The Spirit of the Festival: Glastonbury’s Community Vibe and Its Future Inspiration for Fuji Rock

• July 23, 2024 ● Experiences

Attending Glastonbury this year was a fantastic experience. As someone who usually covers Fuji Rock, it was amazing to see the festival that inspired it all. The sense of community at Glastonbury is something special, and it’s quite different from Fuji Rock. Here’s a peek into the unique vibe that makes Glastonbury stand out.

Vastness and Accessibility

The first thing that struck me about Glastonbury was its size. Covering 900 to 1,100 acres and hosting up to 210,000 people, it’s enormous compared to Fuji Rock’s 100,000 to 150,000 attendees and 1.5-mile stretch. But despite its vastness, Glastonbury’s circular layout makes it surprisingly easy to get around. Every path seems to lead to another exciting part of the festival, unlike Fuji Rock, where you often have to trek through the entire length to get from one end to the other.

Diverse Community Activities

Glastonbury’s community vibe is boosted by its incredible variety of activities. I joined a Samba class, which felt just like my weekly Zumba classes—a judgment-free zone where I could dance my heart out. But that was just the beginning. There were movie viewings with Q&A sessions, like one with Florence Pugh discussing “Dune 2.” Entire sections of the festival were dedicated to relaxation, with massages, aromatherapy, and tarot readings. Activist movements were also prominently featured, encouraging everyone to engage with important social issues.

One particularly memorable spot was Carhenge, a playful homage to Stonehenge made of cars. Right next to it was Terminal 1, a new interactive section where you could learn about the migration process and the challenges faced by migrants in the UK. It was eye-opening and added a layer of depth to the festival experience. Adding to this “village-like” atmosphere were unique features like a post office, a pharmacy, and even the Glastonbury Free Press, a newspaper created specifically for the festival. These elements gave the festival a small-town feel, where you could truly immerse yourself as a resident of this annual community.

Global Musical Diversity

The music at Glastonbury was another highlight. Over the weekend, I saw bands from all over the world. From Japanese taiko drumming and traditional Indian bands to Mexican mariachi performances, the festival showcased an impressive array of global musical traditions. There was even a new stage dedicated to uplifting musicians from the Global South, particularly South Asia. This commitment to musical diversity really highlighted Glastonbury’s inclusive spirit and celebration of cultural exchange.

Culinary Variety

The food scene at Glastonbury was equally diverse. While Fuji Rock offers about 100 food stalls, Glastonbury boasts around 400, offering a vast array of culinary delights that reflect the diversity of England. The food at Fuji Rock is undeniably fantastic, with high-quality cuisine no matter what type, but Glastonbury’s sheer variety is hard to beat. From classic British fare to international delicacies, there was something to satisfy every craving.

Fuji Rock’s Unique Community Vibe

While Fuji Rock has a strong community vibe, it’s distinct from Glastonbury. The differences can be attributed to both Eastern and Western cultural nuances and the broader access to diverse musicians and attendees at Glastonbury. However, it was heartening to overhear people at Glastonbury talking about Fuji Rock. This interest suggests that Fuji Rock might begin attracting more international attendees, further diversifying its offerings in workshops, food, and performances.

Glastonbury’s community vibe is characterized by its vastness, accessibility, diverse activities, global musical representation, and culinary variety. It’s a festival that not only celebrates music but also fosters a sense of global community and cultural exchange. As Fuji Rock continues to evolve, it may draw inspiration from Glastonbury’s inclusivity and diversity, enriching the experience for attendees from around the world. There’s hope that Fuji Rock could also incorporate similar village-like components, helping attendees connect deeper with one another as “residents” of the community that comes together once a year.

Green Initiatives: A Comparison Between Glastonbury and Fuji Rock

• July 22, 2024 ● Experiences

When it comes to sustainability, two of the world’s most iconic music festivals, Glastonbury and Fuji Rock, offer some intriguing contrasts and lessons for each other. Both festivals have made strides in reducing their environmental impact, but each has unique approaches shaped by their cultural and logistical contexts.

Glastonbury’s Sustainability Efforts

Glastonbury, held in the UK, has been a pioneer in festival sustainability:

1. Waste Management: Glastonbury has a massive team of volunteers who sort through waste, using color-coded bins to ensure proper recycling. They even have an on-site recycling facility that sorts everything out.
2. Biodegradable Materials: They’ve banned plastic and glass, opting for biodegradable and compostable alternatives. This helps keep the festival’s footprint low.
3. Water Refill Stations: One of the standout features is the availability of free water refill stations throughout the grounds. This greatly reduces the need for single-use plastic bottles.
4. Renewable Energy: The festival makes extensive use of renewable energy sources, ensuring that stages and facilities are powered sustainably.

Fuji Rock’s Approach

Fuji Rock, held in Japan, also emphasizes sustainability, but with a distinct cultural twist:

1. Litter-Free Grounds: A remarkable aspect of Fuji Rock is how clean the grounds stay. Attendees take personal responsibility for their trash, adhering to the Japanese principle of leaving no trace. This contrasts sharply with Glastonbury, where staff have to clean up littered areas every night​​.
2. Camp Chair Etiquette: At Fuji Rock, you can leave your camp chair out all weekend without fear of theft. This level of mutual respect is a testament to the festival’s community spirit. Meanwhile, at Glastonbury, reports of chair theft from campsites are not uncommon​.
3. Eco-Friendly Initiatives: This year, Fuji Rock has ramped up its sustainability efforts, including increased recycling and the use of eco-friendly products. They’ve partnered with local organizations to promote environmental awareness among attendees​.
4. Energy Conservation: The festival uses renewable energy sources, including solar panels, to power various parts of the event​.

Areas for Improvement

For Fuji Rock:

1. Water Refill Stations: Despite its strong sustainability ethos, Fuji Rock doesn’t provide free water refill stations. Attendees often have to buy plastic bottles, which creates unnecessary waste. Implementing refill stations would be a major step forward.
2. Comprehensive Waste Management: While Fuji Rock is clean, adopting a more structured waste management system like Glastonbury’s could further enhance its sustainability efforts.

For Glastonbury:

1. Personal Responsibility for Trash: Glastonbury could take a leaf out of Fuji Rock’s book by encouraging attendees to take more responsibility for their trash. Handing out trash bags at the entrance and promoting the importance of the cleaning crew more visibly could help.
2. Community Respect: Encouraging a culture of mutual respect and responsibility among attendees could reduce issues like littering and theft. Highlighting the positive examples set by Fuji Rock might inspire Glastonbury goers to follow suit.

Learning from Each Other

There’s a lot that these two festivals can learn from each other. Glastonbury’s structured initiatives like water refill stations and comprehensive waste management are top-notch and could be adopted by Fuji Rock to reduce plastic waste further. Conversely, Fuji Rock’s cultural practices around cleanliness and mutual respect offer valuable lessons for Glastonbury.

Comparing Glastonbury and Fuji Rock reveals both festivals’ strong commitment to sustainability, albeit in different ways. Glastonbury’s structured and proactive measures contrast with Fuji Rock’s cultural and community-driven approach. By learning from each other, both festivals can enhance their sustainability efforts, creating greener, more enjoyable experiences for all attendees. As the festival world continues to evolve, the exchange of best practices will be crucial in achieving a sustainable future for these large-scale events.

References:

https://www.nprillinois.org/2024-06-29/can-the-worlds-largest-music-festival-be-sustainable-glastonbury-is-trying

https://www.wusf.org/2024-06-29/can-the-worlds-largest-music-festival-be-sustainable-glastonbury-is-trying