Glastonbury has opened its gates for the first time in three years.
The world-famous music extravaganza's co-organiser, Emily Eavis, has admitted it's "a miracle" they are able to put on the festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset, South West England, for the first time since 2019, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emily's father, Michael Eavis, beamed as he greeted festival-goers at the gates on Wednesday morning (22.06.22).
Speaking live from the festival to Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 6, Emily - who curates the line-up with her father - said: “To actually be able to see people there and welcome in, watch them streaming in and running to pitch their tents up… it’s an amazing feeling.
“We were doing so much towards the 50th [anniversary], obviously some of that is still playing out this year and we’ve melded all these ideas into this one festival.
“I think every detail and part of the process has been devoured and savoured by everybody, it’s so precious.”
She added: “There were many moments where we were full of uncertainty and it was only in the last few months where we were sure we were going to make it through.
“It’s a miracle, it’s happened, everybody’s here.”
Headline acts Billie Eilish, Sir Paul McCartney and Kendrick Lamar will rock the Pyramid Stage.
Motown legend Diana Ross is set to play the teatime Legends slot on Sunday (27.06.22).
Other acts performing include Olivia Rodrigo, Sam Fender, Haim, Foals and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.
As always, there will be some surprise sets.
And it was just announced that 'Eurovision' 2022 winners Kalush Orchestra will play the Shangri-La's Truth Stage on Friday (24.06.22).
Speaking of playing the legendary festival, the Ukrainian folk-rap ensemble's frontman Oleh Psiuk said: "We are so excited to be playing at Glastonbury Festival alongside some of the biggest names in music from around the world. This is the perfect place for our first ever British performance and we hope it will be the start of many in the UK. We are very grateful for all the support we receive from the people of Britain, both for us and our country, and we are preparing a very special Ukrainian surprise for the fans at Glastonbury. What is it? You'll soon see. See you there."
Croissant Neuf also continues its legendary mission of subtly delivering the concepts of caring for our planet and ourselves through the medium of environmental displays, eco-friendly chats and workshops and oodles of Solar Powered music in our big top and on our Bandstand.
Croissant Neuf pioneered the use of Solar Power at festivals, starting in 1987. Since then Renewable Energy has become commonplace and now, on some bright sunny days, the UK runs on over 50% clean, green energy on it!!
“It’s almost an all-year round job,” says Sally Howell, who has organised the Croissant Neuf field at Glastonbury Festival for 36 years.
“But we’re always scouting for new and up-and-coming stuff. We’re a platform for people to make their debut.”
One such debut Howell gave was to an undiscovered 19-year-old in 2011 called Ed Sheeran.
“I can’t take the kudos for discovering him, he was a friend of a friend of people that I book.
“The first year he came to the festival and only did a couple of numbers on stage with his mate, which was amazing.
“The following year, he came on his own and launched A Team on my stage, and after that he went sky high and we couldn’t afford him.
“We gave him an opportunity on the bottom rung of the ladder and that’s really what Croissant Neuf is about.”
