When we hear any festival name, the first thing that comes to mind is the Glastonbury festival. It is a star-studded and grand event that welcomes artisans—actors, musicians—across the globe to perform and entertain the public. This five-day festival is always held in Pilton, Somerset, England, during the summer. The 2025 festival began with a warm welcome and ended with memories to last a lifetime.
So this year’s annual festival was graced by many A-list Hollywood actors, directors, and musicians, notably Margot Robbi, Loyle Carner, Paul Mescal, Edgar Wright, and Jesse Armstrong. A few celebrities had a talk show planned for after or late dinner parties. However, these are only excerpts. Let’s delve deeper for a more exciting story about the festival!
A Little History
Over the period of time, this festival has evolved into a cultural hub. In the early 1970s, Michael Eavis, a dairy farmer, was inspired by the nearby Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music and started his own event, the Pop, Blues & Folk Festival. His festival was attended by around 1,500 people, with an entry fee of £1, which included free milk from his farm. Later in 1971, Andrew Kerr was introduced to Michael Eavis by a mutual friend, and Andrew then reshaped the concept of this festival and coined the name Glastonbury Fair.
As the days went by, in 1981, this fair was renamed to the Glastonbury Festival, which focuses on contemporary arts and music. Over the years, this festival has welcomed many Hollywood actors who collaborated with musicians to showcase their work to audiences in a bigger diaspora. Additionally, a few actors have also joined the festival at Pilton Palais cinema, which hosts movie screenings and live talk shows.
What is the Pyramid Stage
Although Glastonbury’s original concept evolved over time, Bill Harkin worked closely with the early organisers to design the first Pyramid Stage, where only legendary performers or iconic stars lit up the stage. To date, the Pyramid Stage has featured iconic performances by Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys, Muse, Radiohead, Van Morrison, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Shakira, Johnny Cash, Paul McCartney, and others.
The 2025 Event
The 2025 Glastonbury Festival took place from 25 to 29 June. American singer and actor Olivia Rodrigo, who rose to fame from Bizaardvark and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, delivered a powerful performance on the Pyramid Stage, marking her Glastonbury debut with a mix of fan favourites and tracks Obsessed, Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl and Vampire. To enhance the event, Olivia Rodrigo invited Robert Smith on stage, and together they performed ‘Friday I’m in Love’ and ‘Just Like Heaven.’
The crowd’s excitement grew even more when British singer-songwriter Charli XCX played hit tracks from Brat, including ‘360’ and ‘Von Dutch,’ while also paying tribute to earlier songs like ‘Vroom Vroom,’ ‘Track 10,’ ‘I Love It,’ and ‘Dread. Jorja Smith, known for her unique vocals, style, and albums like Lost & Found, performed on stage with rapper AJ Tracey for their duet ‘Ladbroke Grove.’ She also performed solo tracks including ‘Try Me’ and ‘Blue Lights. Hollywood heartthrob, Barbie girl Margot Robbie appeared in a Q & A session at the Pilton Palais cinema reflecting on her 2024 project My Old Ass, as a producer.
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However, the Glastonbury event is one of the most extravagant events in the world. Attended by hundreds of people, this event features a wide range of musical genres, dance, comedy, theatre, and more. Since its inception, Glastonbury has held a special connection with the public. It is a unique way of celebrating arts and culture. Besides the upliftment and reflecting cultural aspects, Glastonbury donates a significant amount of money to charity, reflecting its strong commitment to public welfare and social responsibility.
Written By: Tejaswini Prasad