Entering the already crowded festiv

Entering the already crowded festival site, I was a little uneasy. I’d heard discouraging tales of muddy fields, shocking toilet facilities and not
being able to find your tent among so many others exactly the same as yours. I had, of course, tried to prepare for every eventuality. In my
rucksack were a brightly coloured flag to raise above my tent so I could find it easily, bright green wellington boots and – just in case the sun did
come out – some suncream. As it turned out, all of them proved to be very useful.
                The three- day Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, held on Worthy Farm in Somersetevery
June, is the largest open- air festival in the world. The festival grew from humble beginnings in 1970 into the massive event it is today. The main
organiser of the festival is the farm’s owner, Michael Eavis, who started it all up because he likes music, and he still makes the final choice of
which big- name bands will appear. Over 100,000 tickets were sold this year, which is a lot of organisation for one farmer. (In fact he does hire a
music promotion organisation to help him sort out all the complications of running such a huge festival, so he isn’t quite all on his own.)
                But it’s not just music at the festival. As I wandered about the site, looking for somewhere to pitch my tent, I
realised that this was, indeed, a festival of performing arts. There were theatre tents, dance performances, jugglers and mime artists all over the
site. You certainly wouldn’t starve in this place, either. I’d never seen so many food stalls in my life. Whether you prefer Thai, Indian and
African, to mention just a few, or even good old English staples such as jacket potatoes, there was something for everyone.
                After a pleasant evening of meeting people from every imaginable walk of lifeand dancing the night away at the
dance village, I awoke to the sounds of thunder and lightning. The downpour only lasted a couple of hours, but it was still one of the worst
rainstorms of the past 100 years. I was one of the lucky ones. Although my tent leaked a bit and my clothing was damper than I would have liked,
at least I was on high ground. Some pour souls who had camped further down the hill had to try to retrieve whatever belongings they could from
tents submerged under four feet of water. The organisers did an efficient job of mopping up most of the water fairly quickly, but there was no
escaping the mud. Festival- goers didn’t let that dampen their spirits in the least, though, and thanks to my green wellies, nor did I.
                The famous Pyramid Stage had its usual line- up of great bands and there were plenty of big names playing on the
Other Stage, too. In fact, there are so many stages, with so many different types of music and things going on, that it can be really difficult getting
to see and do everything you want to. I found myself running from one venue to the next, trying to catch at least part of my favourite acts, and
still missed a few altogether.
                Then it was all over, and I had to pack up my mud- caked belongings and head back to the real world again. It had
been pleasant surprise to discover that 100, 000 people crammed into muddy fields in basic conditions (the stories I’d been told about the toilets
were true) can still manage to have the time of their lives. Tickets aren’t cheap, but since over £1 million in proceeds from the festival goes to
charity, it would be childish to complain. I left clutching the handcrafted souvenirs bought from various stalls, and with a warm, happy feeling
that I’m sure is shared by anyone who has experienced the magic of the Glastonbury Festival.