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Today in History: Michael Eavis launches inaugural Glastonbury Festival

By Drooid · Sep 19, 2026, 10:34 AM UTC · How we work

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Summary

Story summary

On 19 September, English dairy farmer Sir Athelstan “Michael” Eavis launched the inaugural Glastonbury Festival, a five-day contemporary performing-arts event held on his Pilton farm near the town of Glastonbury, Somerset. The modest gathering marked the birth of what would become the world’s largest annual music and arts festival.

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Story summary

On 19 September, English dairy farmer Sir Athelstan “Michael” Eavis launched the inaugural Glastonbury Festival, a five-day contemporary performing-arts event held on his Pilton farm near the town of Glastonbury, Somerset. The modest gathering marked the birth of what would become the world’s largest annual music and arts festival.