Glastonbury 2027 tickets are going on sale very soon and I think we’re going to try and get some! We’ll be taking the kids with us. Yes, its a great festival for families! I’ll admit that we are super lucky and my husband’s parents have come with us on all our Glasto adventures so far, which has made the childcare very smooth. Would we still go without the grandparents? Probably! Let me explain why Glastonbury is a great festival to bring your kids to.
For some context, we’ve been going to Glastonbury on and off for a few years now so it feels very familiar for us. It’s so vibrant and fun, and weirdly for a music festival, wholesome. There are always families staying there so it doesn’t seem at all odd to us that we should bring the kids.
What is Glastonbury Festival?
Glastonbury Festival, or Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts as it’s properly known, is a massive music festival in the west of the UK. It runs every year except for fallow years like in 2026. This allows the farmland on which it takes place to recover from the 200,000 odd visitors it receives during the festival. It all takes place on Worthy Farm, a property belonging to local farmer, Michael Eavis. I don’t know how he managed to get his neighbours to agree to this whole thing, but I’m so glad he did.
Glastonbury gets some pretty big names to headline its shows on the iconic Pyramid Stage. The last time I went was in 2022 when Paul McCartney headlined. However, you won’t usually know who is headlining when tickets go on sale and the tickets will sell out regardless. This is due to the vibe of the festival. It’s a great place to be, whoever is playing.
Usually it runs Wednesday to Sunday in late June. In 2027 it’ll run Wednesday 23 June through to Sunday 27 June.
Why should you bring your family to Glastonbury?
I mean, if you are to able to come childfree that’s also a great way to enjoy the festival! But if you want to know why we continued returning to Glastonbury with our kids after having them, then my answer would be because it’s an event that’s entirely welcoming to families. To begin with, tickets for kids 12 and under ARE FREE. There are also entire fields set up to keep kids entertained. Camping areas are set aside near these fields just for families. And you are far away from the noisy night time areas.
The support crews who run the festival are also fantastic. We stewarded for a few years, allowing us to get complimentary tickets in exchange for our service at the Salsa Tent. The steward training was pretty good and quite community centred so we know we’re in good hands. We haven’t stewarded in a few years (that’s for younger folks than us!) but the staff are always really nice and super helpful. You have any issues, speak to the stewards and they’ll look after you and your family.
Glastonbury festival is a really lovely place to come with kids, as it’s not just a music festival. It has its roots as a theatre and performing arts festival from its beginnings back in 1970, and it still holds the core values that made the festival what it was all those years ago. Families were attending this festival from the very beginning. You can walk around with your children and they will love all the different fields, not just the kid focused ones like Kidzfield.
How to get tickets to Glastonbury
To be quite fair, it’s not easy to get tickets. You’ll need to register here first. Then once you’re registered, you get to wait in a big long queue on sale day. Luckily the queue can be accessed via your laptop or phone. Registration is important and you can’t buy yourself a ticket if you haven’t registered. Each ticket sold is connected to an individual, and are non transferable, meaning that you can’t simply sell on a ticket you’ve bought. Never trust tickets being sold by third parties.
To avoid stress on the day, make sure you register early before sale day. Tickets for 2027 go on sale in early October 2026. Tickets for 2027 will be 408GBP each for those aged 13 and over. Glastonbury allows kids 12 years and under to enter the festival without a ticket – it’s totally free. They do need to come with a guardian of course, and the guardian needs a ticket.
Kids who are 13 years and older need to have a ticket. If they’re aged 13-15 then they need to have a teen ticket, which stipulates that they are to be accompanied by a guardian aged 18 or over for the entirety of the festival. Kids aged 16+ need to have a regular adult ticket. All children aged 13+ and all adults need to register so that you can buy them tickets. Children under the age of 13 do not need a ticket and enter the festival free of charge. They also do not need to register because they do not need a ticket.
Where to stay in Glastonbury with your kids
Tickets include general camping onsite. If you’re coming to Glastonbury with kids then your options are to either stay on site at the festival (recommended!) or offsite at one of the neighbouring accomodations. My recommendation is to stay onsite and either camp at one of the family friendly campsites or hire a campervan and stay in Campervan East field.
If you are able to get a group of friends or family to all go to the festival together, it is often worthwhile to stay near them. The village mentality that it introduces to childcare can be pretty amazing. So keep this in mind when deciding where you want to stay.
Tent camping
There are several onsite options for families camping in tents including Cockmill Meadow and Ash Tree camp grounds. Both are family friendly rather than “family only”, are close to the Kidzfield and a short walk from the Pyramid Stage. They’re quite far from the louder late night venues so you can get some peace at night. There’s also a field called the Wicket Ground which appears to be only for families. If you want to camp in one of these spots then make sure you bring along a sturdy beach wagon to move all your stuff. There will be a lot of walking to get onsite and then to the camping field. A wagon will make transporting your tent and luggage, as well as your kids, so much easier.
Note that camp spots are first come first served. So get there early.
There are some pre-erected tent sites which you can pay an extra fee for. The Tipis are one such area. They are very popular, have an elevated position with great views, and sell out pretty quickly.
Campervan
Alternatively, you can do what we’ve done the past couple of visits and sleep in a campervan. The camper vans and caravans are located in the East Campervan fields. This is a fairly convenient way to do things and allows you to enter the festival grounds without dragging all your stuff in on foot. It is a long walk in from the campervan fields, so bring a solid 3 wheel stroller or a beach wagon to get the kids and your day’s supplies into the festival. You will definitely get your steps in while staying in the campervan fields! However, the distance has not bothered us too much – our kids usually sit happily in their wagon or stroller soaking up the atmosphere and everyone else is in the same boat heading into or out of the festival.
Tickets for the campervan fields usually go on sale shortly after the tickets to the festival. You’ll need a campervan ticket for each vehicle you bring in. Please note you can’t save a spot for your friends if they’re also arriving by campervan – you need to ensure you arrive together to get a spot next to each other.
The distance of the campervan fields does have its benefits in that you’re quite far from the hustle bustle of the festival. However, the family camping site are also pretty quiet at night, being on the opposite side to the night time stages. So either way you can’t go wrong for a peaceful night.
Where to spend your time while at Glastonbury with your kids
The best place to spend a chunk of your time if you have smaller kids is the Kidzfield and Theatre & Circus. Of course, you need to take them out to explore the rest of the festival and the different fields. Anytime during the day especially in the morning and early afternoon it is easy to get around. You may have heard of the Pyramid Stage, the Other Stage, and West Holts, but Glastonbury has many other venues. Go check out some of the smaller stages which are also fun, and can be a little more chill.
And at least once you should take them to witness the spectacle that is the Pyramid Stage. If you can handle the crowds, the Sunday Legend slot in the afternoon is always good. This is usually reserved for a fun icon such as Kylie Minogue, Diana Ross or the late great Dolly Parton. The walk towards the Pyramid stage is also lined with great market stalls which my kids LOVE.
If there is a crowd at any stage you visit, a wagon/stroller is a good place for the kids to sit in. And at the end of a set, it’s worth waiting around and letting the crowd thin out before attempting to move out yourself.
There are also cute areas to spend time such as Green Kids Area and Greencrafts Village. And you should take them to see the Stone Circle, sort of a Stone Henge-esque place which they can explore and clamber over.
What to pack for Glastonbury
I’ve made 2 lists here which I think would help make your Glastonbury with kids go smoothly. The first is packing for luggage and the second is for your groceries if you need to stock a campervan.
Packing your luggage
Remember where this festival takes place. You will be on an English farm. It will very likely rain and it will get muddy. It might also get a little chilly at night. And sometimes it doesn’t rain at all and its very warm. Revel in the uncertainty. And be prepared for it all.
- Wellington boots
- Long socks
- Sneakers
- Regular socks
- Raincoat
- Jumpers
- Long sleeved shirts
- Short sleeved shirts
- Long pants
- Shorts
- Sunhat
- Warm hat
- Warm pyjamas
- Tent or Campervan: if you choose a tent, it should be preferably blackout and easy to erect, for camper vans, preferably less than 8m so you can get a spot in the Campervan East field (larger campervans can book a larger spot in a field that’s further away)
- Sleeping bags
- Pillows
- Battery pack for recharging your phone
- Wet wipes
- Kids ear protectors
- Tablet – the festival is probably going to be quite interesting for your kids, however, on arrival day and departure day, it might be worth having something to entertain them with while you’re in line to get in or out
- Baby carrier
- Beach wagon or a solid pram/stroller (we had a 3 wheeled Baby Jogger City Mini which was great)
- Fairy lights for both your tent/campervan and your stroller/wagon
- Bunting (the cute flags on string – totally optional but it looks very cute on your tent/caravan)
- Bio glitter (it makes you look festival worthy)
- Sparkly clothes, tutus and other whimsical outfits. Do remember you’re at a festival with its roots in the 70s.
Note that I have suggested wet wipes but not towels. I am a believer in the idea that camping holidays are for camping, even when sleeping in a camper van, and that generally means no showers. You can bring a towel and line up for showers with the kids if you wish – they do exist at Glastonbury – but be prepared for a long line!
Packing groceries
If you’re driving a campervan in then you might also want to bring some groceries so stop off at the big Tesco on your way in. You’ll want to buy enough for 5 nights. My recommendation is to accept that you’ll be buying a lot of food at the festival too so don’t get too worried about covering every meal. The food trucks onsite are actually pretty good. Cover at least your breakfasts and some lunches for a happy compromise.
My suggestions to get you started on your shopping list:
- UHT milk (long life milk)
- Cereal such as Weetabix or cornflakes
- Teabags
- Instant coffee or coffee bags
- Loaf of bread or two (depending on if you are bread-loving people!)
- Butter
- Spreads that your children deign to eat such as peanut butter or Vegemite (don’t judge me!)
- Fruits that your children deign to eat such as bananas, apples or mandarins
- Sliced cheese
- Bag of salad
- Other snacks such as ready popped popcorn, pretzels, yogurt
How to get to Glastonbury
If you’re bringing a campervan then you’ll be driving. There are loads of signs directing you in the right direction, but honestly you may very well make a wrong turn at some point. Take a breath and correct yourself – many folks will make a wrong turn at some point today. Be prepared to wait in a long queue to get into the farm. May I suggest a tablet or anything else that can keep the children entertained for a few hours while trying to get into Glastonbury.
You’ll receive a car parking pass when booking a camper van spot which should be attached to your car well before you reach the farm. If you’re planning on attending with friends and family who are also bringing a campervan, be sure to arrive in convoy. Its a good idea to meet somewhere like the Big Tesco and travel together from there.
If you’re camping in a tent then you can either get yourself a coach pass (tickets with coach pass go on sale earlier than general admission tickets) or you can drive in. Coaches leave from several major cities such as London, Bristol and Manchester. If driving your own car, then you can decide which campsite you’re most interested in and aim for one of the carparks nearest, but note that you can’t prebook a spot in a particular carpark. Once in the vicinity of the festival grounds, stewards will direct you in the direction of whichever parking field is most appropriate to keeping traffic moving.
What do I know?
Not a whole lot to be sure, but I’ve attended two Glastonburys with children, as well as a bunch in my childfree days! There is some wisdom to be had here, surely!
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