Glastonbury Blog - CAT: Wednesday: First arrivals

"It's been a long day but we've all loved it"

2010-06-23T22:58:00Z

Lantern launching from the Stone Circle has become a Glastonbury tradition. On a still night like tonight it’s quite wonderful to see all the paper lanterns gently drifting into the night sky. Each lantern is gently warmed by the flame and when each one launches the crowd all cheer.

Glastonbury first-timers Anna and Joe have just finished their GCSE exams and are here with their mates for an end of exam treat. “It’s been a long day but we’ve all loved it. Can’t wait until tomorrow when the music kicks off”.

Heading out to catch the sunset

2010-06-23T21:00:00Z

It’s a beautiful hazy summer evening, the sun’s about to go down – and our 100 Hours begin here. More than 100,000 people are already on the site. Some are already in full-on party mode, some are relaxing with friends or family in the campsites … while others are leaving their tents to head up to the Stone Circle and watch the sunset.

We're settled in and the campfire's lit

2010-06-23T19:21:00Z

The general vibe in the evening is really chilled – and not just because everyone’s had a bit too much sun and too much football!

There’s no action at any of the music venues on the first night so it’s got a special feel of its own – a chance for people to get their bearings, meet up, have a wander or just sit round the campfire.

Some create their own music – like the duo we met (above) who call themselves La Raga and get the whole family involved in their jamming sessions. Others are so exhausted after their epic journeys – or the excitement of the England match – they can’t keep their eyes open.

Danny Wagg from Warrington and his 20 mates have been out collecting wood from around the festival site and now they reckon they’ve got enough to keep their fire going until Sunday night.

They’re camped near the Glade – and in the nearby market area people are checking out stalls and grabbing something to eat.

It feels a little bit like the calm before the storm – conserving energy for the next few nights.

The England tops and facepaint have started to come off (or run in the heat) and Glastonbury is settling in for a totally chilled out sunset.

Goal! England's glorious Glastonbury gig

2010-06-23T16:04:00Z

The sun is shining, the gates of Glastonbury have been open for just over seven hours – and Jermain Defoe has just scored against Slovenia.

A huge crowd gathered in front of the Pyramid Stage to watch England go through to the knockout stages of the World Cup with a 1-0 victory – which means the next big match will potentially be against old rivals Germany at 3pm on Sunday, the final day of the festival.

Glasto crowd attempts a new world record

2010-06-23T14:10:00Z

This is the moment we set out to attempt a new world record for the most people tagged in an online photo.

A huge crowd gathered in front of the Pyramid Stage to watch England’s crucial World Cup match against Slovenia – and during half-time we got on to the stage to take a series of high-res photos that will be turned into a giant 1.3 gigapixel image here on the site when the festival ends.

It took over seven whole minutes to complete the massive photo, and the atmosphere was electric as the camera panned around the crowd with everyone cheering and raising their hands into the air.

The huge crowd shot will be available to view on Tuesday and, if you were there, you’ll be able to zoom around and in and out of the photo to find you and your friends in the crowd.

Once you’ve spotted yourself, you can connect to Facebook and ‘tag’ the photograph. We’re hoping it will create the most-tagged photo in the world.

The photo will be available here next week. If you were at the Pyramid Stage for the England match, don’t forget to come back and tag yourself. Even if you were stood right at the back, you’ll be able to zoom right in and spot your face in the crowd.

Vuvuzelas at the ready for the big match

2010-06-23T13:20:00Z

It’s a mass exodus to the Pyramid stage for England versus Slovenia. With 30 minutes to go before kick-off the vuvuzelas are out. Matt, Ben and Paul from Oxfordshire joined the crowd early to get ready for the big match.

The crowd are roaring, the pre-match build up has just been put on to the big screens. Come on England!

See the campsite landgrab minute by minute

2010-06-23T11:20:00Z

The most popular campsites fill up fast – people in the know have made a beeline for the camping around the Pyramid stage and fields like the Dance Field, Park Home Ground and Lower Mead are already full.

We set up a camera at 9am on one of the security scaffold towers at Park Home Ground looking towards the Park Stage and fetched it down at noon – so you can see how the landgrab unfolds minute by minute.

As new arrivals struggle for somewhere to pitch their tents, they shout up to the security guys at the top of the towers asking if they can spot a gap and direct them there. After the prime spots have gone the only spaces left will be next to the toilets!

Forget the wellies - it's hot, hot, hot!

2010-06-23T09:15:00Z

It’s getting hot – very hot – as everyone who set off early to beat the crowds finds a place to pitch their tent and settle down. There’s a mixture of Glastonbury veterans moving fast to grab the best pitches – they’re the ones with trollies or wheels – and newbies lugging heavy bags down the paths and stopping for regular rests and water breaks.

A sun hat is going to be essential this year – so this four have come well prepared. They bought 42 hats off eBay for £42, with the intention of finding 38 friends to wear them!

Darren shows off his new Glasto haircut

2010-06-23T09:11:00Z

Darren travelled from Glasgow by bus and he’s already turning heads with an eye-catching Glastonbury haircut.

Faye leads the charge as the gates open

2010-06-23T07:07:00Z

8am on Worthy Farm and Glastonbury is go! Faye Kowalewsky from Wisbech (above) was one of the first to arrive, having left home at midnight to make sure she got here as the gates opened.

A lot of the early arrivals were festival veterans who knew exactly where they wanted to camp and who they wanted to see this weekend. Stevie Wonder seems to be top of everyone’s list.