevation.

Research Extensively

The official Glastonbury Festival website offers a fountain of critical information for planning your visit. Schedule ample time pre-fest to pour over details on lineup schedules, stage maps, FAQs covering questions from accessible accommodations to child tickets, sustainability and greening initiatives plus guidance on reducing environmental impact, the exhaustive prohibited items list spanning firearms to disposable BBQs to recreational drones, and much more.

Perusing such logistics familiarizes you with the expected experience so surprises won’t catch you off guard. It also gets you acquainted with the event’s strongly held ethics and unique essence compared to other music festivals. This background shapes intentions for the energy you bring.

You might feel overwhelmed navigating the dense festival website as a newbie though. So bookmark key pages for reference later. And contact the Festival Information Line by email or phone with lingering questions afterwards.

Craft an All-Encompassing Packing List

Another vital pre-festival task is creating an all-encompassing packing list covering necessities like sheltered sleeping quarters and layered clothing to comfortable footwear and sun protection accessories. Refer often to the Ultimate Glastonbury Packing List spanning more than six feet long when compiling your gear.

Cross-reference this opus with specialized recommendations from this blog post too regarding cash, chargers, and other first-timer-specific suggestions. Building the perfect inventory ensures you safely enjoy Glastonbury to its fullest. But take the list’s length as inspiration rather than gospel; tweak items and quantities to match your personal needs and planned activities. Traveling as lightly as possible makes navigating the enormous grounds far more pleasurable.

Cherry Pick Must-See Performers

Glastonbury Festival 2023 will showcase over 3,000 diverse musical acts range. Peppered amongst the lineup poster’s tiny font sit undoubtedly epic performances — whether of legendary legacy artists securing a coveted Pyramid Stage sunset slot or soon-to-be-world-famous newbies tucked into obscure venue corners.

Review the full poster as early as the lineup drops to cherry-pick your personal must-see acts. Choosing even five to 10 performances specifically appeals supercharges your excitement. Having named targets in mind when wandering Worthy Farm also helps avoid that overwhelmed sensation of too many options.

Create a customized schedule organized by date, stage, time slots, and travel time built-in between sets. This keeps your group aligned on plans or at least aware of each member’s whereabouts when cell service inevitably fails. Just schedule flexibility too for discovering unexpected gems through pleasant detours or indulging spontaneous whims.

You can reference the official Glastonbury 2023 Spotify playlist when researching artists as well. Listen before or during travel to the fest to build hype. Downloading artists onto your offline playlists ensures you can still jam out when internet connections vanish on-site.

Finally, definitely download the official Glastonbury Festival app when available, usually in May, for schedule updates, customizable lineups, maps integration, and ticket barcodes. This provides on-site guidance literally in hand—just be sure your phone remains charged!

Book Travel and Accommodations

Determine your transportation plan—whether driving and parking on site, taking the shuttle bus, arriving by scheduled train, or some other option (rideshares, hiring a driver, etc.). Arrive early in the multi-day festival if you drive yourself to secure a prized parking spot. And consider leaving on Sunday night instead of Monday morning to avoid the lengthy exodus queues.

Also decide where you will stay overnight, choosing from camping on-site (free options or affordable campervan fields), local vacation cottage rentals, or Glastonbury hotels and B&Bs.

If camping, research the campsite options to select in advance based on your needs and preferences. Then secure a parking spot near that campground. This avoids lugging heavy bags long distances from distant lots.

Plot Your Route

Determine transportation plans for arriving at Pilton, Somerset (Glastonbury Festival’s nearest village) early. Options include:

Driving and parking on site using the general day parking lots or camper van fields. Arrive early in the multi-day festival, even the Tuesday before the music starts, to secure a prized spot since capacity is very limited.
Riding the shuttle bus from designated locations like Bath, Bristol, or Milton Keynes. Book tickets in advance since these coaches fill quickly. Alert your driving companions about luggage restrictions too.
Taking scheduled trains and then shuttle buses according to guidance on the Train Travel page. Book tickets for specific festival trains through designated rail companies early; these sell out fast.
Other options like hiring a taxi service to provide private transport or arranging ride shares through the official Glastonbury Festival Sharerdrive group on Facebook.

And plot how to depart Glastonbury as well. Either leave on Sunday night/early Monday morning to avoid lengthy queues or build in ample time if exiting Monday after festivities close. Wherever possible, puff up deflated air mattresses for cozy shuttle bus/train naps post-Glastonbury as needed too!

Select Where to Stay

Consider lodging requirements when budgeting too, choosing between:

Camping on-site using your own tent or camper van, which requires packing extra supplies but allows total immersion. You can also rent tents and equipment from companies like Ready Camp that set up and take down everything for you! Just arrive. Bonus perks like access to private showers/bathrooms, device charging, free rides around the site, special entry lanes, concierge, and more are included with fancy options like Pop Up Hotel too.
Local vacation cottage rentals range from quaint countryside rooms to entire houses for groups. These require travel into the festival but provide cozy, cleaner living quarters.
Hotels and B&Bs around Glastonbury or nearby cities like Bath and Bristol. Many inns offer shuttles to/from the festival too for extra convenience.

If camping, research specific areas like Pennard Hill, Little England, or Mill Camp ahead of time to choose one that suits needs and preferences regarding noise, commuting distance, family friendliness, etc. Understanding locations like tipis vs. camper van fields prevents waking up the neighbors stumbling in at 5 am.

Try securing parking near your chosen campground if driving to minimize schlepping heavy gear for miles; pack the car accordingly with ready-to-grab essentials upfront vs. buried luggage requiring lengthy unpacking roadside. Consider leaving fresh clothes/shoes for the ride home behind the driver’s seat too.

Pack Like a Pro

Having the proper gear, supplies, and substances in your arsenal is what ultimately transforms the colloquialism “roughing it” at outdoor camping festivals into genuinely enjoying these multi-day endurance adventures. Packing correctly allows focusing energy on revelry not worrying about sourcing necessities last minute.

We’ve referenced indispensable packing lists ad nauseam already. But beyond comprehensive inventories and weather-appropriate clothing layers, also remember these oft-forgotten yet festival-critical items:

Cash in small denominations since many vendors don’t accept payment cards. ATMs have high fees and long lines.
Hand sanitizer to supplement soap-water handwashing for cleanliness.
Portable phone chargers as free electrical outlets are scarce. Limit phone use to conserve power.
Poncho for sudden summer showers. Retreat to cover then resume feasting!
A first aid kit with plasters, pain/allergy tablets, antiseptic wipes, and other medical essentials secured in a noticeable pouch. On-site shops have painfully long queues and markups.
Collapsible wagon/trolley for heavy gear transport, despite official rules shunning them. Lifesaving for convoluted campsite commutes!
Waterproof boots or wellies to slosh through famously sloppy, thick mud inevitable after rains without sacrificing broken-in comfort.
And a small backpack like the Anthalage Light Handbag for carrying aforementioned survival sundries conveniently hands-free all day – wallet, sunnies, light jacket, power bank, face wipes, blister plasters, ear plugs, pills, etc.

Finally, pack an extra outfit including broken-in yet presentable shoes in the car for clean and comfortable driving home. Slip into this post-Glasto after laundering your fetid festival garb rather than stewing in a brewery of bodily odors the entire ride back!

Navigating the Festival Grounds

Spanning over 900 acres across Worthy Farm’s sprawling countryside, the Glastonbury Festival site offers endless magic to uncover beyond scheduled performances. However, veteran attendees agree: wayfinding poses an initial challenge for first-timers navigating the sheer vastness plus muddy tracks between landmarks.

Fret not! Several strategies help orient yourself swiftly and travel intelligently, saving energy for revels.

Get Your Bearings

Explore the grounds thoroughly before musical acts commence on big stages. Venture out as soon as gates open on Wednesday or possibly earlier if you secure special early access passes.

Spot directional signage and colorful flag poles lining popular paths to imprint spatial awareness
Visit major stages and installations to imprint their locations
Make notes on useful districts like First Aid tents, the Healing Field, collective campsite hubs, etc.
And obviously, pinpoint where your own campsite lies!

Employ purposeful tactics here too so finding your way home amid muddy maze madness feels feasible:

Use map apps like What3Words to tag tent coordinates
Set unique location markers with visible items like LED wire lights wrapped around poles, vibrant tapestries, or handmade signs so your site shines
Meet neighbors who can ensure you arrive safely if separated or redirect lost friends
Imprint landmarks between gates and your camp noticing structures like the Glastonbury Sign pointing to camps, Stone Circle bound, etc.

During Norwegian electronic dance artist Aurora’s 2022 Glastonbury set, she broke into an impromptu acapella of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Disney’s Encanto. The field of observers dissolved into a smiling sea, hands raised mid-dance move freeze frame style, collective consciousness uniting global citizens through music’s magical transcendence.

Finally, invest in quality rain boots or wellies to trudge through the notoriously thick, slippery mud without sacrificing broken-in comfort. And slather feet in Vaseline to prevent painful chafing too!

Allot Ample Transit Time

When journeying between the Pyramid Stage, Other Stage, and other major venues, build in ample padding to account for congested foot traffic and inevitable detours for food/drink/shopping/exploration. Attempting to rush constantly between back-to-back shows across the site will drain your energy prematurely. Remain mindful of clock time but don’t become slaves to schedules.

Glastonbury invites surrendering to the ebb and flow rather than white-knuckling each minute. So pace thyself! Take in marquee acts but check out smaller independent artists too for fresh discoveries or even secret sets. Partake in non-music events like mindfulness sessions, comedy, theatre, circus spectacles, etc as well for balance. This ensures retaining stamina over multiple days without burnout.

Shangri-La, Glastonbury’s world-famous after-dark adult playland, warrants its own navigation planning too. This sensory explosion zone of dance music temples, circus-style acts, avant-garde performances, immersive art installations, and general madcap mischief doesn’t even open gates until 7 pm, pumping straight through sunrise when the rest of the Festival slumbers.

Rave veterans emphasize focusing energy there when already feeling charged vs attempting to ignite from fatigue. Applying illumination aids like LED glasses helps prevent stumbling blindly amid mystical fog and disorienting diversions. Just take care not to disturb tent neighbors still sleeping when returning to home base afterwards!

Mastering Life at Glastonbury

Managing food, shelter, sleep, phone charging and other critical wellness needs at a massively sprawled DIY city/music festival thriving off beautiful chaos requires thoughtful strategy. But creativity also influences innovative solutions! Heed this hard-won guidance for covering life essentials smoothly:

Keep Your Strength Up

Unlike quickly grabbing meals between conference sessions or at your desk, Glastonbury’s food options span every conceivable cuisine imaginable, each with its own queue. So smart snacking prevents crashing before the next epic stage spectacle:

Hydrate and refuel frequently, keeping a reusable water bottle and nutritious snacks easily accessible. The small backpack referenced for carrying daily supplies serves this purpose perfectly.
Grab more substantial festival fare from the plethora of food stalls spanning Worthy Farm. Seek quicker queues at outer-lying districts before major acts commence on the Pyramid Stage.
Return to camp for brief catnaps or proper sleep in the evenings to reboot energy. Light-blocking accessories like sleep masks make restorative rest possible even in noise.
And change into dry shoes/socks often to prevent painful blisters from wet feet chafing all day.

At night, Shangri-La’s surreal landscape bustles with art cars slinging hot falafel wraps until sunrise, costumed dancers handing out fruit slices mid-twirl, and old-timey pie and mash shops steaming indulgent comfort behind curtained windows. So hunger pangs and thirst needn’t halt all-night adventuring if carrying some spare change in those trusty cargo pockets!

Seek Creature Comforts

Attending a multi-day outdoor camping music festival means appreciating basic creature comfort opportunities, like:

Hot showers – Seek out the shortest queue for precious pulsating water, sloughing off layers of mud caking slowly everything. Follow attendants’ guidance like limiting length for accessibility. And don plastic shower shoes to protect feet from unhygienic surfaces. You’ll spring forth refreshed!
Device recharging – Plug into power whenever possible, whether at phone-charging tent queues or through campsite neighbors’ carports. Conserve power by putting devices on airplane mode when idle. And consider solar-powered chargers.
Campsite catnaps – Return midday to recharge, even just laying atop sleeping bags for 20 minutes sans tent assembly. Light-blocking accessories like sleeping masks allow quick revitalization.
Dry gear changes – So refreshing! Always pack extra socks/underwear/shirts specifically for hitting halfway through each festival day, reviving momentum.

Embrace the friendly communal spirit by bonding with camping neighbors over shared music joys or lending supplies in a pinch. Glastonbury’s collective effervescence bubbles through chance connections between strangers. Case in point – when my headlamp batteries mysteriously vanished before King Gizzard’s 2 am show years back, a neighbor I’d just met gifted me glow bracelets and a friendly escort there!

Maintain Health & Safety

Preserving wellness in such a sprawling, densely populated environment also proves vital for retaining energy and positivity. Follow these pro tips:

Visit First Aid for issues from injuries to reactions to dehydration episodes. Know reputable tent locations in advance and heed severity when seeking assistance.
Consume water regularly, alternating with hydration supplement sachets. Meticulous hydration mitigates alcohol/dancing dehydration.
Apply sunscreen 2-3x daily, re-coating following showers. Seek shade and wear hats during peak sunlight hours.
Wash hands frequently, especially before eating. Use ample sanitizer when sinks are scarce.
Monitor alcohol/substance intake if partaking. Prioritize hydration and nutrition to stay safe.
Wear sturdy footwear always and avoid injuries, especially alcohol-related. The uneven pastures twist ankles easily.
Get adequate sleep via earplugs and masks. Recharge energy overnight after exhausting days.
Uphold hygienic habits like regular toothbrushing, washing hands before eating, etc., not just proper sleep and nutrition. This prevents illness from putting a damper on festivities!

And heed the crowd, leaving spaces needing decompression while practicing radical self-care to maximize enjoying Glastonbury’s blessings fully!

Making the Most of the Experience

Beyond world-class music acts blessing Pyramid Stage, Glastonbury Festival’s magic permeates endless discoveries across the spacetime continuum of Worthy Farm. Embrace these tactical tips for uncovering extra joy:

Indulge Your Wanderlust

Rather than meticulously scheduling artists and routes between venues extra early before crowds cascade in, wake up Wednesday or Thursday morning ready to wander freely, indulging whims without agenda beyond exploration.

Attend oddities like worms racing at Glastonbury Invisible Circus’ tiny big top or banjo lessons at the Croissant Neuf Bandstand in the breathtaking Green Fields.
Seek secret sets from surprise headliners at spaces like Williams Green Dome, Stone Circle, Heavenly Garden, and more. Follow the clues!
Discover outlying districts like Strummerville or Lost Horizon hosting cabaret, debates, and indie cinema long after midnight.
And explore nightlife at unconventional times too! For sunrise gatherings, thumping 4 am club sets, or transcendent dawn birdsong symphonies conducted by Mother Nature herself manifesting magic through melody, a refreshed perspective sublimely transports mind, body, and spirit to renewed planes.

My most profound personal Glastonbury revelation arose not from a headliner’s final encore but rather from the communal sunrise gathered at Stone Circle the year I turned 25. Strangers turned kindred spirits as we wordlessly watched the first light crest the horizon. This pivotal literal and symbolic moment marked my transformation into adulthood – a future blinking brightly through the night’s dissipating fog.

Pick Your Community

Beyond scheduled lineup performers, Glastonbury rumbles with thousands of exciting micro-communities as unique as the characters inhabiting them! Seek spaces elevating your vibration. Options include:

Healing Field – Whether seeking inner peace amid grieving crowds at the Stone Sculpture for the Women of Greenham Common or uniting voices during group humming sessions for global harmony, this carefully curated sanctuary offers restorative revitalization.

The Common – Mingle with mindful citizens at the heart of sustainable living at Greenpeace Field, connecting through gentle debate, skill-sharing, and optimistic environmental activism.

Strummerville/Cockmill Meadow – Soak up solidarity supporting causes like refugee rights, racial justice, and economic reform through talks, music, and community at these activist hubs.

Worthy FM listeners – Whether following clues leading to secret sets or simply vibing the same musical wavelength, tuning in unites you with present-moment spiritual siblings far and wide across Worthy Farm’s sprawl.

And beyond human connections, befriending the site’s creatures returns mammoth magic – like when a cat curled up napping peacefully in my lap as I journaled at Greenpeace Field years back, bestowing purrfect writing inspiration!

Luxuriate Somewhere New

Tucked inconspicuously across hidden fields and down wooded trails, myriad venues beyond headliner stages will lift spirits through joyful surprises once discovered. Among countless options, several relatively recent additions shine:

Rabbit hole – This trippy bar experience built by artists including Banksy leads you down an actual Alice in Wonderland-inspired rabbit hole into surreal speakeasy environments. Atmospheric decor like upside-down chandeliers and constraint tunnel archways intend to reverse perceptions, pushing comfort zones. Prepare for existential expansion – or just pulse-quickening mild confusion over inventive libations!

The Underworld – Far from hellish, The Underworld built partially underground in The Park district provides refuge from weather in an industrial/steampunk style space for cutting-edge club shows, cabaret, circus, and comedy connecting through subcultures and pioneering creativity.

Terminus – New in 2022, this converted double-decker bus at The Corner behind John Peel stage hosts DJ sessions and parties fueling legendary Glastonbury nights – or mornings! – for the bass head crowd. Stick your head inside its technicolor chambers for a moment and boisterous beats might convince you that missing that secret sunrise shindig is Terminus enough!

And when booking on-site hair appointments or dropping dogs at boarding tents (yes, seriously!), even utilitarian spaces can offer surprises making you grin. Like glimpsing posh pooches lounging on pillow beds awaiting their next play date! Truly, Glastonbury holds endless quirky delights once your eyes open to joy everywhere.

Departing Smoothly

Alas, all epic adventures reach the poignant precipice between longing for these soul-stirring moments linger indefinitely while accepting when their ephemeral lifespans end. We gently bid farewell, floating on high from human connections and musical magic manifest until Glastonbury gates reopen next year.

To ease depressing departure, consider leaving on Sunday evening rather than Monday morning if driving to avoid lengthy queues for exiting the one-way system. Otherwise budget extra time for the exodus, packing patience, and perhaps some inflatable neck pillows for blissful napping!

Leave No Trace

However reluctantly parting Glastonbury’s lush pastures, respect the environment that hosted your extraordinary experience through meticulous cleaning up of any personal debris and trash.

Follow Leave No Trace principles while dismantling the camp and preparing exit by:

Removing all items from your campsite – tents, chairs, decorations, etc. Don’t abandon property expecting a clean-up crew to handle it!
Properly disposing of all trash and recyclables in designated bins, not leaving litter behind
Gathering abandoned items cluttering communal areas to clear pathways
Leaving no infrastructure trace – flattening out tent sites and filling latrine holes for example
Ensuring fires are completely extinguished before abandoning them
And not polluting any graywater, instead scattering or draining sustainably

When collectively upholding Leave No Trace ethics on personal levels, we demonstrate shared responsibility for maintaining the sacred grounds gracing tired souls with rejuvenation annually. Sustainability allows these tribal gathering traditions to bless generations to come for decades more!

Exit Efficiently

Exiting come Monday requires some strategy navigating bottlenecks funneling to one-lane tracks lined by idling vehicles all revving for release come sunrise. You’ll crawl along encased behind a snaking parade of transport at the festival’s bittersweet farewell spectacle.

Maximize departing efficiency by:

Packing vehicles the night before (or even dismantling camp partially if driving out) so you awake exit-ready
Having phones charged for potential communication, entertainment, and GPS navigation
Grouping with departure buddies – either organizing convoys or at least knowing routes others navigate just in case
Completing the above Leave No Trace procedures so you’re not scrambling last minute and risking leftover litter
Saying goodbye to serendipitous festive friends, connecting on socials to continue bonds
And again – leaving Sunday night/Monday early AM if possible to mitigate lengthy backed-up vehicle queues

Then once returning to non-festival reality beyond Worthy Farm whimsy, resist plummeting into post-Glastonbury depression! Bask in beautiful memories while taking insights gained over four transformative days integrating into regular life. And begin ticking down days until next year’s return pilgrimage!

The cycle perpetually repeats – Glastonbury leaves her loving fingerprints infused in the bloodstreams of devotees who then depart as dust, wandering the earth awaiting the symbolic rebirth answering her siren’s call to awake inner spirits once more. The mythology lives on through us.

Key Takeaways for Your First Glastonbury Festival

Attending Glastonbury’s epic event for the first time rightfully stirs equal excitement and lingering questions. Keep these tips from past festival-goers at the front of your mind to maximize enjoyment:

On Researching & Planning

Study the official website for protocols to follow from packing lists to sustainability guidance
Scrutinize the lineups by date once announced, plotting must-see acts and routes between them
Book travel and confirm local accommodations early before availability vanishes
Pack prepared for all weather scenarios – layers, wellies, waterproofs, and sunscreen!

On Setting Up Camp

Arrive early, even Wednesday morning, to claim campsites and explore the grounds pre-crowds
Create identifiable markers – fairy lights, personalized signage, unique tent decor, etc. – to easily spot your site
Meet fellow campers to bond over music joy and potentially help locate your tent when lost
Consider installing small solar-powered spotlights to brightly illuminate pathways and tent corners at night

On Navigating the Festival

Wear broken-in, waterproof wellies or hiking boots to trudge through famous mud
Allow ample transit time between stages – moving between opposite ends of this vast site takes eons
Use What3Words app to tag tent location for easy navigation
Reference maps offline; don’t rely solely on phones since service is dodgy
Attend secret sets from A-listers at unannounced times/stages by following online fan groups

On Thriving During Glastonbury

Carry supplies – water, nutrients, chargers, cash, layers, etc. – in a backpack or crossbody bag at all times
Use ear plugs and sleep masks to ensure high-quality rest amid constant stimulation
Visit First Aid immediately if feeling unwell; facilities have long queues
Practice self-care fully – hydrate/ nourish often, apply sun protection, wash hands frequently
But most importantly – embrace the experience by opening your heart and mind to receiving the abundant joy and connection Glastonbury offers!

Hark! Glastonbury Festival’s siren songs beckoning your soul near. Answer her mythological call to gathering once more ‘neath the ancient oaks and celestial diamond skies glittering the rich emerald hills of sacred farmer’s fields. Another extraordinary chapter of this age-old rite-of-passage pilgrimage awaits – forever and ever. Amen.