Glastonbury Festival revellers give it some welly

Tens of thousands of people are expected to pour through the gates of the Glastonbury Festival armed with wellies and rain coats today.
Festivalgoers pitch their tents at the Glastonbury Festival, at Worthy Farm in Somerset. PIC: PAFestivalgoers pitch their tents at the Glastonbury Festival, at Worthy Farm in Somerset. PIC: PA
Festivalgoers pitch their tents at the Glastonbury Festival, at Worthy Farm in Somerset. PIC: PA

Organisers believe around 90% of the 135,000 ticket-holders will have set up camp by the end of the day, in a bid to get the best camping spots.

But before the fun can start, many will battle heavy traffic, queues and long walks before unfolding their tents.

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The campers will have two days to enjoy the festival site and a range of entertainment before the music starts at 11am on Friday.

And farm has been graced with dry weather and temperatures of 21 and 22C today and tomorrow, before the usual Glastonbury rain arrives on Friday.

This year music fans will watch headliners Florence And The Machine on Friday, Kanye West on Saturday, and The Who on Sunday on the famous Pyramid stage.

The performance by West could make it one of the most controversial years yet for the event.

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News that the abrasive hip hop artist West had been booked to headline was met with a backlash by Glastonbury fans, who felt he was too much of a departure from the festival’s roots.

A petition on Change.org describing West as a “musical injustice” who has been “very outspoken on his views on music” and should pass on his slot has received 134,548 signatures.

Co-organiser of the festival Emily Eavis who made the booking revealed that she has received death threats and online abuse since announcing the line-up.

It echoes a similar sentiment felt by some fans ahead of performances by Jay Z and Beyonce who managed to win over the crowds despite criticisms that the festival was becoming too commercial.

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Ms Eavis said that West is “fired up for the gig” and has some “really exciting plans”.

The festival suffered a late blow when the Foo Fighters were forced to pull out, with Florence And The Machine promoted to headline on the opening night.

Music veterans The Who, whose rock and roll credentials include a famed performance at Woodstock, will restore the natural order when they close the festival on Sunday night.

Other musical highlights at the festival include Chemical Brothers, Rudimental, George Ezra, Motorhead, Lionel Richie, Alt J, and Paloma Faith.

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While off stage physicist and mathematician Professor Stephen Hawking will make an guest appearance at the Kidz Stage in front of families.

New this year at the festival is a viewing platform to give a different perspective of the transformed 1,000 acre farm.

Organisers have also increased the number of compost toilets from 300 last year to 1,200 this year, which is good news for the environment and campers who are promised a much better smell than the alternative long drops.

The event’s technology and communications partner EE is expecting around 200,000 power bar swaps this year compared to the 32,000 last year meaning the festival is more likely than ever to swamp social media.

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Last week Ms Eavis revealed the future of the festival has been left open, admitting her and her father have had “many discussions” about relocating the most popular music event in the UK.

But while founder Michael Eavis is keen for “one last risk”, his daughter and co-organiser is more reluctant to see the event change