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Victoria and Albert Museum

Marquee Stage

The Marquee Stage was founded in 1983 as the second ever Glastonbury stage (after the Pyramid). Over the decades it has evolved into the Second Stage, the World Music Stage, the One World Stage, the Jazz World Stage and has now become the West Holts Stage.

Statistics

  • 1983
    first appeared
  • 24*
    performances

* Catalogued so far.

Years at festival

  1. 1983

    The Local Government Act became law, giving local authorities the power to regulate outdoor events. This set a crowd limit as well as a long list of requirements for access roads, water supply and hygiene which the Festival had to meet in order to go ahead. Glastonbury’s own radio station, Radio Avalon, broadcast for the first time.

    View stage

  2. 1984

    The Festival went ahead after Michael Eavis successfully defended himself at Shepton Mallet Magistrates Court against five charges of breaching the site licence in 1983. With a new licence approved, the site expanded to include the Green Fields – current organiser Liz Eliot attended as a volunteer – and, for the first time, a designated parking area.

    View stage