Glastonbury 2019: All you need to know – including the weather

From Digital Spy

Absence makes the heart grow fonder and a summer without a trip to Worthy Farm has made us even more excited about Glastonbury Festival 2019.

The festival is now imminent, taking place from Wednesday, June 26 to Sunday June 30, 2019, so it's time to start planning.

Below, Digital Spy presents everything you need to know for Glastonbury 2019, from how to get tickets to what the weather will be like.

Weather

What will the weather be like at Glastonbury 2019?

Anyone who told you that they knew the weather for Glastonbury with any sort of accuracy more than a few weeks in advance at most was lying, but as we get nearer you can get a pretty good estimate.

The current forecast is for a completely dry festival (YES!) with temperatures as high as 27°C on the Friday and dropping only as low as 13°C overnight.

So as it stands, sunscreen and a sun hat ARE A MUST.

The weather does have a massive influence on your festival experience, and it's important to be prepared for rain and sun no matter what the forecast says

So pack a poncho and suncream no matter what, and you can keep refreshing at The Met Office, BBC News, AccuWeather, netweather, the weather outlook, metcheck and the weather network and hoping for good news.

Glastonbury 2019 tickets

When do tickets go on sale?

Tickets went on general sale at 9am on Sunday, October 7, 2018 and sold out just 36 minutes later.

Combined coach + ticket packages went on sale a little earlier, at 6pm on Thursday, October 4, 2018 and sold out in less than half an hour.

There was a resale on Sunday, April 28, with coach packages going on resale on Thursday, April 25. But if you missed it, sorry – better luck next year.

How much do Glastonbury 2019 tickets cost?

The Glastonbury 2019 ticket price is £248 + £5 booking fee.

It was £238 for the last festival in 2017 (up from £228 a year earlier).

That's an increase from £185 in 2010, £87 in 2000, £38 in 1990, £5 in 1979 and just £1 at the first Glastonbury Festival in 1970.

Glastonbury 2019 line-up

Who is performing at the 2019 Glastonbury Festival?

There'll be more than 3,000 acts performing across more than 100 stages, and the first confirmed headliner was Stormzy, who'll be playing the Pyramid Stage on Friday night.

The same sources who tipped the grime superstar to top the bill also hinted that The Cure would headline the main stage – and they were spot on, as Robert Smith's iconic band have also been confirmed to close out Sunday night.

The Killers round out the trio of Pyramid Stage headliners, topping the bill on the Saturday.

Emily Eavis previously teased that a non-British woman would be performing in the now regular "Legend's Slot" in 2019, and that was confirmed in December 2018 to be Miss Kylie Minogue.

Kylie was forced to pull out of the 2005 festival (where she had been booked to headline) after being diagnosed with breast cancer and was replaced by Basement Jaxx.

She popped by in 2010 to join Scissor Sisters for a guest vocal on 'Any Which Way' but it's great that she's finally getting her own proper solo set.

In early January, Emily also confirmed that Dirty Computer singer Janelle Monáe will top the bill on the West Holts Stage.

The first major line-up poster was then released on March 15, and unveiled the likes of Janet Jackson, Miley Cyrus, George Ezra and Liam Gallagher.

Elsewhere, Anne-Marie, Years & Years, Ms Lauryn Hill, Vampire Weekend and the Chemical Brothers will be heading to Worthy Farm, and you can check out the poster below:

Of course, there's always time for last-minute changes, cancellations and secret guests to be confirmed up to and including the duration of the festival itself.

What are the full Glastonbury 2019 stage times?

As well as including the programme in your ticket price, Glastonbury announces full stage times in advance so you can get planning away.

Check out the full times of this year's Glasto here, and some of the main stages below:

We recommend having a look at Clashfinder to help your planning, but remember how big the festival site is from one end to the other and that it's not just about seeing bands.

Travel

How do I get to Glastonbury?

If you have a coach + ticket package, you're halfway there. Just make sure you're at the right stop on time with all your details to hand.

If you're driving and leaving your car there, you'll need a car park ticket. The car parks opens on the Tuesday night before the festival at 9pm.

Car park tickets should be bought in advance for around £50, but if your plans change last minute you can usually buy parking on the gate, but only in cash.

Check out the car park map here.

If someone else is driving you they can leave you at the drop and collect point.

Either way, only use your Satnav to get to the festival signs, then follow those signs rather than the little dot on your screen.

You can save money and reduce your carbon emissions by going for a car share.

Check travel info on the way by using the Festival website, and when you're within 25 miles you can tune in to Worthy FM (87.7FM). As well as getting you in the mood, they'll let you know about any traffic issues.

Otherwise, there's National Express or private coaches from across the country to the festival gate, and trains to Castle Cary Station (with a free shuttle bus to the festival).

There are also buses from Bristol (376 then GF1 from Glastonbury), Bristol Temple Meads (GF3), Bath (174, then GF2 from Shepton Mallet), Wells Coach Station (GFS).

You can also get to the festival by bike or motorbike.

Map

Can I look at the 2019 Glastonbury Festival site map in advance?

The 2019 Glastonbury Festival Map is available right here.

Toilets

Are the infamous Glastonbury toilets really that bad?

Regular festivalgoers will know that no, the toilets aren't as bad as legend would have, at least not these days.

It's not as lovely as your loo at home, and things can get a little messy when it's muddy, but don't do anything daft like dosing up on Immodium for the weekend.

And don't wee in the bushes, no matter how long the queue is at your nearest toilet. It's bad for the wildlife and just gross all round.

Instead use one of the the 2,000 odd long drops, 1,300 compost loos, the ever-decreasing plastic portable toilets, or urinals and shepees for a quick wee.

There are locked wheelchair-accessible loos on viewing platforms near the bigger stages, so get in touch with the fest in advance if you'll need access.

Alcohol

Can I bring my own booze to Glastonbury?

Yes. Unlike many festivals you're allowed to bring your own beer, whisky, vodka, absinthe, wine, cider and so on.

But remember, you can only bring enough for "reasonable personal use"... so no setting up your own bar out the back of your tent.

Also, no glass bottles. The cows don't like it, and neither do the Eavises. Remember to decant all your spirits and wine into plastic or metal bottles before you get to the festival. There was talk of a total plastic bottle ban for 2019 which has translated into a ban on the sale of single-use plastic bottles on site.

How expensive is the booze at the Glastonbury bars?

Even if you have your "reasonable" personal allowance in your tent or car, you won't always want to go back there for a top-up, and there's nothing quite like a cold drink straight from the tap (or fridge).

The on-site bars are run by the Workers Beer Company and Avalon bars, and the prices are "equivalent to London pub prices". That's not cheap, but it's not completely unreasonable either.

What ID do I need to buy booze at Glastonbury?

If you're lucky enough to look younger than 21, you'll need to prove that you're over 18 to buy booze on site.

You'll need to bring either a UK Driving Licence, valid passport, or Pass ID card.

If you're not keen about carrying that around with you, you can show your valid ID and get a Challenge 21 wristband from the property lockups where you can safely stash your valuables.

Food

Can I bring my own food to Glastonbury?

Yes, you can. Remember that without a fridge/freezer fresh stuff only lasts so long so if you're bringing anything likely to go off quickly in the sun or a warm tent you should probably eat it pretty quickly or reconsider your options. Tins, packets and dry food are probably your friends.

Can I have my own Glastonbury barbecue?

You can, but do read through all the official safety advice carefully.

What food can I buy when I'm actually at Glastonbury?

Forget the clichés. It's not just burger and chips and it's not just mung beans and lentils either.

There are over 250 food stalls across the festival ranging from the super cheap to this-is-so-expensive-this-is-silly.

The more money you have the more options you'll have, of course, and while most cash machines onsite charge a few quid for withdrawals, more and more outlets take card payments these days (including contactless).

Packing

What should I take in my Glastonbury packing list?

As much as you need, but as little as you can get away with.

Remember you'll need to carry everything from your car to your tent (and back), or further if you're taking public transport.

The more money you're willing to spend, the less you'll need to carry, and be prepared to go without a few comforts if it means schlepping a bit less gear around.

The festival has its own packing list, but this is what we'd recommend as absolute essentials in order of importance.

• Ticket

• Medical info/medication

• Money/cards

• Phone

• Tent

• Sleeping bag

• Wellies/boots

• Loo roll

• Suncream

• Sun hat

• Waterproofs

• A jumper (even if it's hot, it can get freezing at night)

• Wet wipes

• Water bottle

• Clothes

• Torch

Phone Charging

Can I charge my phone at Glastonbury?

Of course you're not going to be that person annoying everyone by filming the entire Pyramid Stage line-up through their mobile, when the whole thing is on the BBC in sparkling quality anyway.

But mobile phones make festivals better. You can take pics of your friends, meet people somewhere better than "near the Jordan Pickford flag and the alien on a stick" and stay on top of any secret sets and the like.

But many modern mobiles barely last a day of use, so can you charge your phone without a plug socket in your tent?

Yes, and for free too. In previous years, EE has provided free mobile phone charging at their recharge tent, and you don't have to be on EE to take advantage.

Last year you could also buy a Juice Tube Power Bank, which you can swap once a day for a fully-charged one.

HOWEVER

Lots of people will likely be doing the same. And there will be queues queues queues. Do you really want to waste your precious five days in a line for your mobile or for a power bank?

We'd strongly recommend buying your own high-capacity power bank (or three) and keeping your phone switched off for chunks off the day when you don't need it, so the free recharge tent (or those entrepreneurs charging for charging) only need to be used as a backup.

Apps

What Glastonbury Festival apps should I download?

Like many festivals, Glastonbury now has an official app. Unlike some though, the Glastonbury one is actually pretty useful.

You can use it to build your own weekend line-up, and if you and your friends connect it to Facebook, you can have a look at their plans too.

So far, so Clashfinder, but there's also an INTERACTIVE MAP where you can drop and share pins, so much less trundling about in the dark looking for your tent or your best mate.

Plus, there's also festival news via notifications to keep you in the loop on any last minute changes or secret sets.

Beyond that, we'd recommend just sticking to the essentials: you don't want to miss out on everything going on around you because you've got your face in your handset all weekend.

So probably just WhatsApp to stay in touch, and Twitter or Facebook to (very occasionally) show off about who you're seeing.

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