Festival review by : Sonia, Mark, Sophie and Maya Hall

Glastonbury Festival 2000

Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th June 2000
Worthy Farm, Pilton, nr Glastonbury, Somerset, England
£89 including booking fee and postage

Daily capacity: 80,000

This year's Glastonbury Festival was just really too cool for words. We (myself, hubby Mark, daughters Sophie (3) and Maya (1)) arrived on Thurs afternoon just in time to see the rain start and tried not to think "uh-oh here we go". By the time we'd pitched our tent the rain was coming and going so we just stayed put. But we had faith in some higher mystical force and when the sun came out on Fri afternoon I had to say that it was the power of 100,000 minds that made it happen!

And so the Festival continued in the same positive vein and we all had to say that it was an experience of a life-time. I personally had so many 'Glastonbury moments' that I almost lost count. For example, sitting outside our tent on Fri evening, with the kids tucked up safely sleeping inside, listening to the Macy Gray set on the Pyramid stage - the sound was so clear that we likened it to sitting at the top of an ampitheatre and felt sure the kind Festival organisers had planned it as so for us poor, long-suffering parents in the Family Camping field:-)

There were so many great things to see and do that there was no way we could fit it all in and we extended our stay by nearly a day as it was. The facilities were good with plenty of access to clean water and toilet facilities. We found these to have been particularly well maintained in the Kids Field - we weren't sure if this was because the Festival Crew had worked harder on these areas, or because parents were just more meticulous and particular about cleanliness!

I couldn't believe how well eqipped the Kids Field was for children of all ages - it even had a well-maintained toy and book library - and there were no charges for any of the entertainments, although I was more than happy to make a small donation for the face-painting. I couldn't thank the Crew enough and found all I encountered to be polite and very helpful.

I am usually quite a skeptical person, but I really couldn't fault Glastonbury 2000 (but how did you manage to control the weather? :-) Since our return I have spoken to several friends and family members and sang 'your' praises - several have even said they must try it for themselves next year. I understand that the Festival may be under increasing pressure and organisers meet regular opposition to the event, but I feel it is an amazing experience that everyone should feel honoured to attend, as we all did, and we should be proud that it takes place every year in our country.

I hope it will continue for many years into the future as it has now become our designated 'family holiday' (we attended in '98 when our eldest was just one, but we stayed in a B & B and it wasn't quite the same, especially with all the mud!). If you're taking any early bookings, sign us up for two (and two children of course!)

Cheers...nice one.

review submitted by
Sonia, Mark, Sophie and Maya Hall.