The History of Glastonbury
By Anna Hehediush
Glastonbury’s iconic pyramid stage
Glastonbury Festival started its growth in the 1970s and reached the peak of its global exponential phenomenon in 2024. The festival’s audience extended from 1,500 in 1971 to 200,000 in 2020.
The first festival at Worthy Farm was called the Pilton Pop, Folk and Blues Festival. In 1971 it was renamed The Glastonbury Fayre and had its expression of free-thinking ethos. These events were closely connected with a decade of feminism, soaring inflation, the birth of anarchic punk music and other radical trends that represent the landscape of London in its 1970s.
The festival’s substructure contains the historical background. The first Pyramid Stage was built by Bill Harkin, aimed to make a reference to the Great Pyramid in Egypt. David Bowie and Quintessence performed on the Pyramid Stage in 1971.
In the 1980s, the festival was formed as a voice of social and political changes. It was raising money that went to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, which attracted activists who opposed Margaret Thatcher’s government. Also, the festival went ahead defending five prosecutions in 1984.
In the 1990s, the festival took another leap in expression manoeuvre. Radiohead, Oasis, Blur and Pulp appeared on the stage. Also, this year Channel 4 translated Glastonbury’s first television broadcast and expanded the scope of the festival.
The number of people increased, to nearly 200,000 in the 2000s. The new decade of the festival was presented by Led Zeppelin. The rush of adrenaline and overwhelming was striking the audition, so even a five-mile perimeter fence could not withstand it.
Nowadays, the festival continues its philanthropic mission and thrives as a unique platform for creativity that captivates its time. Glastonbury Festival was growing in size by all those years. It created a great reputation.