- From Mud Baths to Salon Services: The Evolution of Glastonbury
- Blowfest: The Hairdressing Pop-up at Glastonbury
- Social Media Influence and Improved Tresses: Looking Glamorous at the Festival
Over the years, photographs from the Glastonbury Festival typically depicted music fans donning waterproof clothing and covered in mud. There are salons offering beauty services to keep campers looking their best in 2023, and it’s not just about the attire.
Once upon a time, not so very long ago, the only type of bath available at Glastonbury was a mud bath.
Over the course of five or six days, the most a hygienic camper could expect was a tap rinse or wet-wipe wash and a hide-all bucket hat. However, to get the full Worthy Farm festival experience, it was necessary to leave any notions of looking glamorous at home.
Photographs of especially wet and filthy years – such as 2005, when some tents were submerged – were an integral part of the Glastonbury experience, as were sensible waterproofs, sturdy boots, and tales of long-drop toilet terror.
However, while the restrooms may still be an ordeal, the festival has taken on a very distinct appearance. We appreciate Kate Moss and her micro shorts. And Sienna Miller with her bohemian belts and Alexa Chung with her PVC skinny jeans. It began with celebrities and has since spread to the roughly 200,000 non-celebrities who attend annually.
Glastonbury has evolved with the times, and no longer focuses solely on attire. In 2023, festivalgoers may sleep in tents, but due to hairdressing and beauty pop-ups, they can look like they just stepped out of a salon.
Near the Pyramid stage, the Blowfest kiosk offers services ranging from a simple hair wash for £15 to a creative blow-dry and styling for £60. Bookings opened in March, and similar to the sale of festival tickets, the website collapsed due to overwhelming demand.
Friday at 8:00 a.m., the queue began to form at the location.
Natalie Walton, age 29 and a resident of Kent joined the queue outside to have her hair rinsed.
She told, “There’s nothing better than being a girl.” “I despise the feeling of sweat in my hair… I believe there should be more tents like this.” Some so many females need their hair done here.”
Natalie straightens her hair every day at home, but resting in a tent causes excessive kinks.
She said, “I’ve been before, and I received it last year as well.” “I appreciate it.”
Due to social media, festival attendees strive to appear their best. Gone are the days when there were no mobile phones and what happened at Glastonbury stayed at Glastonbury.
However, the weather is also partially to blame. It has been several years since Glastonbury experienced the torrential downpours and mud-wading of exceptionally wet years such as 1997 and 2005. Sunlight equals summer attire and, for most, improved tresses.
Amy Roberts, 27, from Liverpool, is attending the festival for the fifth time. At home, she shampoos her hair only once per week, but at Glastonbury, she must exert more effort.
“When I awoke this morning, there were spiders and everything,” she explained. “I’m not a particularly glamorous person, but I still want to appear nice. I do not wish to appear disheveled.
“The first time I came here, I was 19 years old, and I didn’t wash my hair. It was intermittently raining, and my hair was a mess.”
Rachel Bacon, who manages the exhibit, is back for a second year due to the incredibly high demand in 2022. The salon provides primarily cleanses and blow-dries, but also trims and barber services.
“Friday and Saturday will always be fairly busy,” she declared. “Last Saturday [in 2022], I believe individuals waited up to three hours to wash their hair.
“I believe that with the way that life is changing, with social media, camera phones, and the technology that we have now, everyone wants to appear their best at all times so that they can take photos and post them online. Therefore, if that involves being at a festival with fabulous hair, you should just go with the flow.”
After rain earlier in the day, Blowfest had customers on Wednesday, the first official day of the festival, when music lovers had just left their homes and cleaned bathrooms.
Even on Wednesday, people just wanted to come in and dry or re-straighten their hair, according to Rachel.
While some may argue that hair cleansing and blow-drying are a far cry from the original Glastonbury, the demand is there, and what’s wrong with looking your best?
Rachel stated, “There is a bit of ambivalence regarding the statement, ‘Oh, it’s no longer a hippie festival if people are going to get their hair washed.'” However, everyone is unique and desires their item.
