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Bad weather does nothing to dampen the spirits at Glastonbury
10 months ago
Undeterred, festival-goers embraced the weather and the unique spirit of Glasto.
Glastonbury veterans and newcomers alike shrugged off the initial downpours of bad weather as the legendary festival made its long-awaited return. Rain or shine, the world-famous event kept spirits high and music lovers dancing.
Heavy rain that fell intermittently on Worthy Farm throughout Wednesday did nothing to dampen the spirits to those arriving early for the festival.
Thousands of campers have descended on the site already, with stages across the 900-acre site hosting world-class music stars as well as speeches by politicians, film screenings, theatre and circus performances until Sunday.
Festival-goers arriving in Somerset on Thursday could experience travel disruption due to wet weather, but the skies are due to clear in the area before the music kicks off on Friday.
Temperatures are set to remain warm at 22ÂșC on Thursday and highs of 26ÂșC are expected on Sunday for Sir Elton Johnâs headline performance.
Those already in place said they had already experienced a âwhole weekâ of weather on the first day, after the morning downpour was replaced with hot sunshine that rapidly interchanged with further torrential showers throughout the day.
New-comers to the festival Kathy and Tony Sharp said they were âready to have a go⊠and then sufferâ after coming along following âraveâ reviews from their daughter.
âOur daughter came last year for the first time, so she came home and was raving, and itâs on Tonyâs bucket list,â Mrs Sharp, 53, told the PA news agency.
âI think (her) experience made us more eager to try and get the tickets.â
The couple set off at midnight to get to the festival with their daughter, but were swiftly left to their own devices once they arrived.
Glastonbury veterans offered advice to other campers, reminding them to drink âplenty of waterâ and to âlook after each otherâ.
Dave Lowe, 36, from Manchester, said: âIf youâre camping here, make sure you bring ear plugs, because they start doing the sound tests pretty early, and thatâll blow you out of your tent!
âPlenty of water, stay hydrated, have a good time and look after your neighbours, and look after each other.â
Wednesday June 21 also marks the Summer solstice â the longest day of the year â with Glastonburyâs own Stonehenge made out of vintage cars opening for attendees to observe the event.
Sheffield rockers Arctic Monkeys are due to top the bill on Friday night on the Pyramid Stage, though their slot has been thrown into question over concerns for frontman Alex Turner, who has been suffering from acute laryngitis.
Saturday night will see US rockers Guns Nâ Roses headline, after the original line-up of Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan reunited in 2015.
Lizzo will play immediately before and has joint headline billing on the line-up poster.
Sir Eltonâs headline slot on Sunday night is expected to draw large crowds, as it marks the end of his scheduled farewell tour dates in the UK.
Asked how it felt to greet the crowd and open the festival on Wednesday, co-organiser Emily Eavis told PA that welcoming people in was her âfavourite momentâ.
Organisers have urged festival-goers not to bring a number of items, with disposable vapes top on the list as they âpollute the environment and can be hazardous at waste centresâ.
Gazebos, non-biodegradable body glitter, disposable wipes, knives and anything made of glass are also all on the âwhat not to bringâ list this year.
Nigel Hayes, who was one of the first people to enter the grounds, said he and his sister Joanne Hayes had left London at 1.30am to get a prime spot in the queue.
âGlastonbury is all about the people, itâs a lovely vibe, itâs a lovely place to be,â Mr Hayes, 42, told PA.
âThereâs something for everyone. I always say â no matter who you are, try it once if you can.â
Glastonbury festival 2023 event will run from June 21 to 25 at Worthy Farm in Somerset.