How to get into Glastonbury Festival if you missed out on tickets

Charities and first aid organisations employ thousands of volunteers for Glastonbury each year

Sunday (19 November) morning will end in jubilation for some and heartbreak for many more as general sale tickets for Glastonbury Festival 2024 go on sale.

Last year, around 2.5 million people competed for 210,000 tickets.

No headliners have been confirmed as of yet, but organiser Emily Eavis has hinted that “a really big American artist” will be among them.

The Independent has put together this handy guide of tips and tricks to give yourself the best odds at landing those coveted tickets; however, if you’re in the millions who didn’t manage to get their hands on one, there are some other ways to get into Glastonbury – and no, we’re not talking about jumping the fence.

Working for your ticket

Glastonbury has a whole section of its website dedicated to the jobs you can do in return for a festival ticket.

NB: “In some cases you would be required to pay for the ticket in advance, and would be reimbursed after completing the required hours.”

People sing along as Lewis Capaldi performs on the Pyramid Stage on Day 4 of Glastonbury Festival 2023 (Getty Images)

Every year a whole host of organisations ask for volunteers to join them at the festival in return for free access. Normally people are required to work three eight-hour shifts for their ticket; though, this may vary depending on the organisation.

Each year, Oxfam leads a 2000-strong team of volunteers to the festival. Their roles include stewarding, campaigning and volunteering at pop-up charity shops on-site. As well as your ticket, you’ll get secure camping, a meal voucher for every shift, hot showers, toilets, tea and coffee, and phone charging.

Festaff also employs a number of volunteers at Glastonbury (as well as festivals across the company).

According to their website, “Festaff positions usually involve working as part of a team of like-minded volunteers on some light & enjoyable tasks such as stewarding in the campsite, wristbanding and/or scanning tickets as patrons arrive at the event, front of house bar staff, campsite information point teams, or similar general assistance roles.”

Check the Glastonbury website to see what other charitable organisations are involved.

Being a first-aider

Glastonbury volunteers (Getty Images)

Dr Chris Howes leads a team of some 1,500 medical staff into the festival each year. If you have medical, paramedic or first-aid qualifications, you can apply to join his team here.

NB: The website notes that applications to join Festival Medical Services if accepted will not necessarily mean you will be selected to work at Glastonbury.

For all clinical applications, you will require proof of qualification/s, a photo (passport style) and a credit/debit card to pay a £25 non-refundable three-year membership fee.

General admission tickets will go on sale at 9am GMT on Sunday 19 November.

Tickets will cost £355 + £5 booking fee, of which a £75 deposit (plus coach fare if booking a ticket + coach travel option) is payable when booking in November, with the balance payable in the first week of April 2024.

Tickets will be sold exclusively at glastonbury.seetickets.com.