Sky Lanters Take over Glasto!
With Glastonbury Festival approaching there is one unusual product that comes to mind, sky lanterns. They have, in recent years, become an integral part of any Glastonbury-goers experience. In an interview in 2008 the headliner’s, Kings of Leon, cited the launch of lanterns from the Stone Circle as their strongest memory of the festival. If you do not directly release one from the mystical Stone Circle you are likely to witness their ghostly presence as they drift up and across the rolling Somerset farm land. It is no coincidence that the release of the lanterns, with their connotations of peace and optimism, have become intrinsically linked with the Stone Circle. This field is where festival goers seek respite in the depths of the night, sitting around and talking communally around fires in the friendly spirit that remains at the heart of the festival. As is traditional with sky lanterns, a wish is made with each one released. It is a close to numinous experience to watch from the hillside of the Circle as the wishes float across the vast festival, oblivious to the chaotic crowds beneath them, up in to the sky and out of view. Watching the sky lanterns take this journey in to the clouds is a pure moment to ponder and escape. It is one of the reasons that in spite of its ever sprawling size, Glastonbury remains unparalleled.
