The Glastonbury festival is said to be the largest open-air music festival in the world, attracting some of the biggest names in music every year. Attendance figures for this three-day event always well exceed 100,000 and it seems to be getting bigger all the time. So why is it so popular?
Well, as I’ve already mentioned, it attracts some of the biggest names in music to begin with. There are already some big names tied to the 2011 Glastonbury festival, including Take That, Prince, Beyonce, and U2. In addition, in previous years we have also seen some big names appear like Paul McCartney, Jay-Z, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, The Who, REM, Coldplay, Oasis, Black Eyed Peas, Radiohead, The Foo Fighters, Scissor Sisters, Lady Gaga . and The Killers.
Another reason why it is so popular is simply because it is an experience rather than just another festival. The music starts on Friday and ends on Sunday night, but you can arrive much earlier in the week, pitch your tent, and just relax with your friends and other music fans in a field in the middle of the Somerset countryside.
It is also very spiritual because it is very close to Glastonbury which is one of the most spiritual places in England and has a fascinating history dating back to King Arthur. In fact, there was a documentary made a year or two ago that suggested that Jesus may have even visited Glastonbury to learn more about spirituality, but there is obviously no clear evidence to support this at this time.
This theme of spirituality is reinforced once you arrive at the festival because there you will meet many different people who have different beliefs. In fact, simply wandering around the various fields, each of which has a different theme, can be as exciting as the music itself, and is one of its main draws.
So overall I would say that there are a few reasons why the Glastonbury festival is so popular. Music is the obvious draw because there really are some big names out there. It’s not just the main acts either because you’ll often see some big names hit the stage in the middle of the afternoon and throughout the day as well.
It really is a great event and with all the spirituality and mythical qualities that surround Glastonbury, it is simply a great experience overall and one that I would recommend to anyone thinking of going.