After an emotional reunion with our festival family we cracked on with building our stall. The recent heatwave had dissipated and it was chilly enough to need coats beneath our hi-viz. By 7pm we were all but done and, joined by our mates Stuart and Steven, drank and chatted into the early hours.
When we were packing in record-breaking temperatures, just looking at synthetic dresses and jeans, made us sweaty but thank goodness we insisted on taking them, Tuesday had a distinct nip in the air!
I first met Caitlin of The Octopus's Garden, back in 2019, She and husband Mark are absolutely lovely. We can't wait to hang out with them at Beautiful Days.
The gates opened to the public at 8am and, as always, the noise from the legions of media helicopters buzzing overhead, keen to broadcast the "Glastonbury Carnage" made us feel like we had starring roles in Apocalypse Now.
By 9pm the temperature had dropped and I had to throw another layer over my dress. Our friend Caroline of Pilgrims Fair Trade, who was trading up in the Green Fields, popped over with a bag of Indian treats she'd bought back for me from a recent trip to Delhi, I put the earrings on straightway.
The plummeting temperatures were great for our fake fur sales. These guys, who work on one of the food stalls, were jealous of the 1980s leopard print coat their mate had bought from us last year and decided they each needed one. The lad in the waistcoat was planning on wearing his to see Scissor Sisters on Saturday night.
Devastatingly for the Glasto haters who love nothing better than a mudfest! front page headline, Thursday proved to be another scorcher.
As a festival of contemporary performing arts, we were treated to all manner of crazy impromptu performances outside the shop.
Business was brisk which meant I couldn't take as many customer photos as I'd like but here's two robotic band members from Berlin, fresh from their appearance at The Pier, delighted with their purchases. Jon decided that this 1970s Californian-made suede jacket needed to be in his wardrobe. We'd every plan to go out and explore Arcadia after we'd shut up shop but it started to rain so the gang made an executive decision to have an after hours party in the shop instead.
Friday was the day the Pyramid Stage opened and to many, the first proper day of the Glastonbury festival. Not that it stopped the shoppers, keen to peruse our rails.
And here's Team Kinky members, Stuart and Kim. Kim's dress is from the Kinky rails....I knew she'd look amazing in it the moment I found it!
Leaving Jon in charge, the gang & I went to see Wet Leg slaying the Other Stage.
When you're in the thick of it it never feels as busy as it does in the photos. Despite my legendary talent for getting lost, I made it back to the shop all on my own and, despite there being tens of thousands in the crowd, I still managed to bump into a few people I knew.
After closing time, we posed for photos in our evening attire before heading out for the night.
We caught Loyle Carner's set over on the Other Stage and were thrilled when we brought out Walsall legend, Jorja Smith, who we've known since she was a little girl!
It was Loyle's biggest gig to date and he was phenomenal.
We'd planned to meet Stuart and Kim along with Shilpa Silver's Heidi and Shaun over at Avalon but we got word that it was full so we walked down to the post-apocalyptic world of Carhenge instead.
Rumoured to be a Banksy installation, Terminal 1 is a social comment on borders and migration.
Meanwhile, outside, on a trailer dragged by a Mad Max-esque Mutoid vehicle and flanked by two guards armed with flame throwers, you'll find the Notting Hill Carnival band, performing throw-your-hands-in-the-air joyous soul and retro disco tunes amongst the rusty ruins.
Kim and Stuart babysat the stall whilst we walked over to West Holts to watch one of our favourite live bands, Bob Vylan.
I must admit we were a bit surprised that their performance was being live streamed...they're an anarchic punk band. How on earth would their act go down with the BBC viewers? Unless you live under a rock I think you know the answer to that.
Meanwhile, back at the shop where Kim, Stuart & Lily had done a sterling job minding it in our absence, we were visited by a a handful of happy buyers who'd come back to show us that they were wearing their Kinky Melon purchases ....I love it when that happens!
A 1960s cotton mini dress and some Minnetonka fringed boots - styled to perfection!
Dressed for a Saturday night out!
We don't often see acts on the Pyramid Stage (the area known as Babylon by long-time Glasto goers) but were curious to see Neil Young. To be honest, I didn't think I knew much he'd done and was more interested in catching a glimpse of his wife, Darryl Hannah, who I've had a massive crush on since seeing Splash in the 1980s!
What can I say? Neil Young's set was amazing and the crowd was mesmerised, you could have heard a pin drop and blew Elton John & Paul McCartney's previous headline performances out of the water. And the media chat about the Pyramid Stage being empty? Utter rubbish!
No photos exist of the rest of the night but we met Stuart, Kim and Lily over at Carhenge and danced to the Notting Hill Carnival Band until the early hours of Sunday morning. A night of sheer, unbridled joy!
Who needs sleep when you're at Glastonbury? On Sunday morning we rolled up the shop front for the last time, ramped up the Northern Soul and continued with the dancing.
Alex, a happy customer & a fellow vintage stallholder treated us to vegan Portuguese custard tarts from the vegan Portuguese food stall opposite - yum!
Leaving the crew in charge Jon and I had a walk up to Green Futures to say hello to some of our trader mates catching a bit of Black Uhuru on the way.
We popped into Fat Belly Puppet cafe to say hello to boss Joy, who we discovered is a Walsall girl but missed us as she was taking a nap.
Caroline and James' stall, Pilgrims. We know them from Womad.
Chillo - aka Michelle and partner Sean - are our neighbours at Beautiful Days.
Caroline!
The Rodigy!!!
The tenth largest urban area in the UK! People as far as the eye can see.
Back at the shop we posed for a photo with Steve.
And after the crew came back from Snow Patrol, we got a passerby to snap all of us together.
Although we had plans for Alabama 3 over on Avalon, a regular customer popped in just before closing time and we missed them. So it turned out to be another night spent over at Carhenge - not that we minded, it's become a Glasto highlight! And, once again, we ended up going to bed far too late!
The following morning, after waving off Kim, Stuart and Lily, we started on the break down. The thermometer in the tent read 41°C and although we absolutely love the heat, it was possibly the hardest pack down ever! Eventually, extremely sweaty after eight hours of back-breaking manual labour, we were given the go-ahead to leave the site and after bidding fond farewells to our trader family we left the farm.
As is traditional on our journey home we stopped at Gloucester Services, the independent, family owned motorway service station which only sells locally produced food (no fried chicken or Mcburgers sold here!) and just like last year, I managed to snaffle the last vegetarian pie on the shelf!
Glasto 2025, you were an absolute blast! The festival is having a fallow year in 2026 so we'll be 60 next time we're on the farm....how the f*ck did that happen?!!!
Awesome! Welcome home my darling, you clearly had an amazing time and Carhenge looked fantastic.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed every minute of reading all about it! I take it you didn't see Rod Stewart if you were still trading at that time? It must take you days to come down from the Glasto high!Thanks for sharing.xxx
ReplyDeleteI was looking forward to a Rod review. The ones I've seen online were so mixed it's hard to form a picture. I do hope that he calls it a day soon. I know he's got kids and wives to support but the fella needs a rest.
DeleteThat's me above!xx
ReplyDeleteI'm very tired reading and taking in the pictures. What endurance you both have. The heat and crowds would have done me in, but then you're truly in mind and body half my age.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you had an awesome time!
ReplyDeleteIt's really interesting to hear about the behind-the-scenes aspects of trading at such a massive event, from the weather shifts to the early morning routines and even the "Glastonbury Carnage" as the gates open! Your description of the Bandstand's eclectic line-up is also a great counter-narrative to the usual commercialism complaints, it sounds like a truly vibrant hub for diverse music. It's a testament to the real spirit of Glastonbury.
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