to not see the appeal of Glastonbury

[MacarenaFerreiro]

Just saw something on telly about Glastonbury and don't see the appeal AT ALL.

Sleeping in a tent with thousands of other people in close proximity, no showers, portaloos, up to your knees in mud if it rains, noise, crowds, miles of walking to get around the place (which apparently is the size of a small town), they charge you hundreds of pounds to get in in the first place, loads of crusty hippies and new age shite.

Not an age thing - never appealed when I was in my teens either.

There's loads of things I don't take the point in- I just don't feel the need to start a mumsnet thread about them all!

What the young people do I have no idea - I hope they have somewhere to go that is a bit more suitable (ie bonkers).

@QueenOfTheSardines oh don't worry about the hedonistic young, they camp in Oxlyers and Pennard Hill Ground and party all night in Shangri-La

Well user, I'm glad the OP started this thread as I agree with her and needed a rant about it too! Currently sat in a boiling hot tent with DH sleeping off a hangover refusing to get up. He's the one that insists on being here yet he won't fucking get up!!! I'm so irritated by it all. I don't even ducking drink so I can't even escape by getting hammered.

I think if I were going to go now (and now the kids are big enough to not be a massive PITA ie they can give warning about needing the toilet and stuff I am keen) I wouldn't choose Glastonbury. It's just too big. I'd pick one of the smaller ones, less famous line-up, more chance of being with normal festival goers rather than people who are going because it's Glastonbury IYSWIM.

DH is dubious, he's never been to a festival and has toilet angst. Where will he perform his 40 minute morning ablutions? So, if we go it will be £££ for the luxury bogs.

Bangkok glad to hear it!

Ohhh it was awesome when I went but at the same time it seems like such an effort now.

Some of my best memories were festivals with my best mate in my 20s but now I like a decent bed etc.

If I ever went back I'd probably insist on glamping or a motor home.

The toilets don't bother me too much. There's always been enough and not too full. You have to pick your moments.

I don't like the bad back you get and if you haven't got sensible clothing (spent flooded Bestival 2007 wearing a bin bag)

BlackApple can you go off for a walk? Have a look round maybe see if you can find some off the beaten track bits? I wouldn't sit around in a hot tent waiting and with phones it's not like you're stropping off.

It should be pretty quiet now, it's quite interesting seeing it all before the hordes descend. I'd go around trying to work out which stalls did the nicest food

We went to a 1-day dance thing recently and the toilets were as I remembered, poor DH was absolutely horrified

"Picking your moments" = find where the sucky cleany thing is and go in after they've been done, that worked back then, don't know if they still do it that way. Some of my friends just took immodium

I know people who go and who love it and good for them. But I'm with you OP - I cannot imagine anything worse. I hate crowds, I hate standing up for long periods and I do not enjoy live music (I know I know...) If I go away for a weekend, I want white sheets, hot showers and a bit of luxury, not tents and sleeping bags and mud

You people who go with partners even though you hate it are candidates for sainthood

How many people are actually there? I read something like 200,000?

@QueenOfTheSardines also go to quiet areas (quiet campsite etc) away from the stages etc. And investigate and pee whenever you see some. Even if you don't feel like going. :)

It doesn't appeal to me now but I would have loved it in my 20's. I've never been to Glastonbury, but I have been to other smaller festivals and loved it.

I have friends who still go to Glastonbury, but they tend to take a more luxury approach to their accommodation as they can afford it now they're older.

Horses for courses!

I can't think of a more miserable way to spend a weekend. Glastonbury (or music festivals full stop) has never appealed to me. I hate overcrowded places, I like a hot shower every morning and I get easily bored with live music (no matter how much I like the artist, 30 min is more than enough for me).

Horses for courses and all that, but not my cup of tea AT ALL. I hate camping, hate crowds and don't want to pay the best part of a grand to sleep in a muddy tent, drink warm beer and pay a tenner for a hot dog.

I saw Rick Astley last weekend at Westonbirt Arboretum which was amazing - an outdoor event, beautiful summer evening, cold beer and great music. But it was obviously a much smaller event, with no poncey idiots off their heads on drugs thinking they're so much groovier than everyone else 😁

BlackAppleCore isn't that £950 or £475 per person? Which makes it even worse!

I was at the first Glastonbury festival (stealth boast ) and it was FREE and counter-culture but in a non-political way. I did hate sharing a makeshift tent and lack of facilities but most of us just went along with the 'love of it' - I also went to other festivals at the same time.
Watching the queues on the news and the fact that now everyone has proper tents and it has become 'political (why on earth was that loser corbyn making an appearance - is he trying to get down with the young or reliving his 'youth' - goodness knows why anyone sensible voting for him )
when I went it was about fun and if we protested it was anti-war, ant-cnd, anti-apartheid - not just for selfish reasons .

Each to their own, but as I dont like painfully loud music, druggies, drunks, or right on eco types who leave a mess ( the venue will be filthy afterwards) it isn't the place for me!

Never been to a festival but used to go to archaeological digs which are very similar in terms of creature comforts and sanitary arrangements, just without the crowds and music. They were good times, I miss them.

The one thing I couldn't cope with is a cruise. I love the sea but the thought of being stuck on board ship with the same people day after day, no opportunity to just wander off, the stress of getting on shore, trying to find what you want to see in 2 hours and then having to get back on ship- nah, just can't see the attraction.

sorry - that was 'for CND' not 'ant cnd' !

I'm delighted that people don't see the appeal. More tickets for those of us who love it, and less chance of people with absolutely no clue of how to act at festivals spoiling it for us!

I started going in my 20s, I'm 43 now and as soon as my degree finishes (midwifery - no summer hols) I'll be back with a vengeance. I adore it. Best week of the year.

I shall be watching from the comfort of my settee.
I never have nor will camp, and there are too many people there for me. But live music is superb and there are some great acts this year...Not just headliners .
I shall be dancing to Chic and the Courteeners, but near my own toilet and fridge.

@corythatwas totally agree with you about the cruise thing. Why?! I don't get it?!

Festivals are surely a 'rite of passage' thing - something you have to do at least once, and especially so now that every second of your life can be shown off shared on social media. I did a few in my teens, thought it fab, but wouldn't go now if you paid me.

I've been going to Glastonbury for as long as I can remember, some very happy memories as a child there. My parents are there now (although they're in a camper van, which I've said shows they're getting old!) and I'm so jealous!

I like a festival though, don't mind the mud and rain, love music, prefer the not so well known/big name acts, and that's a bit of gripe of my dad's as it's become about the Adele's and Beyoncé's now! But still love it!!

I don't get Glastonbury either. Looks like full on poseur paradise to me. I don't like to camp without proper loo and shower blocks. Have done a number of festivals in the past and enjoyment is strongly weather dependent, and if you're the right age to match the crowd (realised too old for Leeds at 22...never went again)