Glastonbury Festival 2

Pictures by
Colin Parkes, Laurence Sharpe and Gaynor Wright

Here are some scenes from the Glastonbury Festival, which is held intermittent years (not in 2006) at Worthy Farm, near the village of Pilton, east of Glastonbury. 100,000+ people attend. It's a major cultural phenomenon, not only in pop music but also in all of the performance arts.

It's a gathering of the clans for some, a trading market for others, a mega-party, a mass spiritual experience or a muddily decadent spectacle - depending on your experience and judgement. There's not just entertainment but deeper stuff too - it has accumulated a mythos and magic of its own. This is what distinguishes it from other big festivals, making it arguably the flagship of Europe's festivals.

For 3-4 days a city appears in the fields. It takes months to set up, and the site has, over the years since the 1970s, gradually been developed for the festival - as well as serving as a dairy farm most of the year. It's as if another world takes shape temporarily, and for many it is the high-point of their year.

The festival is hosted and organised by Michael Eavis (top right) and his family and team. At the time of the festival the staff grows to five-figure numbers.

Aerial view of the Glastonbury Festival

Official festival site:

Glastonbury Festival

For festival-goers and media coverage:

eFestivals    Guardian    BBC