PILTON, England — The gates of Glastonbury Festival opened on Wednesday as an estimated 200,000 ticket-holders arrived at Worthy Farm in Somerset for the five-day event. The festival returns following its traditional fallow year cycle.

Gates opened in the early hours to manage the flow of vehicles and pedestrians onto the 900-acre site. Festival organiser Emily Eavis said the site was ready to welcome the public, with the main music stages, including the Pyramid Stage, due to host performances from Thursday onwards through Sunday.

The Met Office forecast dry and warm conditions for the opening days, a contrast to muddy editions in previous years. Avon and Somerset Police and the festival's organising team urged early arrivals to carry water, plan camping locations and follow stewards' instructions to ease congestion at the entrances near Pilton.

Local traders, transport operators and hospitality businesses across Somerset anticipated a significant boost. Glastonbury is regularly cited as one of the largest greenfield music and performing arts events in the world. National Rail and coach operators added extra services to nearby Castle Cary station to manage demand.

Glastonbury, founded by Michael Eavis in 1970, has grown into a cultural landmark combining music, theatre, circus and environmental campaigning. Organisers reiterated their sustainability commitments, including bans on single-use plastic bottles and extensive recycling provisions across the site.