With almost 20 times as many fans flocking to Worthy Farm, Glastonbury has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1971.

And while many of the original festival-goers will hardly recognize the festival, which is set to open next week, due to the changes that have already occurred, the festival of the future could be even stranger.

From stages to beat the summer heat to hologram performers and touch-enabled dance fans, experts reveal how you could choose Glastonbury 2050.

With climate change making summers hotter and more atmospheric, festivals will have to find new ways to keep fans safe against the extremes of a changing climate.

But as technology ever changes the way we think about live music, future fans may be able to enjoy more exciting performances from

Cooling tents

In 2019, Glastonbury was hit by a heatwave that saw temperatures soar to 31°C (89°F) and led to dozens of people needing treatment from ambulance crews.

These temperatures may have seemed bad enough, but experts say things are only going to get worse.

Last year the UK set an all-time heat record as temperatures reached 40.3°C (105°F) on July 19 in Lincolnshire.

This year already looks set to be no different, with experts already declaring the hottest Spring and Winter months on record.

In the future, Professor Ilan Kelman, a climate risk expert from UCL, told MailOnline that festivals will face heatwaves “on worlds we’ve never experienced”.

He says: “Looking at how our weather patterns will change, the main concern being heat and humidity.”

If you’re able to stay cool and hydrated in the heat it might not be too much of a concern, but for thousands of campers out in a field drinking more than water, things can get dangerous.

Professor Kelman explains that this becomes particularly deadly when people cannot cool down during the night.

He states: “Our bodies can withstand considerable heat, provided we have a chance to recover, but if we don’t cool down at night, then we don’t recover and the thermal body builds up and eventually they organize.

“Human-caused climate change means it doesn’t get as cool at night, and those degrees Celsius could mean the difference between life and death,” says Professor Kelman.

Professor Kelman says: “We need to have soul centers that people can go into in a safe way during heatwaves.”

Anti-flood systems

If the idea of ​​warm, sunny days at a festival doesn’t seem too alarming, there’s also a more familiar problem Glastonbury will face: rain.

While rising temperatures make heat waves more likely, they also increase the risk of heavy rainfall.

Revelers preparing to attend Glastonbury this week have been warned to pack a hat and wellies as forecasters predict high temperatures and thunderstorms.

In order to stay open or avoid a repeat of previous years’ disastrous mud baths, Glastonbury will need to invest in flood defenses and better drainage.

The festival may dig irrigation ditches as Standon Calling, a 17,000 capacity festival in Hertfordshire, has been forced into 2022.

Or the festival could take inspiration from “sponge cities” like Shanghai and use natural defenses like trees and wetlands to prevent flash flooding.

Renewable energy sources on site

Come 2050, installing renewable energy options at the venue may not just be a way for festivals to burnish their green credentials: but a necessary expense.

Professor Kelman says blackouts will be the “number one” infrastructure problem caused by climate change.

This is not because the floods destroy the power lines, but simply because keeping the festivals cool will require a huge amount of energy.

Once temperatures reach 35°C (95°F) or higher, fans are no longer effective in cooling people.

Professor Kelman says that such extreme temperatures will only do to festival goers by blowing hot air, “so we dehydrate faster and can die”.

This means that festivals must use air conditioning or artificial cooling systems to keep fans safe, but this will require huge amounts of electricity.

Glastonbury has already started experimenting with providing its own renewable energy through solar and wind power.

Virtual artists

Fans at Glastonbury 2050 will not only be able to see bands perform in person, but will also be able to see virtual avatars and live performances from around the world.

Although this sounds far-fetched, there are already several popular artists today who are moving in this direction.

Abba Voyage, in which holographic avatars perform Abba hits, has already sold more than a million tickets since January this year and shows no signs of slowing down.

Meanwhile, international digital superstar Hatsune Miku has appeared twice at Coachella despite being nothing more than software and a cartoon character.

Shows with touch technology

From the crush of the crowd to the smell of stale beer, any avid festival fan knows that there’s more to seeing a live show than just sight and sound.

But by 2050 performers can start looking to include all the senses in their acts.

One of the ways this could happen is through technology that adds a physical stimulus to the musical experience.

Mr Bossey explains: “Touch technology is converted into tangible vibrations. Even if you have perfect hearing, there are still frequencies that you cannot hear, but these frequencies still vibrate.”

Using modified gaming accessories such as tactile vests and vibrating floor tiles, festival townspeople can feel, rather than hear, the music.

This is very useful for deaf or hard of hearing music lovers who want to enjoy music through the sense of touch.