Pensioners who have attended all festivals since the start of the Glastonbury Festival say they will only stop coming when he is “six feet down.”
Retired car engineer Pat Rogers, 72, told the festival that he returned after a three-year hiatus from Covid’s pandemic, “there’s nothing else to stop me.”
The festival has become a tradition for Rogers and his family, setting up a camp every year despite his partner Rachel, 73, a child and grandson living near the host village Pilton.
Asked what would prevent him from going to Glastonbury, he told PA News Agency:
After attending a small event early in the formation of the festival, Rogers and his wife were hooked.
“We applied cotton to it and enjoyed it completely.”
Since then, the annual gatherings at Worthy Farm have evolved into a gathering of artists and musicians from around the world.
“It’s getting better and better over the years,” Rogers said. “The only thing is that it’s getting bigger and bigger.
“It was easy to meet people you know. Now I have a job to choose locals from the crowd.”
With countless festival invoices under his belt, it was the Electric Light Orchestra that left the best impression over the years.
“They must have been almost the best playing band on stage. It came very well, like a record (listening).
“Paul McCartney was also good a few years ago. If my feet take me, he’s at night (Saturday).”
Rogers said the festival’s Covid Break was “terrible” and explained that one Sunday afternoon he was wandering to the venue, thinking “God, there should be a lot of people here right now.”
He admitted that “others in the village may not say that,” but most of the community is pleased with the festival.
According to Rogers, preparation is the key to a good time, and he advised people to be well prepared.
“Check the weather, wellington boots,” he said, “obviously (bringing) tents, water, stinging relief, burn relief.”
Despite the “for a while” story that the festival might move someday, he said he wasn’t worried about whether it would come back.
“You must be here,” he said.
