The sun is shining, your out-of-office is (almost) on, and it’s nearly time for the best weekend of the year – Glastonbury Festival! ‘Let’s Go Girls’ will soon be ringing in your ears, as you sing (read: scream) along with thousands of festival fans at the most iconic music event in the world. What a time to be alive. But if you’re a first-time Glastonbury goer, there’s no doubt a few nerves bubbling under the surface too. How much booze should you pack? Should you wear wellies? And just what will five days without a shower do to your skin? If things are feeling a little daunting right now, never fear. We asked Glastonbury veterans to tell us about some of the biggest mistakes people make at Worthy Farm. Avoid these errors, and your weekend will go off without a hitch.
Footwear is Key
Ideally, bring walking boots or shoes. The festival site is MASSIVE: 900 acres, more than a mile and a half across, and a perimeter of about eight and a half miles. It’s roughly the same size as Bristol city centre, and there’s actually a website where you can overlay Glastonbury Festival onto anywhere in the world, giving you an exact size comparison. Essentially, you’re going to be doing a lot of walking, easily into the ballpark of 40,000 steps a day. So, this is not the time to be breaking in your new shoes (leave those box fresh DMs at home). Take footwear you can rely on – and lots of blister plasters.
Embrace the Flow
‘It’s best not to come to Glastonbury with a head full of preconceptions and a notebook full of plans of what you want to see,’ reads the official website. ‘If there are one or two particular bands a day you really want to see, then let your day revolve around them and go with the flow.’ Glastonbury is so much more than the headliners – there’s a huge amount to see and do and you want to give yourself time to explore, stumble around and be spontaneous. Try not to be too rigid, and remember you’ll have to factor in walking between stages, the crowds, and queuing for toilets.
Think About Your Wristband Placement
Look, this isn’t cute, but it’s worth bearing in mind. The toilet situation will only get more grim as the days go on. If you put that wristband on your dominant arm, it’s going to see the inside of the long drop at some point or another. There’s a chance some of the material could brush against God knows what or, heaven forbid, fall off. Essentially, don’t attach your band on the wrist of the hand you use to wipe with. You know it makes sense.
Bring Your Own Toilet Roll
While we’re on the subject of the toilet, if there’s one thing you bring to Glastonbury let it be this: toilet roll. There typically isn’t any stocked in the loos, so bring tissues and/or a roll with you wherever you go. If you find yourself caught short, you can sometimes nab some from the welfare tents, or there’s a Coop on site.
Alcohol: Decant and Be Prepared
You’re allowed to take your own alcohol everywhere with you at Glastonbury, but it can’t be in glass bottles. Make sure you decant all your booze at home, and bring enough for the entire weekend: it’ll save you tons of money and means you’re not having to queue up at bars. That being said, just because you’ve got a pub’s worth of alcohol with you, it doesn’t mean you need to drink it all on the first night. You don’t want to peak too early. And remember: it’s not just your drinks that come in glass bottles. Leave that expensive perfume at home if you don’t want it confiscated.
Pack a Camping Chair
As we’ve already said, you’re going to be on your feet a lot. By Saturday, you’ll start to get sore feet and lower back ache, and your only respite is sitting on the floor. That’s where a camping chair comes in. It’ll instantly level up your campsite experience, and it’s just rather lovely to take a pew on an actual seat once in a while.
