Happy Bunny Times

A couple at the Glastonbury festival | Image © Creative Commons, Toady the Toad (2008)

Rain, mud, fabulous music, umbrellas, sold out tickets and your tent floating away in an unknown direction? Yes, you haven’t mistaken – we’re talking about the Glastonbury festival – the Christmas for melomaniacs! Pack your bags, because this year’s Glastonbury claims to be legendary – the headliners on the Pyramid Stage are Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and recently reformed Blur.

As you might have known, Glastonbury festival is the largest of its kind in the world. For instance, 177,500 people attended the Glastonbury Festival in 2007, creating a tent city with the same population as Norwich or Sunderland.

It certainly attracts adventure and good time seekers from around the world. One of the reasons is the line-up: Lily Allen, Jamie T, Lady Gaga, Regina Spektor, The Ting Tings, Franz Ferdinand, Peter Doherty and Pendulum just to name but a few.  See the official line-up here.

Not only you’re offered an enjoyable musical experience, there is also going to be a Pilton Palais Cinema Tent with a veritable treasure trove of films for our viewing pleasure this year.  They have even pushed the boundaries of current cinema technology to bring us 3D movies (courtesy of Dolby 3D). The 3D films to be showed are Bolt, Monsters Vs Aliens and Coralline with a fourth surprise title to be announced later on site.

However great the music, cinema and people are, this year’s Glastonbury is definitely going to be the healthiest ever! The Happy Bunny was thrilled to find out that STD experts are setting up a camp at the festival. Everyone aged between 15 and 24 are asked to visit a screening centre to curb the spread of Chlamydia, which has been increasing widely in the UK (and Happy Bunny is very concerned about the readers’ health). In between watching the films and shaking your ass to pop and rock stars, NHS Somerset hopes visitors will pick up and return a simple test kit. Anyone returning their test kit will receive a free glow-in-the-dark sperm key ring or glow-in-the-dark condom.

“The service is completely free, confidential and easy and so are the test results. Young people can choose how to receive their result (a discreet message by text or email, a letter or by phone). For those testing positive the treatment is simple and painless – just four antibiotic tablets taken at once,” Sara Dove, NHS Chlamydia screening service manager, said.

Health is not a big deal, if yours is good. Just make sure it is and keep hopping! And remember we’re talking about Glastonbury, so don’t forget your pink wellies!

For more information, see the official Glastonbury festival website.

Text: Austra Javalde