Latest news with #Glastonbury
The Guardian
28 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘We get to press pause on real life' – why Glastonbury is the ultimate friends holiday
One morning at Glastonbury's Stone Circle, my friend AJ pointed towards a crowd of revellers and said 'Dalai Lama'. I laughed thinking it was some kind of offbeat joke. 'No,' he said, 'it's the actual Dalai Lama.' 'Sure,' I said. I never even turned around, it seemed simply too far-fetched that he would be at Glastonbury festival. The joke was on me though because it was the Dalai Lama. He was there meeting festivalgoers ahead of his speech later that morning. This is the anecdote I use to illustrate to people who've never been before why it feels as if anything might happen at Glastonbury festival. 'It was the actual Dalai literal Lama. At 6am. In a field!!' They're usually backing away slowly at this point. Unexpected encounters, memorable weather and meeting up with old friends are just a few of the reasons my love of Glastonbury has only grown over the years. We've gone from arranging to meet up under a comedy sign to using the Official Glastonbury app, powered by Vodafone, to share everything from lineups to where to find the best bagels. Glastonbury has been written about, filmed, mythologised, tweeted, TikToked and think-pieced to the point that every sentiment you reach for to describe how it makes you feel ends up sounding like a cliche. It simply can't be helped. It is all the things people say: a ritual, a reunion, a sacred space where we remember who we once were and honour who we've become (and yes, also a fun, strange party in a field), so forgive me if I start to sound like a cliche because for me and my friends, the annual pilgrimage to Worthy Farm has become sacrosanct. The year of the Dalai Lama was 2015, when we first made it a tradition. It wasn't my first Glastonbury but that year about 25 of us got tickets – all friends from university who'd dispersed to different parts of the country after graduating and who were giddy to be reunited, finally. A few of us – my closest group and I – pooled £25 each and bought a tent off eBay; it was weighty, ancient and pitching it required the building knowhow of a trained architect and the patience of a monk. Ten years on, though, it has seen us through a lot. It proved a haven in particular in 2016, the year of wild, torrential, biblical rain – if a tight fit. Our designated early arrivers had stomped through a sea of mud to reach our favoured site with it on their shoulders like a coffin. It was also the year when the Brexit results were announced. I was awoken on Friday morning by my friend Jamie's plaintive howls of: 'We're out, we're out. The pound has crashed and David Cameron's resigning.' I remember sitting on the hill behind the Park stage during one of the brief pauses in the rain, looking out across the whole site, that classic view – the Ribbon Tower, the flags, the tents scattered like old confetti. We were in our mid-20s, had entered the jobs market in the middle of the great recession and were only just starting to feel that our careers might actually go somewhere. At least we're here, we kept saying. At least we have this. That night – soaked, cold, tempted to burrow into the tent and stay there – we ventured out to see Stormzy then Kano headline the Sonic stage in Silver Hayes. It was such a big performance, defiant, full of bravado, we couldn't help but feel a renewed optimism. We hugged and screamed and danced. I left the set thinking that I would pay whatever it took, a hundred times over, to keep convening in this field, with these people, for as long as I possibly could. And, mostly, we have. Over time, we've celebrated engagements there, house purchases, new jobs. We celebrated friends moving countries, and coming back. We celebrated surviving a global pandemic. Pressing pause on real life, for those few days, we get to live in a technicolour bubble where joy is easy and time bends. We laugh more. We listen harder. We dance like idiots. We cry when the sun sets behind the Pyramid stage on Sunday. We remember that, beneath the bills and burnout, we are still the same people who sang through the thunderstorms, arms flung around each other. Connecting friends to the best of British summerVodafone has been connecting people to the places and things they love since 1984 – that's why it is The Nation's Network. Vodafone will make sure friends stay connected during their time at the festival by powering the Official Glastonbury app, with features including live location sharing, reliable coverage and free Connect & Charge facilities. In a new highlight for 2025, the app will even measure ticketholders' step counts so that friends can compare who has covered the most ground. And Vodafone is upping the ante by matching the average festival-goer's step count with donations of sims (to a max of 75,000) through its programme. As children have come along we've managed to incorporate them to a degree: in 2023, for instance, when my friend Sophie was pregnant we turned her 12-week ultrasound scan into a flag. It had the words MEET US AT THE FETUS written across the bottom. The flag hung above our tent all weekend like a beacon of absurdity and love. (We've stopped short at bringing any of them along because, quite frankly, I don't think any of us are brave enough.) Last year, I had a three-month-old at home and watched from my sofa but I'm back this year. A little older, a little softer, just as devoted. I'll be there with my boyfriend, my SPF50, Loop earplugs and the mild sense of dread that comes with being in your mid-30s and about to spend four nights on an inflatable mattress. We've also downloaded the Official Glastonbury app and shared our lineups. The location-sharing feature might actually save us this year – no more frantic texts saying 'by a flag' or 'left of the big speaker' while squinting at a man in glitter hot pants who looks vaguely like your friend from behind. There's something comforting about that – about being able to stay connected without stepping outside of the bubble. About knowing where your people are, even in the chaos. Because that's what Glastonbury has always meant to us: not the headliners, not the hype, but the simple fact of being together, in a field, once a year. Still showing up. Still choosing each other. And yes, I know, it's all a bit of a cliche. But like most cliches, it only became one because it's true. Vodafone, connecting you to Glastonbury this summerThe Official Glastonbury 2025 app is available now! Download the free app, powered by Vodafone
BBC News
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Top tips for taking children to Glastonbury Festival
Music, art, games, fields and "lots of fun". It is no wonder that festivals are an increasingly popular choice for families looking for summer Glastonbury Festival a go-to for adults and children alike, we spoke to three mums about their top tips for keeping all the generations was a popular choice - not the kind you get to the festival in, but the kind you can trundle your children around in, because festivals are very big spaces for little key advice is a healthy dollop of patience for parents and a comfy pair of shoes for, well, everyone. Kelly and her husband, both 41, from Weston-super-Mare, are planning their eighth and 10th visit to Glastonbury Festival this year. Their children, aged six and 10, are looking forward to their fourth said they are "incredibly lucky" to be able to enjoy two days of the festival before the children's grandparents bring them to the site on Saturday means the adults have two days before the children arrive, and the children do not miss said her top tips would be: Be flexible, don't over-plan, relax and most importantly, have fun!"Your festival experience is completely different when you take your children, so don't try and get them to fit into your schedule... go at their pace, explore with them and experience the festival through their eyes." Kelly's other tips include:Put a wristband with your mobile number on your child's wrist (or pick one up from the kidzfield)Create a meeting point in each spaceTake ear defenders for childrenAvoid big acts on small stages as crowds are overwhelming. If you go, stay at the back where there is space to danceSee as much as possible with your children. Kidzfield, Greenpeace, Glastonbury-on-sea, circus and theatreExplore the South-East corner during the day – there's lots of great stuff to see there and you'll avoid the crowds. And hunt down the dragon in the woods by the Stone Circle Melissa, 42, and her partner Ben, 37, live near Woolavington, in Somerset, and are taking their daughter Lexi for the third time this summer and Ben's son for the second has been to almost every Glastonbury Festival since she was 16-years-old, adding it must be about her 20th time going. She said life as a mum can get extremely busy, "so it's nice to wear what you want, be covered in glitter, make friends with strangers and party in a field".Melissa said that like Kelly, they also split Glastonbury week in two - allowing them to set everything up and catch up with friends before going home to pick up "some very excited children" on Saturday, have a shower and head back to the said her top tip for taking babies is a good carrier. "When Lexi was tiny she loved being in the carrier and we could just take her everywhere with us - even dancing," she said a solid pushchair is also a must and that the festival's Little Kids R&R tent is "amazing" as it has facilities for children and babies with bottle cleaning, sterilising and baby changing. Melissa's other tips include:Let the kids explore - there's so much for all the senses with the Kidzfield, circus, theatre and cabaret and "the pier is like another world"Take snacks - lots of snacks! Bubbles for the kids to play with Take a couple of changes of clothing for the days, and layers and onesies for evening A big blanket to put over the pushchair once babies/toddlers are asleep Vicky, 41, from Windsor, Berkshire, took her two daughters to Glastonbury Festival in 2023, when they were aged two and three, and said most people thought they were crazy, "but we had a lot of fun".Although unsuccessful getting tickets this year, she said she would love to take them again, and she is an admin of Glasto Families Facebook and her husband had previously attended the festival about five times and said key to the success of taking their children was hiring a camper van and going on the Tuesday so they were able to settle before a lot of people key piece of advice is to have a good mode of transport to take young kids around the site - with big wheels, "so if it is muddy, it can still manoeuvre well"."An all-terrain buggy or wagon, is vital, especially when you have young children," she said. Vicky's tips include: Be flexible - you never know when children may have a meltdown or need the looTake food, snacks and easy breakfast things - we took porridge pots which means they started the day with full belliesIf you want to see bands, take games, sticker books and colouring books so the children have something for when they get boredAnd, she said, see the festival through your children's eyes. Her four-year-old daughter watched the Foo Fighters and Guns N' Roses and now wants to join the rock band at school and play the drums. "It inspires them to do things they wouldn't do otherwise," Vicky added.
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
The hottest music festivals of 2025
DUBAI: Make your summer travel plans with music in mind For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Glastonbury Where: Wiltshire, England When: June 25-29 What: Glastonbury has a convincing claim to being the world's most famous festival, and regularly attracts more than 200,000 people to the Somerset countryside to see a diverse lineup that — apart from music megastars — includes stand-up comedy, circus acts, theater performances and more. This year's Pyramid Stage headliners are English pop-rock outfit The 1975, US veteran Neil Young, and US singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo, while top of the bill on The Other Stage are UK hip-hop star Loyle Carner, the inspiration behind last year's 'Brat Summer' Charli XCX, and seminal electronic-music act The Prodigy. Elsewhere, there really is something for all tastes. Other must-see acts: Raye, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Rod Stewart, Biffy Clyro, Noah Kahan, The Big Moon, Wolf Alice, Doechii, Wet Leg A post shared by Glastonbury Festival (@glastofest) Tomorrowland Where: Boom, Belgium When: July 18-20 and 25-27 What: A regular award-winner, Tomorrowland is one of the world's best electronic dance music festivals. A reported 400,000 people attended last year's event in De Schorre recreational park, which also accommodates the festival's official campsite, DreamVille. This year's Mainstage headliners include Martin Garrix, David Guetta, Armin van Buuren, and Swedish House Mafia, but there's also plenty of less-mainstream acts performing over the festival's two weekends on its 14 stages. Other must-see acts: Steve Aoki, Afrojack, Charlotte De Witte (pictured), Alok, ANNA, Amelie Lens, Eric Prydz A post shared by Tomorrowland (@tomorrowland) Lollapalooza Where: Chicago, US When: July 31–Aug. 3 What: It may no longer be seen as quite the cultural thermometer it once was, but Lollapalooza is still an eclectic feast for music lovers — booking acts from genres including alt-rock, metal, punk, pop, hip-hop and EDM — and attracts around 400,000 people every year to its home in Chicago. This year's headliners include Australian alt-dance group Rüfüs Du Sol; US rap star Tyler, The Creator; Olivia Rodrigo; and US singer-songwriter Sabrina Carpenter. Other must-see acts: A$AP Rocky, Twice, Luke Combs, Gracie Abrams, Cage The Elephant, Bleachers, Doechii, Martin Garrix All Together Now Where: Waterford, Ireland When: July 31-Aug. 3 What: The great joy of Irish festival All Together Now is the hidden gems further down the lineup, as well as the 'sideshows' of art, spoken word, comedy, theater and wellness in a gorgeous setting. Since its inception, All Together Now has built a reputation for having a deep bench full of quality. So while the headliners — who this year include Fontaines D.C., Nelly Furtado, and London Grammar — aren't on the megastar scale of the world's major festivals, this festival is still well worth a visit. Other must-see acts: Wet Leg, Leftfield, Michael Kiwanuka, Infinity Song, Gurriers, Glasshouse Osheaga Where: Montreal, Canada When: Aug. 1-3 What: Spread over six stages in Montreal's beautiful Parc Jean-Drapeau, Osheaga focuses on up-and-coming acts as well as major names and incorporates a variety of genres. Other attractions apart from the music include volleypong, a Ferris wheel, and art exhibitions. This year's headliners on the main Bell River Stage are US pop-rock giants The Killers; Tyler, The Creator; and Olivia Rodrigo. Other must-see acts: Doechii, Glass Animals, Lucy Dacus, The Chainsmokers, Gracie Abrams, Jamie xx, The Beaches, FINNEAS A post shared by OSHEAGA (@osheaga) Sziget Festival Where: Budapest, Hungary When: Aug. 6-11 What: Sometimes called 'Europe's Burning Man,' both because of its size (around 1,000 performances each year) and its weird side attractions — including a very odd amusement park — Sziget takes place on the breathtaking Old Buda Island on the River Danube. Headliners on the main stage this year include Charli XCX (pictured), Canadian singer Shawn Mendes, US rapper A$AP Rocky, American rapper and singer Post Malone, and US singer-songwriter Chappell Roan. Other must-see acts: FKA Twigs, The Last Dinner Party, Mother, Empire of the Sun, Justice, Amelie Lens, Caribou, Armin van Buuren Reading & Leeds Where: Reading and Leeds, England When: Aug. 21-24 What: With the same lineup performing on different nights in two different venues a couple hundred miles apart, Reading & Leeds usually attracts a total of more than 200,000 people to shows that tend to focus on indie and alternative music as well as hip-hop. This year's headliners are Irish rocker Hozier (pictured), Chappell Roan, English rock band Bring Me The Horizon, and US rapper Travis Scott. Other must-see acts: Limp Bizkit, Becky Hill, The Kooks, D-Block Europe, Amyl and the Sniffers, Rudim3ntal, Red Rum Club
Fox News
10 hours ago
- Fox News
Woman missing for months found buried under piles of hoarded trash in her own home
A retired police detective's skeletal remains have been found inside her rural Connecticut home filled with hoarding conditions seven months after she was reported missing. The remains of 73-year-old Mary Notarangelo were discovered in February after work crews arrived at her rural Connecticut home to remove piles of trash accumulated from the retired detective's hoarding behavior, according to the Glastonbury Police Department. Notarangelo was last heard from around June 12, 2024, when she texted a friend to say she was suffering from abdominal cramps and vomiting and had fallen. Approximately three weeks later, the friend called the police to request a welfare check. Seven months later, on Feb. 24, an environmental services crew was called to Notarangelo's home to begin removing the "mountains" of garbage. Notarangelo's skeletal remains were discovered after workers used a small excavator to shovel a large pile of debris from behind her front door. Authorities have not provided a reason why it took over half a year to find Notarangelo's remains, though officials pointed to the large amount of trash in her home. Glastonbury police said conditions in the home were among the worst they have seen and complicated attempts to locate Notarangelo. Officials reported finding cages of dead birds, a live cat and mice within the home, which also had a terrible stench. "Once inside, I observed more mountains of garbage, cobwebs and spiders," Officer Anthony Longo reported. "There was no path whatsoever. The only way to move from room to room was by climbing over the garbage." Local authorities conducted their first search of the home on July 3, 2024, but were unable to locate Notarangelo, citing hoarding piles as the primary factor. A drone was also deployed into the house, but ultimately struck cobwebs and was disabled, according to police. Additional searches were conducted on July 5, July 11, July 12 and Nov. 20, but Notarangelo was never found. "It's so upsetting and so sad," said Patti Steeves, a friend of Notarangelo's who previously worked at the Bridgeport Police Department as a civilian employee. "She, as quirky as she was, was a good person at heart." Steeves revealed she had made attempts to speak with her friend about the hoarding, but Notarangelo did not want to discuss the issue. Notarangelo was also a "bird fanatic" and had about 20 birds, along with a cat and dog, her friend said. Notarangelo worked with the Bridgeport police from 1985 to 1996, and was promoted to detective in 1992 and to sergeant a year later, according to the department. She later retired on disability following an on-duty car crash, Steeves said. Notarangelo's cause of death could not be determined because her remains were primarily skeletal, the state medical examiner's office said. The Glastonbury Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Retired detective found dead in hoarding conditions in Connecticut, months after she went missing
GLASTONBURY, Conn. (AP) — Mary Notarangelo lived a reclusive life in her later years, according to the few people who had contact with her. The retired police detective tended to her many birds at her Connecticut home and posted videos of them on social media, including one accompanying her on a trip to a local crafts store. But a welfare check request to police last year uncovered disturbing truths. Hoarding conditions were found in her house in Glastonbury, just southeast of Hartford, when authorities tried to find her last July. It wasn't until February that a work crew using a small excavator discovered her skeletal remains. They were found beneath a pile of debris heaped just inside her front door, according to a police report released Wednesday. Glastonbury police said conditions in the single-family home set off a rural road in the woods were among the worst they've seen and hindered several search attempts over the months. Officers said there were 6-foot-tall (2-meter-tall) 'mountains' of garbage blocking entrance doors. Dead birds were found in cages along with mice running about and a live cat. And there was a terrible stench. 'Once inside, I observed more mountains of garbage, cobwebs, and spiders,' Officer Anthony Longo wrote in the report. 'There was no path whatsoever. The only way to move from room to room was by climbing over the garbage.' It's not clear how Notarangelo died. At 73, she was a retired Bridgeport police detective and longtime Wiccan, according to officials and friends. Her death was first reported by Hearst Connecticut Media earlier Wednesday. The state medical examiner's office said her cause of death could not be determined because the remains were mostly skeletal. A friend had called police to request the welfare check July 3, 2024. He told investigators Notarangelo last texted him around June 12, 2024, saying she was having abdominal cramps, vomiting and had fallen. It's not clear why the friend — who did not return phone and text messages — waited so long to call authorities. It's also not clear why it took seven months to find her remains, although several attempts had been made and officials cited the mounds of trash and other items. A police spokesperson did not immediately return an email seeking comment about the timeline. 'It's so upsetting and so sad,' said another friend, Patti Steeves, who worked with Notarangelo at the Bridgeport Police Department as a civilian employee years ago. 'She, as quirky as she was, she was a good person at heart.' Steeves added: 'She was passionate about her faith. She was passionate about her job. She had a great sense of humor. And she loved her animals. She loved her animals more than she did herself.' Steeves said she tried to talk with Notarangelo about the hoarding, but Notarangelo wouldn't discuss it. She said Notarangelo was a 'bird fanatic' who had about 20 birds, including cockatoos, cockatiels and parrots, and a cat and a dog. Bridgeport police said Notarangelo worked there from 1985 to 1996. She was promoted to detective in 1992 and to sergeant a year later. Steeves said she retired on disability after an on-duty car crash that injured her back and legs. Notarangelo posted occasionally on her social media accounts, saying she was an animal lover and an 'intuitive & reiki master,' referring to the Japanese healing practice. She posted videos and photos of her birds, including a cockatoo perched on a shopping cart during her outing to a crafts store. Police and firefighters first searched the home on July 3, 2024, the day of the welfare check request but couldn't find her, citing hoarding piles as a major factor. They also sent a drone in the house, but it hit cobwebs and became disabled, police said. More searches, they said, were conducted on July 5, July 11, July 12 and Nov. 20. On Feb. 24, an environmental services crew arrived with a small excavator. Plywood was removed from the front door area and crews used the excavator to carefully remove the contents of the home through the opening. Notarangelo's remains were discovered within minutes, police said. An attorney was assigned to handle Notarangelo's estate in March. He did not return phone and email messages Wednesday. Relatives of Notarangelo, including her brother and niece, declined to comment. Dave Collins, The Associated Press
