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Those who missed out in the Glastonbury tickets scrum last November have two more chances to strike it lucky next week when the official resales take place. On Thursday 24 April, at 6pm, tickets with coach travel will go on sale, while from 9am on Sunday 27 April general admission tickets are up for grabs.
These are tickets bought by people who can no longer attend or who were unable to pay what they owed, though with only a “very limited” number available, most Glastonbury fans are going to be disappointed.
But if you come away empty-handed (again), don’t be downcast. There are stacks of other festivals to suit all tastes and budgets, ranging from a one-dayer in London where tickets cost up to £380 each (almost £45 an hour), to a number of free and low-cost events that are promising some decent acts.
Festival price hikes
In 2019, before the pandemic caused chaos, Glastonbury’s general admission tickets cost £248 each. This year they are £373.50. That is a 50.6% rise in six years – roughly double the headline, 25%-ish, increase in the cost of goods and services in the UK. But Glastonbury could probably charge a lot more than it does and still sell out. And those attending this year will get more for their money than a few years ago.
For Latitude festival in Suffolk, where headliners this year include Sting, Fatboy Slim and Snow Patrol, the increase in ticket price is even greater: 52%. An adult weekend ticket was £202.50 in 2019 – this year it’s £308.
Meanwhile, the cost of an adult weekend ticket for the Isle of Wight festival has soared by almost 66% over the same period – from £175 in 2019 to £289.95 for non-islanders this year.
These are all face-value costs; there may be fees and charges on top. For example, with Glastonbury there is a £5 booking fee for each ticket, plus postage and packing at £10.25 an order.
Make a holiday of it
There are plenty of events still up for grabs across the rest of Europe – sometimes with better lineups and at a fraction of the price.
A three-day ticket to NOS Alive in Lisbon, Portugal, on 10-12 July will set you back €199 (£171) – with Kings of Leon, Sam Fender, Olivia Rodrigo, Noah Kahan and Nine Inch Nails among the lineup.
Primavera Sound Barcelona in Spain takes place on 4-8 June, but is sold out. However, tickets to its sister festival, Primavera Sound Porto in Portugal on 12-15 June, are still available, and acts playing include Charli xcx, Central Cee, Jamie XX, Haim and Fontaines DC. Standard four-day tickets cost €180, though Revolut customers can get 10% off, taking the price to €162.
Meanwhile, you can catch Raye, Gracie Abrams, Massive Attack and Linkin Park at Open’er festival in Gdynia on the north coast of Poland on 2-5 July. A four-day ticket costs 1,359 Polish złoty (£272) with camping and 1,089 złoty without.
Of course, you have to factor in travel costs and maybe also accommodation, depending on the event, but some people will be able to condense the cost of a festival and a holiday into one.
We looked at flights from London to Gdansk, Poland, near to Gdynia, leaving on 1 July and returning on 6 July. Return flights from Luton with Wizz Air started at just under £99 a person.
Overseas festivals aren’t always cheaper than UK ones: a three-day general admission pass for last weekend’s Coachella festival in California, where Lady Gaga played an acclaimed set, cost $649 (£490) this year, while passes for this weekend start at $599.
Volunteer
Organisers often rely on a small army of volunteers and workers performing various tasks – from being a parking steward or working the bar to giving people their wristbands or litter-picking – in exchange for a free ticket.
A good starting point is to register with recruitment agencies that provide staff for festivals and other events, as well as charities such as WaterAid, CND and Oxfam, which may need helpers.
Festaff offers volunteering jobs at lots of weekend and one-day events, from Glastonbury to Boomtown, a five-day music festival in the South Downs national park. At the time of writing, Festaff was no longer accepting applications for some of this year’s festivals but was still looking for people for a range of events including Kendal Calling in the Lake District (31 July to 3 August), Neil Young at BST Hyde Park in London on 11 July, and Belladrum Tartan Heart festival, near Inverness (31 July to 2 August).
You may be expected to pay an administration fee or, in a few cases, a refundable deposit. For example, with Festaff there is typically a £10 or £15 admin fee, and those volunteering at Glastonbury via the company had to put down a £375 deposit, to be returned minus a £15 admin fee if work is completed to a “good standard”. You will usually have plenty of free time to enjoy the event.
DC Site Services also specialises in providing a range of festival and event staff.
Cash to splash
While money is tight for many people, there are clearly plenty of music fans out there with cash to splash. This year’s Soho House festival, which takes place in Gunnersbury Park, west London, on 3 July, is for members and their guests and costs up to £380 a person for one afternoon and evening’s entertainment. That is up almost 17% from £325 two years ago. The acts playing have not been announced yet. The price includes unlimited food and drinks. If you are heading to Glastonbury, the Pop-Up Hotel offers a range of packages including the Tipi Tenthouse Suite, which costs £28,999 for six guests.
Cheap UK festivals
Here are a few of the bigger events:
Festival Too: a free, unticketed event held in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, over three weekends: 28-29 June; 4-5 July; and 11-12 July. More details to be confirmed. Ocean Colour Scene and Sigala played last year.
Godiva festival in War Memorial Park, Coventry, on 4-6 July. Adult day tickets from £10. Acts billed include Marc Almond, Clean Bandit, Ocean Colour Scene and Heather Small.
