Glastonbury Volunteer Interview. If you are a regular at Glastonbury Festival, you will be familiar with the huge tractors driving around. Worthy Farm is a working farm, after all, and the festival is located in rural Somerset.
However, these tractors and their crew are not here for farm work, they are here for the festival itself. They help move huge things around, and if it is a wet Glastonbury, they help people who get stuck in the car park leave (or arrive). They are a happy and cheerful bunch, they always say hello as they pass.
For me, like the longdrops and Pyramid Stage, the Tractor Crew are an integral part of the festival. Where else would you find Tractors driving past Hollywood A-Listers? I interviewed Petra earlier this month on what it is like to Volunteer at Glastonbury. Here are her answers.
How long have you been volunteering at Glastonbury, and how did you go about it?
This would be my fourth year at glastonbury! I am lucky enough to get the opportunity through Wells and Glastonbury Young Farmers. A group of about 30 of us, mixed with a few others and helped by some handy club associates, become the Wells and G ‘Traction Assist’ team. Our main job is to help provide ‘traction assistance’ to stuck vehicles (basically towing).
What tips would you give to potential volunteers who are considering volunteering at Glastonbury for the first time?
I’d say go for it! It is such an indescribable experience. My main top tip is don’t tire yourself out, if you’re doing a long day shift in the heat, make sure you’re hydrated and have some rest before hitting the festival. If you have a shift in the morning, make sure that you will be rested and ready for your shift the next day if going out the night before. Remember, if you don’t make your shifts – you don’t come back.
What are the pros and cons of volunteering at Glastonbury?
Pros:
You get to meet a wonderful community of people and gain access to one of the biggest and best festivals in the world. The crew bars – some of my best moments have been in crew bars. Take advantage of the smaller queues. Early entry – Take advantage of being able to access the site early before all the crowds arrive. This is when you can really explore the magic of the site without being hustled and bustled by the general public. Go to the bar crawls and watch the sunrise from the hill!
Cons:
Shifts…Sometimes you take the hit and miss out on your fav performers or the headliners. This is the price you pay for free tickets unfortunately.
Had you been to Glastonbury before volunteering?
Yes! I am a local and have lived on a farm 7 minutes away from the festival site for the past 5 years. When the festival is on, you can see the lights and hear the music from our place. We actually graze some of our sheep on festival lands and so I visit the frequently enough.
Any tips for Glastonbury first-timers in general?
If it is hot – Sip, Slap, Slop, slide. Slap on a hat, slop on some suncream, slide on some sunnies. Ive seen too many heatstroke cases whilst traversing the fields. Especially when hitting the bevvies, you are prone to dehydration.
Otherwise, headliners aren’t everything. Make sure you go and see the smaller stages and have a go at finding some of the hidden areas of the festival! Also, add your friends on find my iphone, lifesaver for finding people especially when the service is crap.
What makes Glastonbury so special?
When you enter Glastonbury, it’s like its own little bubble. It’s special to me because its magical how the fields are transformed into this metropolitan festival site full of wonder. The area has meaning to everyone that comes, especially those with spiritual beliefs due to its location upon ‘laylines’ and in the isle of avalon.
Thank you so much, Petra. Keep up the great work.
See you on the farm.
The Glastonbury Festival Guidebook Is Now Available
Hey there, Glasto Newbie!
So, you’ve scored tickets to Glastonbury? Congrats! Now, let’s make sure your first time is more epic than a Pyramid Stage headliner. My Glastonbury Festival Guidebook is like your cool best friend who’s been there, done that, and is ready to guide you through the festival’s wonders. Download it below or get the print version on Amazon here: The Glastonbury Festival Guidebook
PDF Version:
