History  /  1970s
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Glastonbury Festival
in the 1970s

A visit to a nearby festival sparks the imagination of Michael Eavis, inspiring him to create his own event in a field behind his farmhouse — the humble beginnings of a legacy spanning five decades.

Pilton Pop, Folk & Blues Festival

After attending the Bath Festival of Blues & Progressive Music in late June of 1970, a 34-year-old dairy farmer has an epiphany. Michael Eavis decides that his farm is the ideal location for a new festival. In less than three months, his dream becomes a reality.

On the 19th of September, the day after Jimi Hendrix's tragic passing, Glastonbury's predecessor, the Pilton Pop, Folk & Blues Festival, opens its gates. Attendees enjoy performances by T. Rex, Alan Bown, Stackbridge, and more — as well as all the free milk and ox roast they can get their hands on.

Date

Sep 19

Price

£1

Tickets Sold

1,500

Headliners
  • SatT. Rex
Key Events
  • 19 Sep 1970: Event starts its life as the Pilton Pop, Folk & Blues Festival.
  • The Kinks cancel their headline slot due to Michael Eavis being a dairy farmer. Replaced by T. Rex.
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  1. The festival's very first main stage, a far cry from the iconic Pyramid of today.
  2. The poster for the Pilton Pop, Folk & Blues Festival. Free milk!
  3. Festival attendees utilise one of Michael Eavis's old carts to start a fire.

Glastonbury Fair

A second festival brings the first of many name changes, the event now borrowing the name of a sleepy little town seven miles to the east. Bill Harkin brings his architectural prowess to an ambitious new project, a stage designed to be a one-tenth replica of the Great Pyramid of Giza. 

With financial help from Andrew Kerr and Arabella Churchill, the capacity of the festival expands to almost five times that of its predecessor.

Dates

Jun 20 – 24

Price

Free

Attendance

12,000

Key Events
  • Name changes to Glastonbury Fair.
  • Pyramid Stage: First version built. Conceived by Bill Harkin, the stage was a one-tenth replica of the Great Pyramid of Giza. It's built using Kwikstage scaffolding and 300 sheets of expanded metal.

Directed by Nicolas Roeg, the Glastonbury Fayre documentary is released to critical, yet limited, acclaim. It chronicles the performances and happenings of the five-day festival in 1971.

Key Events
  • Glastonbury Fayre documentary released. Directed by Nicolas Roeg.

Impromptu Festival

Dates

Jun 28 – Jul 8

Price

Free

Attendance

500

Key Events
  • Impromptu festival occurs after travellers arrive from Stonehenge.
  • Pyramid Stage: Harry Williamson's version appears. The Polytantric Stage was used at the impromptu 1978 festival and in addition to the Main Stage in 1979.

Glastonbury Fayre

Dates

Jun 21 – 23

Price

£5

Tickets Sold

12,000

Headliners
  • SatTim Blake
Key Events
  • Name changes to Glastonbury Fayre.