Summary
Glastonbury Festival began in 1970 with £1 tickets and a free pint of milk. Over the years, it has grown from a small event into a big, global music festival with major acts performing. The festival introduced its well-known Pyramid Stage in 1971 and faced both successes and challenges, including a stage fire in 1994.
Key Facts
- Glastonbury started in 1970 with 1,500 attendees; tickets cost £1.
- The first headliners, The Kinks and Wayne Fontana, were replaced by Tyrannosaurus Rex.
- In 1971, the festival was renamed Glastonbury Fair, was free to enter, and drew 12,000 people.
- The Pyramid Stage made its debut in 1971 and was located on a site with supposed spiritual significance.
- In 1979, the festival focused on children and led to the creation of the Children's World charity.
- After a break in 1980, the festival returned in 1981, partnering with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
- In 1994, the Pyramid Stage burned down two days before the festival, but a replacement was quickly secured.
- 1994 was also the first year the festival was broadcast on TV, initially by Channel 4.
