Who designed the original Pyramid Stage in 1971?

Bill Harkin designed the original Pyramid Stage for the 1971 Glastonbury Fair. The structure was the first version of the stage that would become Glastonbury’s most recognisable symbol.

Harkin conceived it as a one-tenth-scale replica of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Built from scaffolding and metal sheeting, the stage was positioned over what was described as a “blind spring”, reflecting the period’s interest in dowsing and the spiritual character of the festival.

The 1971 event was organised by Andrew Kerr and Michael Eavis with help from a wider group of artists and organisers, so Harkin is sometimes confused with the festival’s founders. Andrew Kerr helped initiate the event, while Eavis provided Worthy Farm, but Harkin was specifically responsible for designing the Pyramid Stage.

The original structure was later replaced and enlarged. The Pyramid Stage was upgraded in 1981, burned down in 1994 and returned as a permanent structure in 2000, still retaining Harkin’s pyramid-inspired design.