Have you ever snuck into Glastonbury with no ticket (post 2000)?

[Paul ™]

8 hours ago, MrZigster said:

It looked easy in '95 even before the fence came down. People climbing over all over the place.

It was, it was impossible to deter everyone who tried to get over, so much dodgy characters about, not enough security and poor infrastructure back then.

We wandered around outside one year near the travellers field, our crew camp was near the old WBC crew camp over near Gate C.

When walking around, we seen a gap in the fence and some dodgy scouser charging £20 each to get in, it was only when we showed him our security wristband and crew band, did he let us in without charging us! 🤣

[Metal Monkey]

37 minutes ago, Johnnyseven said:

Yeah I saw A Perfect Circle too, I seem to remember a load of promotional frisbees getting thrown out into the crowd.

I’ve still got one of those!

[Johnnyseven]

13 hours ago, Neil said:

would have beeneasy back then, didn't get difficult until 2000.

Yeah it was dead easy. A couple of times I got in with a hand stamp and in 2000 it was a combo of a ticket with passout and a vendor wristband - a big group of mates got in that way. I think 2000 was the first year with ticket/passout and they hadn't worked out a foolproof system yet.

[barcelonista1899]

I was working on Gate A Saturday night a few years back when a coach driver wearing a shirt and tie, rocked up with a digital camera and said (in limited  english) he wanted to take a photo of site. I was on the far permiter of the Gate and watched as he just glided past all the check points, walked as far as the food trucks after Gate A and took a photo of the glastonbury skyline and then walks back out again. Could have easily disappeared if he wasn't so genuine 

[marathonsteve]

These two did it one year and did a runner.

Edited March 30 by marathonsteve

[Miathedog]

Went in alongside a friend who was using her sister’s ticket a few years ago. As they both had the same first initial and surname, so had correct bank cards etc in case of being asked, and both looked fairly alike it wasn’t a big risk. Went fine. 
 

obvs not quite sneaking in without a ticket, but it wasn’t her ticket 

Edited March 31 by Miathedog
Accuracy

[irnkrtn]

On 3/29/2024 at 9:09 PM, Metal Monkey said:

Same time as Reprazent on the Jazz stage, I remember seeing a bit of both. Bloody love NIN, sometimes I make some daft choices at festivals. 

A Perfect Circle played too that day. 

It was a brilliant day - too much on at the same time that I wanted to see! Probably my favourite ever line up and can't at all be coincidental that i was 18. First year of Glade I think and I remember seeing Autechre and System 7 there, and bizarrely, Black Box Recorder were on ahead of Elliott Smith on New Bands which meant I could go and see a bit of NIN and Roni Size after him too. 

[Johnnyseven]

2 hours ago, irnkrtn said:

It was a brilliant day - too much on at the same time that I wanted to see! Probably my favourite ever line up and can't at all be coincidental that i was 18. First year of Glade I think and I remember seeing Autechre and System 7 there, and bizarrely, Black Box Recorder were on ahead of Elliott Smith on New Bands which meant I could go and see a bit of NIN and Roni Size after him too. 

You're memory is much better than mine, I have no idea who I saw that day other than NIN. In fact I can't really remember who else I saw the whole festival other than them and Bowie, must've been a good one!

[giantkatestacks]

I do become a proper jobsworth about this because it does threaten the licence and really affects the feeling onsite. But mostly because I'm out there in all weathers contributing for my ticket and others are just chucking a security guard some cash.

The first year I did recycling we were camped in where Block 9 is now and that was where the fence had a massive hole in. That was actually really fun. 

[irnkrtn]

15 minutes ago, Johnnyseven said:

You're memory is much better than mine, I have no idea who I saw that day other than NIN. In fact I can't really remember who else I saw the whole festival other than them and Bowie, must've been a good one!

Notably all Friday and THEN.... I remember Bowie haha.

[e_p]

Loads of people were blagging at gate c last year.  Security are useless and having them before the Oxfam stewards makes no sense at all. It should be the other way round 

[tarw]

8 hours ago, e_p said:

Loads of people were blagging at gate c last year.  Security are useless and having them before the Oxfam stewards makes no sense at all. It should be the other way round 

The security before the gate are to check for any prohibited items and act as a visual deterrent. There are also usually security after the wristbanding to chase down the runners

[Popsider75]

Hard to comment. Always managed a ticket legitimately so never come to the crunch. Not sure I would risk it too far to get disappointed.  Used to going in the Motorhome last few years and pretty hard to blag that in and not going back to a tent!

[Derby_Dave]

On 3/28/2024 at 3:45 PM, Punksnotdead said:

Did it just the once in 2000. In my defence, I was homeless and jobless at the time, so couldn't afford to pay. Everyone was doing it that year anyway!

That year was mental.  It all changed after that.

[MrHew]

I've done it a couple of times but only on a Sunday afternoon. Crew friends have left and given me their wristband and ticket. 

[shuttlep]

I used someone else's ticket to get it 

 

 

does that count?

[Watergirl]

I have, though not knowingly!  Twice in the 90s I went on a "package" from Ireland.  This included flight, transport to the site and entrance to the festival.  It was only in hindsight that I realized I never saw a ticket!

Guy from Dublin must have known someone on the gate who cooperated with this.  I got a flyer offering this combo at a Waterboys concert.  The price was reasonable and I have to say it all worked fine.  Flight to Bristol; minivan that went along backroads to some gate.  The other folks on the "package" were nice and we camped together.

Edited April 2 by Watergirl

[ibilly99]

There was talk of a mass rush of the gate above Tom's Field by a group of scousers last year, I think during the night. I think they caught everybody eventually, or so they said  !

[Old_Johno]

I’d spend the entire weekend feeling incredibly anxious if I’d snuck in. I’m 6’7 so taller than 99% of the population so would have to be a stealth option rather than anything where I’d get seen by security. 

If I was desperate, say daft punk decided to get back together for a one off headline slot then I have a friend of a friend who could get me in the back of a van probably, or wateraid are always running short on volunteers for cleaning the toilets

[Aragorn]

Was sat in the pub in Portsmouth on the Friday night in 2000. Suddenly we decided to just drive to Glastonbury with nothing but what we had on us. Got there and found someone offering us a place under the fence. Just as we were going through security turned up and got abit nasty. We bailed went further on and paid a tenner to go over a ladder. Stayed the night watched Travis then f**ked off home as only had the clothes on our back lol. From then I was hooked. Been 16 times all legit since and now I work it

[4AssedMonkey]

On 3/28/2024 at 11:07 PM, Spindles said:

Based entirely on the evidence of my own observation (some might say imagination) it feels like the number of people getting in without a ticket has been steadily rising in recent years.

I thought that last year.  Seemed to see quite a few people with blatantly no wristband on and don't recall noticing it at previous festivals.

I'd never have the brass balls to attempt it to be honest, especially with a 4hr+ drive each way to get to the site.

[philipsteak]

On 4/5/2024 at 11:34 AM, Aragorn said:

Was sat in the pub in Portsmouth on the Friday night in 2000. Suddenly we decided to just drive to Glastonbury with nothing but what we had on us. Got there and found someone offering us a place under the fence. Just as we were going through security turned up and got abit nasty. We bailed went further on and paid a tenner to go over a ladder. Stayed the night watched Travis then f**ked off home as only had the clothes on our back lol. From then I was hooked. Been 16 times all legit since and now I work it

 

Honestly, the number of people I've met and/or worked alongside who used to bunk in is crazy. And in a few cases, I don't just mean volunteering, I mean actually working, often directly for the festival.

[Hotfry]

Always thought it would be fairly easy to walk in on Sunday night after the headliners…. Enjoy the last of the late night stuff. 
 

 

[jow95]

On 4/2/2024 at 1:33 PM, ibilly99 said:

There was talk of a mass rush of the gate above Tom's Field by a group of scousers last year, I think during the night. I think they caught everybody eventually, or so they said  !

I haven't yet tried by sneaking in but that gate wouldn't be my first choice. 
 

Wouldn't you have to run past the farm house and other crew BOH bits/checkpoints?

 

 

[Yeo-vile idiot]

I haven’t as I never needed too but a lot of friends have each year  right up to when the EPO bands changed to QR code. The last couple years I only know of a few that bother.