Glastonbury 2023 — how to get into the festival if you haven't got a ticket

Sunday morning was spent either in elation or (more likely) disappointment for millions of Glastonbury hopefuls.

Planning to get Glastonbury tickets is like a military operation — specific WhatsApp chats set up, multiple devices on the SeeTickets sale screen, and a spreadsheet of friends’ ticket registration numbers.

But even with best-laid plans, the tickets for Worthy Farm’s event in 2023 sold out in little over an hour on Sunday (November 6), with the website beset with technical issues.

Despite the F5 button on many keyboards being busted from being hit so many times while looking to refresh the online ticket queue, many music fans would have walked away from their computer or mobile screens disappointed.

The first round of tickets, which included coach travel, went on sale on November 3, but they too disappeared in no time, selling out in 22 minutes.

As Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis said on Twitter, a “huge number of people missed out on a ticket – because demand far outstripped supply”.

And that’s before any of the acts for next year have even been announced.

But hope is not lost for those still desperate to get to the June 21-25 festival in Somerset.

Can you get Glastonbury tickets once they’ve sold out?

Whether it is getting a last-minute unwanted ticket or volunteering for the chance of getting to see your favourite band live, there are still opportunities to get to Glastonbury for those happy to put a bit more effort in.

Resale tickets

In the blind panic of looking to acquire one of the 200,000 or so Glastonbury tickets, there are bound to be some mishaps or even too many tickets bought.

Every year, tickets are returned by people who no longer need their full allocation.

A maximum of six tickets can be purchased per person, so sometimes friends have bought too many.

Or maybe an event comes up on the Glastonbury weekend that a reveller really can’t miss.

And with a cost of living crisis raging, it could be that some people realise they simply can’t afford next year’s increased ticket price of £335, meaning some will get handed back.

So those who were left empty-handed on Sunday could find they get a second bite of the cherry in a few months’ time.

Emily Eavis told fans: “There will be a ticket resale in spring 2023, so if you didn’t get one, please do try again then.”

Those wanting resale tickets still need to be registered, so make sure your details are ready when the time comes early next year.

Volunteer for a charity

Okay, so it might not be as care-free as having a paid-for ticket, but there are volunteering opportunities that could still allow you to experience the fun of Glastonbury.

Charities such as Shelter, Oxfam and WaterAid have traditionally offered Glastonbury access in exchange for volunteering slots.

The deal often involves paying a deposit, which you get back after completing a set number of shifts.

For example, SomersetLive reported that in 2022, housing charity Shelter was looking for volunteers to help run its bars between Wednesday and Sunday during the festival.

The charity provided transport, a camping area and meal vouchers for those agreeing to pay a £300 deposit and completing 24 hours of bar staff work over the course of five days.

Oxfam supplies volunteer stewards, who check tickets and direct people in between the stages, while WaterAid volunteers run water kiosks, litter-pick and clean toilets.

Once the shifts are over for the day, you can head off to enjoy some of the festival’s music and activities.

First Medical Services looks for medical professions and support staff to provide care during the festival, making it another possible route for those with suitable training and experience.

Work for free

It may not be quite as feel-good as supporting one of your favourite charities, but it is possible to work for free to attend Glastonbury.

Festaff is a company that provides casual workers to festivals, with its volunteer staff checking wristbands at the Glastonbury gates.

According to MoneySavingExpert, in 2020, Festaff asked Glastonbury volunteers to pay a £240 deposit, with £15 kept as an admin fee.

In addition, those looking to get access to Glastonbury will need to volunteer at another festival with Festaff.

For this festival, a further £35 deposit was needed, with £15 kept as an admin fee.

The two deposits will be paid back after work at both festivals has been completed (minus the £30 accumulative admin fees).

Work for money

There are jobs going at Worthy Farm, although festival organisers stress they are rarely a way of getting to enjoy the festival for free.

On its job listing website, Glastonbury states: “Please bear in mind that none of these jobs are an easy way into the festival.

“They involve hard work and not much time off over the festival period.”

Temporary jobs are likely to start being recruited for in the new year, with the work starting up in the spring.

With the farm in a rural area of Somerset, those applying should have transport for getting to the site every day.

As well as working for the festival itself, there are jobs going with contractors supplying the car parking and also those acting as chaperones or supervising crossings.

There are positions for minibus and tractor drivers, but these are not paid, with the drivers instead being given a festival ticket.

Finally, those who have food pitches for the festival could be looking for staff, so it could be worth getting in touch with vendors about jobs at Glastonbury.

You might be working, but downtime moments might just give you a chance to see a headline or legend slot that will live with you forever.

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk