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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Rosie Swash

Glastonbury festival at 40

Glastonbury at 40:  young people in the improvised campsite at the Glastonbury Pop Festival.
The first Glastonbury festival took place in 1970. Famously, you got a pint of milk with your ticket. This kind of incentive might be why only nine people and a horse turned up
Photograph: Brian Walker/glastonbury40.com
Glastonbury at 40: Naked man and woman
It's been said before, but Glastonbury has always had something other festivals lack. Namely, nudity and the very first man bag (1970)
Photograph: Nils Jorgensen/Rex Features
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival : Pyramid stage
June 1971, and the Eavis family get the hang of this entertainment lark with the building of the Pyramid stage
Photograph: Ian Tyas/Getty Images
Glastonbury at 40:  young people in the improvised campsite at the Glastonbury Pop Festival.
Some 10,000 people who attended the festival in 1971. Now, we've all been guilty of turning up without the basics (toilet roll, perhaps, or a supply of cereal bars) but who forgets to bring a tent?
Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images
Glastonbury at 40: Three men dressed as priests walking in the Tent Field
The church had a high profile during the early days of Glastonbury, represented in this picture by three priests and (possibly) a very grumpy and cold-looking God
Photograph: Daily Mail / Rex Features/Rex Features
Glastonbury at 40: Photo of CROWDS
By 1982, the festival had joined forces with CND, the Pyramid stage received a makeover and, judging by the numerous patterned jumpers in the crowd, many people had discovered the importance of warm clothing for an English festival
Photograph: David Corio/Redferns
Glastonbury at 40: GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL, BRITAIN - JUN 1983 glasto
And those without warm clothing resorted to pyrotechnics for heat (1983)
Photograph: Nils Jorgensen/Rex Features
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival
This picture, taken at the 1983 festival, represents the exact moment someone started the trend for flags at festivals
Photograph: Pete Cronin/Redferns
Glastonbury at 40: GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL, BRITAIN - JUN 1983 glasto
Aw, even hard-as-nails punks need a little afternoon nap (1983)
Photograph: Nils Jorgensen/REx Features
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival, Britain - Jun 1984 glasto
And from this day forth in 1984, drugs were unheard of at Glastonbury
Photograph: Nils Jorgensen/Rex features
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival, Britain - Jun 1984
Billy Bragg's name has been on the Glastonbury line-up every year since 1725
Photograph: Nils Jorgensen / Rex Features/Rex Features
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury festival: BNP poster
A BNP poster aiming to stir up controversy against Glastonbury festival with a picture that depicts drunken debauchery. Oddly, it failed to put the nation's teenagers off attending the event Photograph: guardian.co.uk
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Music Festival
1986, and the world's youngest hipster makes his debut at Glasto. He was later seen telling one of the organisers that the festival had 'totally sold out'
Photograph: Ben Gibson/Guardian
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival
We're no experts, but it's going to take a lot more than those small squares of cloth to patch up the ozone layer (1992)
Photograph: Mick Hutson/Redferns
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival, Britain, 1995
Damon Albarn enjoying a delicious (and free) spot of Glastonbury cuisine in 1995
Photograph: Brian Rasic/Rex Features
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival
Here's a rare sight at Glasto: revellers are actually sheltering from the sun (1995)
Photograph: Mick Hutson/Redferns
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Music Festival, Britain, 1997
1997, the year everyone remembers for its perfect ice cream weather
Photograph: Rex Features/SWS
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury festival : A pair of festival-goers
Hmm, these passes look suspiciously fresh and new to us (1999)
Photograph: PA
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Music Festival
By 2002, the food at Glastonbury had impoved so much it looked as if it had fallen off the back of an Ocado lorry
Photograph: Martin Godwin/Guardian
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival : John Peel
John Peel displays his droll sense of humour with this protest sign (2003)
Photograph: Rowan Griffiths/Rex Features
Glastonbury at 40:  Lost Vagueness. Fat Boy Slim performing with the legendery can-can dancers
Fatboy Slim and some can can dancers enjoy the revelry in the Lost Vagueness field in 2004
Photograph: Barry Lewis/Corbis
Glastonbury at 40: STOCK
By 2005, the quality of tents had improved dramatically ...
Photograph: Jon Kent/Rex Features
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival
... and yet, that was of no help whatsoever when the heavens opened (2005)
Photograph: Yui Mok/PA
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival Festivalgoers in the mud
Approximately three and a half minutes after this photo was taken, this fruity couple realised just what a terrible, terrible decision this was (2005)
Photograph: Martin Godwin/Guardian
Glastonbury at 40: Photo of GLASTONBURY
When people say, 'Glastonbury is a really unique festival,' what they mean is that they've got bendy spoons and stuff hanging all over the place
Photograph: Jon Super/Redferns/Getty Images
Glastonbury at 40: Coloured glass bongs for sale on stall
As the festival expanded over the years, so did the array of precious good you could buy. By 2005, they even had these lovely coloured vases on sale, though heaven knows why you'd want something so delicate at a music festival!
Photograph: Andy Aitchison/Corbis
Glastonbury at 40:  Revellers sit in the mud and rain
Never underestimate the British public's ability to power on through no matter how bad the weather conditions (2007)
Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters
Glastonbury at 40: A festival goer is reprimanded by police at the Glastonbury festival
A dangerous menace to the public is reprimanded by police at Glastonbury 2007. If anyone knows the identity and whereabouts of this young gentleman, the police would like you to get in touch
Photograph: Sonia Melot/Guardian
Glastonbury at 40: Aerial Glastonbury
An aerial view of the festival in 2007 shows just how far they've come from the days when free milk and a horse was all that was on offer
Photograph: Mick Hutson/Geety Images
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival
A good picture to gaze at if you missed out on getting a ticket this year
Photograph: Martin Godwin/Guardian
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival 2007 : Festivalgoers on a hillside at sunset
A good photo to gaze at if you did get a ticket – the witching hour at Glastonbury
Photograph: Martin Godwin/Guardian
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival : Michael Eavis
Michael Eavis T-shirt, tutu, heart-shaped sunglasses and a beer. Pretty tame for a Glastonbury outfit, really (2008)
Photograph: Martin Godwin/Guardian
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury festival : Festival-goers utilize the 'She-Pee' female urinal
Festivalgoers utilise the 'She-Pee' female urinal in 2007
Photograph: David Levene/Guardian
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival 2008 : Festivalgoers relax on the Tipi Field
Flags, flags, as far as the eye can see, flags (2008)
Photograph: Linda Nylind/Guardian
Glastonbury at 40: GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL, BRITAIN - 24-26 JUN 2005
Bob Geldof and Michael Eavis asked the crowd to 'make poverty history' in 2005 by holding hands. It's things like this which make people hate Glastonbury, isn't it?
Photograph: James McCauley /Rex Features
Glastonbury at 40: Kaiser Chief's lead singer Rickey Wilson
Kaiser Chiefs lead singer Ricky Wilson performs some energetic moves in 2007. Looks like drummer Nick is hoping Ricky won't land on his head
Photograph: Rune Hellestad/Corbis
Glastonbury at 40: Revellers dressed as a wedding party pos
A bride and bridesmaids on her happy day in 2009. Where are those priests when you need them?
Photograph: AFP/AFP
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival, Somerset, Britain - 26 Jun 2009
The crowd enjoys a rare moment of sunshine at Glastonbury! All except the two men on the right in the blue, that is (2009)
Photograph: James McCauley /Rex Features
Glastonbury at 40:  Jay-Z performs at the 2008 Glastonbury Festival
Jay-Z's 'controversial' headline slot in 2008 went down magnificently with the crowd, despite him opening with an Oasis song
Photograph: Rune Hellestad/Corbis
Glastonbury at 40: Glastonbury Festival, Somerset, Britain - Jun 2009
Damon Albarn, back with Blur in 2009 for one of the most memorable headline slots in history. He just couldn't resist that free dinner, you see
Photograph: Rex Features/Rex Features
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