How to enjoy Glastonbury like a seasoned festival-goer

Glastonbury is a festival like no other. Yes, you’ve seen it on TV before, but this year it’s time to live it. 

Over five days, Worthy Farm is transformed from a green and hilly farm in Somerset to a fantastical world of music, performance, art and people. In fact, for five days, it’s the most densely populated place on earth. 

The festival has its own unique vibe full of freedom, counter-culture, hedonism, wellbeing, spirituality and more. It’s this feeling that you only get at Glasto that keeps people coming back year after year and that sets it apart from other music festivals in the UK. Kids run around free, families bond over a shared love of music, and everyone’s soul is touched by the end of the festival. 
Here we’ll tell you what you need to know to experience Glastonbury like a seasoned festival-goer. Plus, we’ve got the best Greene King pubs near Glastonbury for a stop-off on the way home once the music’s over.

 

Glastonbury Festival 2025: What to expect

The pinnacle of UK festivals, Glastonbury Festival 2025 runs from 25th June to 29th June. The music programme officially starts on the Thursday (26th June), but you can enter the festival site from Wednesday morning. There’s plenty to explore before the music, including art installations, the Pilton Palais cinema, the Stone Circle, yoga, healing fields and more.

More than 200,000 people will descend on Worthy Farm for five epic days of revelry and fun in the sun (hopefully the weather plays ball). Big acts over the years have included the likes of David Bowie, Beyoncé, Elton John, Radiohead, Paul McCartney, Arctic Monkeys, Stormzy, Billie Eilish and the Rolling Stones. And in 2025, you’ll be treated to three epic headline acts on the Pyramid Stage – The 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo.

But Glastonbury isn’t just about the Pyramid Stage. Though it may dominate the TV coverage, when you’re at the festival, it’s your chance to explore. There will be incredible acts across the other main stages, including the Other Stage, West Holts, Park Stage, and Woodsies. In fact, there are 450 separate venues made up of stages, bars, tents, fairs, soundfields, and more.
Top performers on the bill in 2025 include Chali xcx, The Prodigy, Raye, Blossoms, Gary Numan, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Fatboy Slim, Alanis Morissette and many, many more.

Away from the music, Glastonbury is a full-on sensory experience. There’s performance art, healing fields, spoken word, crafts, wild costumes and everything you need to take a break from the grind for five days. It’s time to throw yourself into it.

Festival tips from those who know

Follow these top tips for Glastonbury and you’ll have the time of your life:

• Keep plans loose
  Yes, there are bands and acts that you absolutely must see, but try and keep your list to a few essentials. It’s important not to overschedule, as you’ll be running from stage to stage without experiencing what’s happening in between. Plus, you don’t want to waste all your energy focusing on who you can see and what you’ve missed. Set a few goals each day, but stay open to what you stumble across. You don’t know what you’ll find, which bands you’ll see and who you might meet.
• Get there early
  It’s so important to get down early to secure a good camping spot. Camping fills up early, especially near the Pyramid stage and Other stage. A unique thing about Glastonbury compared to other festivals is that camping fields are among the stages, so you’ll be close to the action.
• Prepare to walk
  You’ll easily be clocking 20,000+ steps a day, so bring comfortable shoes that you’ve worn in already.
• Don't forget earplugs
  Remember that bit about camping near the stages? Well, it means sleep can be tricky if you’re planning on an earlyish night. There will be revellers up all night, and things going on all the way up until sunrise. Need your beauty sleep? Earplugs are your best friend.
• Take your own drinks
  Unlike other festivals, Glasto allows you to bring your own drinks, and this will save you cash as you won’t need to fork out too much for those expensive drinks on the festival site. Just don’t take glass bottles as they’ll be confiscated. You can always decant drinks into plastic bottles.
• Expect queues at peak times
  As you’d expect, campsite toilets have long queues in the mornings, as do the breakfast and coffee stalls. Often, the best option is to walk to the nearest stage field to get these before midday. Also, around lunch and dinner, the queues for food stalls can get pretty long. If you don't want to miss a performance at these times, you're better off eating at unconventional hours. It’s all part of the festival spirit.
• Use Clashfinder
  While Glastonbury retains much of the vibe of yesteryear, technology has infiltrated the festival with plenty of apps to help you plan your time. Yet while the official apps can be unreliable, Clashfinder is consistently useful every year. It will help you see who's playing now and next at every stage across the festival, so you can easily plan your next move. It can also be pinned to your home screen as an app.
  
  

Glasto packing essentials

Don’t head to Glasto without any of the following essentials. There are stalls that sell all of these items at the festival, but be prepared to pay a premium. Best to pack them and be prepared before you hit the festival site.

• Tent: You need somewhere to sleep at night, even if you’re planning on partying until the early hours
• Sleeping bag and mat: To stay warm and make that hard ground just a little more comfy
• Camping chair: No one wants to sit on the floor outside the tent all the time
• Good shoes/boots: Comfy and waterproof footwear is a must
• Raincoat and suncream: You never know what the weather will do. Come prepared for both rain and shine
• Power bank: You may even need more than one to keep your phone going from Wednesday to Monday
• Toilet roll: Lock up tents in each field will provide these if you ask, but still, your own stash is essential
• Anti-bac/moisturiser: For a little morning freshen up
• Earplugs: So you can finally get your head down
• Reusable water bottle: Hydration is key
• Hat: For some essential sun protection
• Warm layers: It can get cold late at night and early in the morning
• Torch: Because navigating tent ropes in the pitch dark is a challenge for anyone
• Small first aid kit: You never know what small injuries you might incur on your adventures
• Gaffer tape: To fix tents, shoes and fancy dress costumes – a real Glasto essential
• Cereal bars/energy snacks: For that little dose of energy when you need it most

The best places to camp

There are so many different places to camp at Glastonbury, and each field offers a unique experience. Some of the most popular include:

Near the Pyramid Stage

Ideal if you’re focused on the main stage and want to spend most of your time there. Just remember it’s very busy and noisy from about 11am until after the headline act.

Bushy Ground

This is a great spot if you’re looking for peace and quiet away from the main action. However, you’ll need to walk a fair distance as it’s pretty far from the main stages.

Oxylers or Park Home Ground

Both these spots are closer to the action but still manageable in terms of noise, busyness and distance.

Paines Ground

This is an ideal spot close to a number of stages, especially the Park Stage and Arcadia (where some of the best night-time action happens). It’s also a 10/15 min walk to the Other Stage.

Worthy View

If you’ve splashed out on a pre-pitched setup (no need to bring your own tent or put it up), you’ll be in here.
Many Glasto regulars choose to camp in the same place year after year, so competition for the best spots really is rife. If you want your spot of choice, you’ll need to be ready at the gates as soon as they open. Check out the map before you arrive, and be prepared to run (or walk fast).

What not to worry about

As a first-timer to Glastonbury, there are likely to be a few things you’re concerned or worried about. Don’t. It’s all about having fun. Here are the main aspects not to overthink:

• You don’t need a full wardrobe: You’ll likely end up in the same comfy gear most days. Pack some festival favourites and they’ll do you proud.
• Hot showers aren’t all that: There are showers by the Greenpeace stage, but these often require a long wait. Take a 5/10 litre water container for cold showers. It’s definitely refreshing if it's a sunny weekend.
• Don’t stress about finding your friends: You’re bound to lose your mates occasionally at a festival this size. Phone signal can be poor too, but you’ll always reconnect. Decide on a meeting point (there are plenty of landmarks!) to use if you all get separated. But don't be afraid of exploring on your own and meeting new people – you never quite know what you might find.
• Creature comforts aren’t essential: There’s a good chance you’ll get muddy, sunburnt or rained on. Or all three. Embrace it, it’s all part of the Glastonbury experience. It’s always a good idea to make sure you’ve got enough sun cream and water, though.

Where to go once it’s all over: Pubs near Glastonbury

Glasto can be intense. It’s five days of fun, madness, incredible music, and usually a lack of sleep. When it’s all done, all you want is great food, a refreshing drink and a sit down (especially after lugging your rucksack and tent). These Greene King Glastonbury Festival pubs make the perfect stop-offs on your way home or on route to the festival.

One last word of advice

If you’re heading to Glastonbury for the first time, we have one last piece of advice before you descend on Worthy Farm for the time of your life.
Glastonbury is what you make it. Embrace the madness. It can be overwhelming, messy and brilliant all at once. Whether you’re dancing in a field until the early hours, watching the sunrise at Stone Circle or dragging your kit back to the car — it’s all part of the magic.

And when it’s over, your nearest Greene King pubs near Glastonbury are ready with a seat, a pint and a proper meal. See you on the farm!