The Glastonbury Festival is commonly known by the colloquial nickname “Glasto.”
“Glasto” is a shortened form of Glastonbury, the Somerset festival’s familiar name in everyday speech, media coverage and among festivalgoers. The official title is the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, but that formal wording is rarely used in casual conversation.
The nickname should not be confused with the festival’s location. The event is held at Worthy Farm near Pilton, several miles from the town of Glastonbury, whose historic name helped give the festival its identity. The site is also associated with the Pyramid Stage, one of the event’s defining landmarks.
Glastonbury is broader than a conventional music festival. Alongside major rock and pop performances, its programme includes theatre, comedy, dance, circus, cabaret and political or environmental activities. The first event was staged in 1970, and the festival has grown from a small gathering into one of Britain’s best-known cultural events.