Glastonbury 2024 has come and gone, leaving behind a trail of memorable performances and unforgettable moments.

But as the dust settles and the last tents are packed away, a stark reality remains: attending Glastonbury is becoming increasingly unaffordable for many, especially young people. With ticket prices for this year's festival hitting a staggering £355, it's clear that the cost of this iconic event has skyrocketed, making it less accessible to the average fan.

Glastonbury's Rising Costs

Glastonbury has always been a beacon for music lovers. However, the festival's evolution from its humble beginnings in 1970, when tickets were just £1 and included free milk, to the £355 behemoth it is today, highlights a significant shift. Back in 1990, celebrating its 20th anniversary, tickets were £38, entertaining 70,000 people. By 1999, a ticket cost £83. Fast forward to 2019, tickets were £280 plus a £5 booking fee, but after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, prices surged by 20% in 2022. This year's price hike to £355 has left many fans reeling - and that doesn't include the fact that if you're camping on-site and not arriving by public transport, you'll need to budget for a £55 parking pass.

Emily Eavis, co-organiser, explained the increase on Twitter, citing "enormous rises in the costs of running this vast show" and the financial impact of the pandemic as primary reasons. Yet, this explanation offers little solace to those who find the festival increasingly out of reach.

The cost doesn't stop at the ticket. Festival-goers who were able to a) afford a ticket and b) able to get one in the frantic online dash are met with high prices for basic necessities. A 330ml can or a 500ml bottle of water is £2.50,. Food and drink prices at the festival have also climbed. Popular items like fries range from £4 to £7, burgers can cost up to £14, and a pint of beer is around £6.70. Cocktails and spirits are similarly pricey, with some cocktails costing £13 and double spirits with mixers hitting £12.

The Wider Trend in Festival Pricing

Glastonbury isn't alone in this trend. Across the UK, festival ticket prices are soaring. Reading & Leeds now costs £325 for three nights of camping, a hike of more than 20% from last year. Wilderness tickets have jumped to £220, Isle of Wight Festival has risen by 25% to £269.95, and Latitude tickets have soared nearly 36% to £308.

Since 2019, Glastonbury tickets have jumped 19.6%. The once-promoted 'food-for-a-fiver' scheme has quietly become 'food-for-six-pounds', with decent meals often costing £10. Drinks are similarly pricey, with a pint of beer now setting you back £6.75. This increase mirrors a broader trend across the entertainment industry, where ticket prices are rising faster than inflation.

The Industry at Large

The music industry faces significant challenges. Between 2018 and 2021, the cost of attending major festivals rose at the same rate it would have if their 2014 prices grew in line with inflation. However, since the pandemic, the gap has widened sharply. The music industry saw a 35% drop in employment between 2019 and 2020, and energy bills have soared. In August 2022, the average price per megawatt-hour was 670% higher than in August 2013.

Is It Still Worth It?

Despite the rising costs, Glastonbury still represents incredible value for money. For £355 + £5 booking fee, your ticket grants you access to over 3,000 performances across more than 100 stages, five nights of free camping, free mobile phone charging, on-site newspaper, mobile app, firewood, entertainment at Kidzfield, and supports numerous charitable causes like Oxfam, Greenpeace, and WaterAid, with £2m given annually. When you compare this to the cost of a single top-name act at Wembley, Glastonbury's price tag starts to look pretty reasonable. In comparison, tickets for Taylor Swift's UK tour were priced between £58.65 and £194.75.

For now, the ever-increasing cost of live music – especially festivals – is pushing these events further from people's grasp. Forking out upwards of £50 for an arena show is becoming the norm, and festival prices outstrip budget airline jaunts to Europe.

Glastonbury 2024 might be over, but the debate over festival pricing and accessibility is far from settled. As we look to future festivals, the challenge will be ensuring that the festival music remains an accessible part of our cultural landscape, not just a luxury for the wealthy.