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Victoria and Albert Museum

Main Stage

The first Glastonbury Festival saw a crowd of 2,500 camping around a temporary Main Stage. Built on Michael Eavis’ farm in the Vale of Avalon, the Main Stage returned in 1971 as the now legendary Pyramid Stage.

Statistics

  • 1970
    first appeared
  • 15*
    performances

* Catalogued so far.

Years at festival

  1. 1970

    Held on the day after Jimi Hendrix died, 2,000 people came to hear Marc Bolan and T Rex, Al Stewart, Keith Christmas and Stackridge. Inspired by the Blues Festival held at the Bath and West Showground, dairy farmer Michael Eavis organised the event in the hope of paying off his mortgage, although £1,500 was lost on the first event.

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