The festivals that walked before Glastonbury ran: from the National Jazz and Blues Festival to Isle of Wight

• Long before the first Glastonbury Festival took place, a number of music festivals had taken place in the UK.
• From experiments with outdoor festivals to a focus on the burgeoning blues and rock movement, several predate Glastonbury by five years.
• Here’s five music festivals that took place before the first Worthy Farm event, that helped influence a host of UK festivals in the future.

It may be considered ‘the’ music festival to emanate out of the United Kingdom, rich in musical history, but Glastonbury Festival was not the first of its kind in the country.

The first event at Worthy Farm took place on September 19, 1970, but at that stage was called the Pilton Pop, Folk & Blues Festival; approximately 1,500 people attended, the stage was constructed using bales of hay and the ticket price was a mere £1 which included a pint of milk.

As opposed to recent years too, Michael Eavis would allow people to enter for free, from the afternoon onwards as far less attended as was anticipated; a problem that is no longer the case.

Eavis was inspired to hold the festival after seeing a Led Zeppelin concert at the Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music in 1970, but perhaps he also took some influence from these five music festivals that predated the first Glastonbury Festival?

Here’s a number of UK music festivals that took place shortly before the first Glastonbury Music festival, including two that would become renowned UK music festivals that still exists to this day

What UK music festivals took place before the first Glastonbury Festival?

The National Jazz and Blues Festival (1961)

The National Jazz & Blues Festival, established in 1961 at Richmond Athletic Ground, marked the beginning of organized outdoor music festivals in the UK. Conceived by Harold Pendleton of London's Marquee Club, the event aimed to bring the burgeoning jazz and blues scene to a wider audience.

Initially focused on traditional jazz and blues, the festival reflected the cultural shift of the early 1960s, gradually incorporating rhythm and blues and rock and roll. This pivotal event played a crucial role in popularizing these genres in Britain and laid the foundation for the evolution of the UK's vibrant festival culture, eventually leading to the renowned Reading Festival.

The Isle of Wight Festival (1968)

The Isle of Wight Festival of 1968, held at Ford Farm near Godshill, marked the humble beginnings of what would become a legendary music event. Organized by brothers Ray and Ron Foulk, this initial festival was a relatively small gathering, showcasing a mix of rock and blues acts, including Tyrannosaurus Rex (later T-Rex), The Pretty Things, and Arthur Brown.

With a relaxed and intimate atmosphere, it served as a crucial stepping stone, establishing the Isle of Wight as a burgeoning festival destination. This event's success laid the foundation for the larger and more iconic festivals that followed, contributing significantly to the burgeoning UK festival culture of the late 1960s.

Krumlin Festival (1968)

The Krumlin Festival of 1968, held in the small village of Krumlin, West Yorkshire, is recognized as one of the earliest open-air rock festivals in the UK. This grassroots event, taking place in the summer of 1968, reflected the burgeoning counterculture and the growing desire for outdoor music experiences.

Krumlin's historical importance lies in its demonstration of the widespread emergence of festival culture, proving that the desire for these events was not confined to major cities or southern regions, and setting the stage for the UK's vibrant festival scene.

The Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival (1967)

The Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival of 1967, held at the Royal Windsor Racecourse, played a pivotal role in the evolution of the British blues and rock scene.

This significant event drew large crowds and showcased prominent acts, including Cream, Jeff Beck, and Fleetwood Mac, reflecting the burgeoning popularity of these genres among young audiences.

Taking place during a period of rapid musical evolution, the festival solidified the prominence of blues-based rock in the UK and contributed substantially to the development of the British festival landscape, marking a key moment in the nation's musical history.

The Woburn Abbey Blues Festival (1968)

The Woburn Abbey Blues Festival of 1968, held at the historic Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire, stood as another significant milestone in the evolution of the UK's blues music scene.

This early open-air festival played a vital role in amplifying the popularity of blues, showcasing prominent British blues artists of the era, many of whom were central to the thriving London blues scene.

Capturing the essence of the late 1960s blues boom, the festival reflected the profound influence of American blues on British musicians and mirrored the broader cultural trend towards outdoor musical gatherings. Its impact was instrumental in solidifying the blues' foothold in the UK and contributing to the burgeoning festival landscape.

Are you of an age and have memories of any of the music festivals we’ve talked about that pre-dates the first Glastonbury Festival? Share your memories by leaving a comment down below.