The Glastonbury party has officially started as more than 200,000 music lovers gear up for three day of massive acts and music mayhem.
Worthy Farm is heaving as the music extravaganza kicked into overdrive for real ahead of tonight’s headline act, Dua Lipa.
Revellers, who have been on the site since Wednesday, have been getting into the flow of things as the first official day of spectacle got underway.
Music lovers, armed with bags of clothes and bottles of booze, have spent several nights camped out in tents, after baking in 30C heats.
Many faced hours of travel chaos just to get to the madness in Somerset, with multiple trains lines heading out from London closed on Thursday.
As today’s action got underway, huge crowds massed at the iconic Pyramid Stage, which has seen music idols from the likes of Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, and Adele headlining over the years.
Among the 200,000-strong swell of fans included a grumpy 10-week-old baby called Finlay, who has become an early Glastonbury hit after he was spotted at his ‘first rave’ during Annie Mak’s opening set of the day.
The youngster’s hilarious dour-face was beamed onto massive TV screen as he sat on his father’s shoulders during the Irish DJ’s show at the Other Stage – which led to Mak declaring the baby was a ‘little legend’.
The Glastonbury Party has kicked off as 200,000 revellers brace themselves for three days of music mayhem
This woman appeared in high spirits as she watched Olivia Dean performing on the Pyramid Stage from atop someone’s shoulders
And this little girl cut a cool figure with her swanky glasses and bright jumper
A grumpy-looking baby attending his first rave has become a Glastonbury smash hit after the dour-faced 10-week-old stole the show at Annie Mac’s opening festival gig
Olivia Dean was among the first to perform on the Pyramid Stage during Friday’s action
Thousands of people have helped kicked the party into overdrive, with some dressing up for the occasion
Today will see Glasto revellers watching shows from the likes of Annie Mak and Dua Lipa
Rock megastars Coldplay will be headlining the Pyramid Stage on Saturday evening with R&B singer SZA leading the show on Sunday.
Meanwhile, country pop icon Shania Twain has taken the coveted Legends slot on Sunday and is expected to pull a massive crowd.
Today’s action started for many with huge queues to use the shower blocks, following a day of partying in the sweltering heat on Thursday.
And as the music bonanza began, Olivia Dean was among the first to step onto Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage this afternoon.
The 25-year-old, who grew up in north London, has previously collaborated with the likes of drum and bass megastars Rudimental and she is a Chanel ambassador.
She was met with rapturous applause after dedicating a song to her grandmother and other members of the Windrush generation during her Glastonbury set.
The singer, who was wearing a T-shirt with her grandmother’s face on it, said: ‘She came to this country when she was 18, never been on a plane… she had my mum quite young, my mum had me and I’m a product of her bravery.’
Olivia Dean was among the first to step onto Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage this afternoon.
The 25-year-old, who grew up in north London, has previously collaborated with the likes of drum and bass megastars Rudimental and she is a Chanel ambassador
Bubble party fun! These women came armed to the Pyramid Stage with bubble guns as Olivia belted out tunes
Earlier, festival goers were treated to a show by Squeeze perform at the Pyramid Stage
Huge crowds packed into the Pyramid stage to watch the first opening acts of the day
These two youngsters couldn’t contain their excitement as they watched all the action from their shoulder height vantage point
Although this punk fan might be at the wrong festival – with Green Day set to perform in London tomorrow afternoon at Wembley…
She added: ‘So this song is for my granny, to the Windrush generation, for any immigrant, anyone’s who’s brave enough to move.’
She continued: ‘And if you’re watching at home granny “hi!'”
The singer then wiped away tears and commented on ‘what a beautiful day’ it was before she played her last song, Dive.
Earlier in the day, festival goers watch Squeeze perform at the Pyramid stage.
While DJ legend Annie Mak helped kick-off the party with an hour-long set of dance classics at the festival’s second biggest stage.
But the Irish star’s set was almost overshadowed by a grump-looking baby called Finlay.
The 10-week-old infant and his dour face was beamed onto Mac’s huge TV screens, with the little lad becoming part of a smash hit.
Wearing his striped one-piece pyjamas and ear protectors, Finlay was met with a rapturous reception from atop his father Tom Kay’s shoulders as special effects on stage saw his image turn into a hallucinatory dance visual.
‘Oh my god, this baby, what a little legend,’ Mac said to the crowd of thousands as Finlay appeared again.
Adorable baby Finlay was met with cheers as he appeared on the big screen multiple times while Irish DJ Mac opened Worthy Farm’s second biggest stage
Wearing his striped one-piece pyjamas and ear protectors, the little lad was met with a rapturous reception from atop his father Tom Kay’s shoulders as special effects on stage saw his image turn into a hallucinatory dance visual
She signed off her performance by thanking ‘everyone, Glastonbury and this baby’.
Finlay’s parents insisted the youngster loved the music and have now said they will play his moment of techno fame on his wedding day.
Finlay’s father Mr Kay, a 39-year-old accountant, said ‘(Finlay) was loving the music, so we thought we’d put him on my shoulders, he was just enjoying the vibes and then was on the big screen and got a big cheer – it’s amazing.
‘Some people around us have sent us a video of it… it’s great to think (Mac) noticed.’
Finlay’s mother Rosie Lewis, a 35-year-old originally from Edinburgh, said the video will probably be played at his wedding and 18th and 21st birthdays in years to come.
The couple, who have also brought their 10-year-old daughter Sofia, are only at the festival by chance after they won a competition for tickets through The Guardian newspaper.
‘You had to nominate a friend that you thought was worthy of winning tickets,’ Ms Lewis said, explaining she put her partner’s name down.
‘I had just given birth in the hospital, I thought he’ll never win, but he might get an email saying ‘Rosie’s nominated you for being worthy of winning Glastonbury tickets’ and make him feel good about himself – then he won them.’
Finlay attended the show with his parents Tom, 39, and Rosie, 35, and big sister Sophie, 10
Finlay was turned into a hallucinatory dance visual during Annie Mac’s gig on Friday
The Pyramid stage was awash with colour as fans sprayed bubble guns into the air
Some 200,000 people are expected to pack into Glastonbury to watch the action
Some fans’ outfits were more unusual than others – with this music-lover appearing to have dressed up as Edward Scissorhands from the 1991 Tim Burton film featuring Johnny Depp
Other revellers were spotted earlier today washing themselves down outside their tents after huge queues formed at the limited number of showers on site
Hundreds of revellers face long queues to use the limited number of on-site showers
It comes after thousands partied throughout the day during yesterday’s 30C heatwave
Asked what tips they would give to parents thinking of bringing their young children to a festival, Ms Lewis said: ‘Do it – you can overthink it and it can put you off.
‘But take more nappies than you think you’ll need and take more vests and outfits than you think you’ll need.’
Sofia, who is at her third Glastonbury since 2016, said: ‘And go to the Kidzfield.’
Kidzfield is an area of the festival dedicated to under-12s, including music lessons, face painting and storytelling.
Despite the child-friendly offering, Sofia said she is actually most looking forward to seeing the festival’s Arcadia laser-laden dance stage – complete with its new flame-belching Dragonfly installation, which has replaced the site’s famous Spider.
It comes as Glastonbury’s organiser Emily Eavis was forced to defend the world-famous music spectacle’s line-up amid criticism of there being a lack of rock bands as pop star Dua Lipa prepares to headline Friday’s event.
Glastonbury’s organiser Emily Eavis has defended the music spectacle’s line-up amid criticism of there being a lack of rock bands as pop star Dua Lipa (pictured) prepares to headline today
People enjoy the first proper day of Glastonbury Festival as the music gets underway – including this fan with their bejewelled hat
And these revellers were clearly dressed to impress – going as the cast of Shrek
Squeeze warmed up the Pyramids stage on Friday with their opening set of the day
Chris Difford of Squeeze gets the crowds into party gear during the show
This year’s event sees headline performances from Dua Lipa, Coldplay and American R&B singer SZA, while country star Shania Twain will play the coveted Legends slot.
‘I think the line-up reflects what’s happening in the music world at the moment – there aren’t a lot of new rock acts to choose from if I’m honest,’ Eavis said.
‘Hopefully that will emerge again, my heyday was 1995 with Pulp and Oasis and Radiohead… and that was great but music changes all the time and right now this is where we’re at.
‘Every year, we’ve been criticised for being too rock, too grime, too hip hop, too pop… it’s just part of our year.
‘Generally it’s not from the public… everybody’s really happy and excited to be here.’
Last night, festivalgoers were pictured inhaling ‘laughing gas’ from balloons on the grass.
Elsewhere, a small mobile cart saw entrepreneurs flogging little bottles claiming to contain the ‘vegan alternative to cocaine’.
This morning, dozens of empty nitrous oxide cans were pictured scattered around the festival site, with some left in large piles close to the bins.
Festivalgoers at Glastonbury take ‘laughing gas’ at Worthy Farm on the first day of the event
Discarded balloons left next to nitrous oxide canisters in a car park, at the Glastonbury Festival this morning
Large piles of used nitrous oxide cans were pictured across the site following yesterday’s show
And the bins were also overflowing with rubbish following the Thursday’s action
A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said that since Wednesday until 10am on Friday, the festival had seen a total of six arrests for drug offences on and off site at Glastonbury.
‘Three of these relate to the same occurrence and these people have also been arrested on suspicion of theft,’ he added.
Over the same period, the force also recorded 39 incidents, which included 11 thefts, five drug offences and two reports of violence.
This year’s festival is taking place in the week before the General Election, which Eavis acknowledged they have ‘never had’.
‘I feel a bit like we’ve stepped out of the election, even though it’s next week,’ she said.
‘We were working on having voter registration booths, but then the day moved.
‘It’s a big one for us, we’ve never had a pre-election festival.’
Glastonbury have also decided it will not be broadcasting the Euro 2024 football tournament, with England set to face Slovakia in the last 16 at 5pm on Sunday.
Eavis said the festival set up a screen to watch fixtures during the World Cup tournament in 1998, but times have changed.
‘We used to have a screen here as no-one had any means of finding out what even the result was because we were so cut off from the outside,’ she said. ‘Now obviously, everyone’s connected and I think you know it’s a music festival.
