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Glastonbury 2022 in pictures: Revellers arrive at festival on day one

Those entering the gates on the first day of the event were told ‘this is going to be the best show in town’

Pa
Thursday 23 June 2022 06:02 EDT
People arrive on the first day of the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset (Yui Mok/PA)
People arrive on the first day of the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Wire)

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Glastonbury Festival is returning for its 50th anniversary.

After a three-year hiatus due to Covid-19, thousands flocked to Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, for day one of the event.

Attendees arrived at the site in the early hours of the morning for the much-anticipated festival, which will see Sir Paul McCartney, Kendrick Lamar and Billie Eilish headlining across the weekend.

Michael Eavis has a selfie with a festival-goer
Michael Eavis has a selfie with a festival-goer (PA)

Festival founder Michael Eavis, who said it will be “the best show in town”, opened the gates to Glastonbury on Wednesday morning.

Hundreds of Glastonbury attendees queued for hours with their bags, with festival-goers delighted to meet Eavis when the gates opened at 8am.

Traffic built up around the site as many attempted to battle travel delays on their journey to Somerset, amid three days of major rail strikes.

One lucky festival-goer was pleased to have got her ticket
One lucky festival-goer was pleased to have got her ticket (PA)

Fans turned up under blue skies as forecasters said this year’s weather outlook promises to be “one of two halves”.

The sun was out for the thousands arriving
The sun was out for the thousands arriving (PA)

Temperatures could reach 27C (81F) at the site, however showers and thunderstorms predicted from Friday onwards could see the mud synonymous with Glastonbury make an appearance.

The Independent will be liveblogging Glastonbury from 23 June.

Revellers took vital supplies to the campsites
Revellers took vital supplies to the campsites (PA)

You can find the latest weather forecast for Worthy Farm here.

Everything else you need to know about Glastonbury Festival can be found here.

The world-famous festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary
The world-famous festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary (PA)

Glastonbury co-organiser Emily Eavis has spoken of the emotional moment her father opened the gates to Worthy Farm.

“To actually be able to see people there and welcome in, watch them streaming in and running to pitch their tents up… it’s an amazing feeling,” Emily Eavis told Lauren Laverne in an interview with BBC Radio 6.

There were long queues around the gates
There were long queues around the gates (PA)

“We were doing so much towards the 50th [anniversary], obviously some of that is still playing out this year and we’ve melded all these ideas into this one festival.

“I think every detail and part of the process has been devoured and savoured by everybody, it’s so precious.”

A festivalgoer is sprayed with water by a steward
A festivalgoer is sprayed with water by a steward (PA)
Worthy Farm
Worthy Farm (Tom Wren/SWNS)
(Tom Wren/SWNS)
(Tom Wren/SWNS)
(AFP/Getty)
Left to right: Simon Lampard (52), Pat Brooks (82) and Linda Brooks-Lampard (51) arrive on the first day. Pat was given Glastonbury tickets for her 80th birthday
Left to right: Simon Lampard (52), Pat Brooks (82) and Linda Brooks-Lampard (51) arrive on the first day. Pat was given Glastonbury tickets for her 80th birthday (PA)
(Tom Wren/SWNS)
(Jenny Louise Bell)
(Getty)
A festival attendee is silhouetted as they stand atop of the stone circle
A festival attendee is silhouetted as they stand atop of the stone circle (PA)
(AFP/Getty)
(Jenny Louise Bell)
A festivalgoer plays the guitar as others dance around a bonfire
A festivalgoer plays the guitar as others dance around a bonfire (AFP/Getty)
Revellers cheer as a wooden phoenix is burned
Revellers cheer as a wooden phoenix is burned (Reuters)
(Jenny Louise Bell)

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