First Time At Glastonbury? Don’t worry I’ve got you covered!
It can seem very daunting when you are about to embark on a festival as big as Glastonbury and have never been before, but don’t worry, I’ll help you! With my Glastonbury Festival experience, plus making a few Glastonbury Mistakes along the way, I have come up with a handy list of tips to help you navigate your way through the maze of Glastonbury Festival! Equipped with the Tips for Glastonbury Festival First-Timers below, I have no doubt that even as a Glastonbury newbie, when the time comes, you’ll be hitting Glastonbury Festival fields like a pro!
Tips & Hacks For Your First Glastonbury Festival
Pack As Light As You Can
Packing for Glastonbury is an art form and requires some pre-planning! It’s always nice to have outfit options and some home comforts at a festival but be aware that everything you pack, you have to carry and you will do ALOT of walking at Glastonbury! Make sure you pack as lightly as possible to avoid carrying huge bags and items you don’t really need!
PACKING HACK> I pre-plan my festival outfits and put each outfit into a packing cube in my bag. Then once at the festival, I simply unpack a cube and the outfit is picked out and ready! Mix and match your bulkier items like shoes and jackets with all your outfits in your cubes!
>> GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL PACKING LIST <<
Know Where To Camp at Glastonbury BEFORE Arriving
I’ve made this point in several other Glastonbury Blog Posts, but is it SO IMPORTANT! Know where you want to camp at Glastonbury before you arrive and start looking for a place to pitch your tent. Glastonbury has a lot of campsites on offer and it can be a little overwhelming. If you want to party all night, get a decent nights sleep at the festival, or want to camp with a group of friends – there will be campsites that are better suited for you!
Park Near Where You Want To Camp
A big mistake I made in 2019 was parking miles away from where I would eventually set up camp. I had to walk across the entire festival from the car – I vowed I would never do that again and was a huge error on my part! Pick your campsite and car park based on where you want to camp, but also what will be the easiest to get to from the route you are taking to get to Glastonbury!
>> More Glastonbury Campsite Tips <<
Check Out Glasto Fest Feed > They have a fab post with a detailed campsite breakdown!
Don’t Create A Strict Schedule
It’s tempting to see the AMAZING Glastonbury lineup and try and create a highly-organized agenda and timed-to-perfection schedule to make sure you can see all the bands on the roster! Unfortunately, you simply won’t be able to – Pick your top must-see artists/bands and then admit defeat and allow yourself to enjoy the festival without a strict schedule.
There are so many amazing smaller, less-known artists performing at Glastonbury that in a year or two could be the next big thing! Walk around and see people you have never heard of. Their set will be a much more intimate gig and you might just be seeing the next huge international artist, or at the very least, some amazing live music!
Bring Food & Alcohol With You
Something which I have only experienced at Glastonbury is the ability to take all your own food and alcohol into the festival campsite AND to the stages! Take as much as you can (or as much as you want) and not only will it save you a lot of money at a the festival, but also means you can drink exactly what you want without waiting in line at a bar.
Keep Your Paper Festival Ticket On You AT ALL TIMES
This was a mistake I made at my first Glastonbury Festival, but make sure you carry your paper festival ticket on you at all times. Wearing and showing your wristband is not enough to re-enter the festival once you have left, even just to go to the car! Keep your paper ticket, ID and wristband on you the whole time!
Explore The Festival
Glastonbury Festival is SO much more than just music! There is so much on offer to do, see, experience, taste and try that you shouldn’t just spend all day in the campsite or parked up at the main stages! Give jewelry making a go, try a new craft, get a palm reading, do yoga, head to the circus, listen to some spoken word poetry, meditate, eat a new food.. whatever it is.. Glastonbury will more than likely have it on offer!
Take A Decent Tent
Don’t cheap out and buy rubbish tent. Not only is Glastonbury weather unpredictable, you will be far more comfortable if you take a tent which is water-tight, big enough, and sturdy!
Prepare For All Weather
As I just touched on above… Glastonbury weather is unpredictable at the best of times. Year-on-year the weather seems to change with some years experiencing lightning, torrential rain and strong winds, and others like 2019, getting the gift of gorgeous sunshine all weekend long!
PACKING HACK > Pack layers that can be added to or removed when the weather changes. Always take a waterproof jacket, suitable shoes like walking boots or wellies, plus don’t forget a high SPF Sun Cream! You never know what the Glastonbury weather has in store!
Look Out For Secret Sets
Every year Glastonbury has stages which host secret sets! ‘TBC’ will be printed on the Glastonbury program or online – plus keep an eye on @secretglasto on twitter as they announce the acts just before they take to the stage!
Be A Good Neighbour In The Campsite
Be mindful and respectful to those camping around you! It’s not just young people at Glastonbury, all ages attend including a lot of families who take their children. Not everyone wants to party all night or be involved in your 4am drunken conversations outside your tent! Keep your area tidy, befriend your neighbours and be mindful of who you are camping next to!
Embrace It, Enjoy It and Look After Each Other!
Most of all, enjoy it, embrace the experience and look out for each other! Look after yourself and others around you – It’s a long festival and we all want to leave in one piece longing to come back!
> Want More Glastonbury Tips? Check out my Glastonbury Blog Post Collection <
X Sophie X
But Wait…. There are some fantastic other Glastonbury-specific blogs out there for even more tips, hacks and tricks – here are a few of my faves:
When will this festival happen in 2024? I wanna join this, soon.
It is in June 2024. Tickets have sold out at this stage but there is a resale in April where some tickets get released so keep an eye open for that!