Glastonbury 2009: Don’t believe the BBC

We’ve been back from Glastonbury for a few days now and it seems that everyone we talk about it to asks “But what about the mud?”

The glazed look on their faces as we explain that the mud wasn’t that bad, it only lasted for one day out of six and most of the festival was enjoyed in beautiful sunny summer weather, shows they don’t believe us.

For any festival, but Glastonbury more than most, the television coverage and actually being there are like two totally different events.

Understandably, the cameras concentrate on the main stages, the tight-knit crowds down the front and occasional cuts to weirdos on the fringes wrestling in a left-over mud puddle or wearing their pants on their heads, or suchlike. If your only experience of Glastonbury is the BBC red button, you’d be forgiven for thinking the whole festival is tightly-packed, muddy and loud.

On the other hand, actually being there, we found it to be, for the most part, vast and open, dry and only really loud when the fireworks went off.

The diversity of the Glastonbury experience will never come across onscreen. Going round the festival with a baby and a free-range six year old, we found ourselves drawn to fields like Avalon, where stalls, cafes and open spaces gave us lots to look at and listen to without  the crowds. The Green Fields offered the best food and shopping on site, with fantastic sound systems and live bands on every corner, as well as a second kid’s field that kept our oldest happy and active for hours at a time. There were always strange and incredible walkabout acts wandering the theatre, circus and cabaret fields, entralling children and adults alike.

Those Pyramid acts we wanted to see were watched from the comfort of a blanket on the ground about halfway back. Big screens made up for the tiny stick figures on stage. I was even able to leave the boys with their dad for a short while and get near the front to catch Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds close up and still avoid the crush.

So – enjoy the bands on tv, but don’t ever think that’s how the festival experience actually is. And if you do decide to come and see for yourself, follow Family Festivals’ top tips for a great Glasto:

• The front of any of the big three or four stages is going to be hectic from mid-afternoon onwards. If you have littl’uns in tow, halfway back or even slightly to the side gives a good view without a crush. There are huge video screens on each side of the stage anyway.
• As the evening wears on, there is a sheep-like exodus as bands finish on the Pyramid and Other stages. AVOID the paths leading between these areas at these times. That’s one time the crush can really be as bad as you can imagine.
• Children like wearing Peltor ear protectors and they are necessary for indoor shows and some loud performances. If you can’t buy any in advance (eBay, gun shops etc), there are usually some traders selling on site (Fairy Love is one). But buy on the first day as they always sell out.
• Battery operated fairy lights on buggies and wagons are fun and make you more visible after dark and less likely to be tripped over.
• Relax and forget about seeing EVERYTHING. You only appreciate the scale of Glastonbury once you try to get across the site quickly. It’s massive – enjoy where you are right now and catch that latest band another time.
• When you get home, grit your teeth and smile, while explaining to friends and family that the mud and crowds are really nothing to worry about.
• Watch the BBC coverage when you get home. It’s a totally different festival on the box – enjoy the tv one but don’t expect it to reflect your unique Glasto experience.