8 Things to Do at Glastonbury Festival Beyond the Music

Things to do at Glastonbury Festival go far beyond the music line-up. If you’re arriving on Wednesday, use the earlier days to explore; then keep this list in mind between sets and whenever you want to see a different side of the festival. These are the personal experiences I loved when I went, alongside a few places to seek out for a first-time visitor.

Experiences, locations, prices and timings change each year. Check the official map and app once they are released for Glastonbury 2027.

Last updated: 18 October 2026. Refreshed for Glastonbury 2027

1. Watch the Sunset from the Glastonbury Sign

At the southern edge of the site, the Glastonbury sign is one of the best places to see the scale of the Festival properly. From up there, you can look out across the tents, stages and lights as the site starts to change at sunset. It’s also a lovely place to watch the moon rise or simply take a breather from the crowds.

In previous years, people have gathered there on Thursday evening for sunset and fireworks, bringing a picnic blanket and drinks and arriving early enough to get a good spot.

2. Explore the South East Corner

The South East Corner, often called the “Naughty Corner”, brings together Shangri-La, The Common, Unfairground and Block9. It is full of immersive installations and late-night venues, so it is worth walking around even if you are not planning a full night out.
On Wednesday and Thursday, before the main headline acts begin on Friday, it’s one of the places to find music and DJs. The exact entry route, opening hours and venues can change each year, so check the 2027 map and app before heading over.

3. Send a Postcard from Glastonbury-on-Sea

Glastonbury-on-Sea is reminiscent of a Victorian-style British seaside pier, complete with fortune tellers, bumper cars, candy floss, and pinball machines. You can purchase a postcard from the gift shop, and even write and post it home which makes a nice keepsake when it arrives sometime later. Located opposite Glastonbury on Sea is a photobooth.

4. Climb the Ribbon Tower

The Ribbon Tower is a 17-metre viewing platform in The Park and one of the Festival’s most recognisable landmarks. The willow dome was created in 2014 by Somerset artist Jay Davey and has been re-woven and maintained over the years. Climbing it gives you a completely different perspective over The Park, the flags and the site below. It’s free to climb, but only a limited number of people can be on the platform at one time, so expect to queue at busy times.

Ribbon Tower at Glastonbury Festival

5. Take a Craft Workshop

Glastonbury is one of the few festivals where you can spend part of the day learning something completely new. Greencrafts and the wider Green Fields offer hands-on workshops, from jewellery making and printmaking to woodwork, textiles and bushcraft. Some are free, while others have a small charge. 

If you need a break from the busiest stages and walkways, Green Fields is a good place to be. Between the Green Futures area, Greencrafts, the Healing Field and quieter corners to sit down, it is a completely different side of Glastonbury. 

6. Go to Theatre and Circus

Theatre and Circus is one of the best places to spend Wednesday and Thursday, when there’s already plenty happening but you have more time to explore before the Festival’s busiest days. Across its tented venues, outdoor stages and walkabout spaces, you can find circus acts, comedy, cabaret, theatre, spoken-word performances and roaming characters. There are usually performances from mid-morning through to late at night.

7. Take a Latin Dance Class

Glasto Latino is the Festival’s Latin corner. In recent years, it’s run one-hour daytime dance classes suitable for complete beginners, including salsa, reggaetón, bachata, Brazilian funk and samba.

After the larger stages finish, it becomes a late-night party with live Latin bands, DJs and dancers. It has also previously hosted a daily carnival around the West Holts field, so even if you do not take a class, it is worth stopping by to see what is happening.

8. Go Exploring and Get Lost

Step away from the main stages and get lost on purpose, you really don’t know what you might find. We stumbled upon this stage under the trees completely by accident. Leave space in your plans for an unannounced set or pop-up performance. Glastonbury has a history of surprises, but the best ones are impossible to plan around in advance.

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