Glastonbury Carnival, one of the largest illuminated processions in Europe, will light up Glastonbury tomorrow night.

The carnival in Glastonbury is the final one of the Somerset carnival circuit, with around 50 carts available to view on the day.

The event always occurs on the third Saturday in November.

These carnivals attract tens of thousands of visitors and participants each year, making them some of the largest illuminated processions in the world.

Here is everything you need to know about the Glastonbury Carnival, including road closures, routes, times and where to stand for the illuminated procession.

The procession:

The procession will assemble on the Glastonbury Relief Road from Northload Roundabout back towards the Tinbridge Roundabout, Northload Street, and Paradise Road, however, this area is not suitable for spectators.

The procession will then begin at 6:45pm.

It will start at the traffic lights just past Northload Roundabout.

It will head along the A39 up to Wirral Park Roundabout by B&Q before turning left onto the A361, Street Road.

Along this part of the route is a short rest area for entries and the entries will not be performing.

The procession will then turn left into Magdalene Street and continue into the High Street.

It will finish along Wells Road at the junction of Manor House Road.

Unique Stays:

If you're looking to make it a night stay, there are a wide variety of locations to choose from in the town, here are two of our unique picks:

The Crown - "Oozes character, ambience & atmosphere."

The Who'd A Thought It Inn - Offers a "quirky and unique experience."

Parking:

The following locations will serve as official carnival car parks, with a £5 charge:

Official car parks will be available for £5 at:

  • Tesco (BA6 9XE)​ Homepage
  • Morrisons (BA6 9ED)​ Morrisons
  • B&Q (BA6 9XE)​(Local Opening Times)
  • Tor Leisure (Benedict Street) and St John's.
  • Herbie's Field (BA6 9LE)

Take note: if you come across parking charges outside these official areas, these are not affiliated with the Glastonbury Carnival.

Official car parks will issue a receipt to display in your vehicle. For those who use the store car parks and exit before 5pm, a refund will be issued.

Road closures: 

Road closures have been put in place from today (Friday, November 15) at 8pm until midnight tomorrow (Saturday, November 16).

This will include the Glastonbury Relief Road, Northload Bridge Roundabout, and Tinbridge Roundabout.

These areas will serve as the overnight line-up space for the carnival procession.

On Saturday, November 16, further closures will take place between 3pm and 5pm on Magdalene Street, High Street, and Benedict Street.

From 5pm until approximately 10-11pm, additional roads will close, including the A39, Street Roundabout, Northload Bridge Road, and Chilkwell Street at the junction of the A361.

For residents of Thorndun Estate and Dunstans Park, access will be at the discretion of the marshal and dependent on the location of the procession on the route before 8pm.

After 8pm, strictly no access will be allowed.

Residents and visitors are advised to plan their travel accordingly and to be mindful of these changes.

Accessible Viewing Area:

Facilities are available for people who require the space, including toilets, seating, and more.

If you require special seating arrangements, there's a designated area on Magdelene Street and outside the front of St Dunstans House, which is situated next to the Town Hall.

Accessible toilets are conveniently located next to this section.

Organisers have warned that the crowds at each carnival have been much bigger than they would usually expect.

There is a chance that police may ask organisers to close the roads into town earlier than advertised, especially if all the car parks are full.

On their website, the team running the Glastonbury Carnival said: "The Somerset Carnivals are widely regarded as the largest illuminated processions in the UK and Europe and they are right in the heart of Somerset.

"This year, we are looking for local people to collect on our behalf, also organisations needing to raise money or awareness can do this at Glastonbury Carnival

"Dedicated volunteers are wanted.

"We 100% rely on your donations – please do give generously to the collection, it also benefits local charities who help us collect the donations.

"We sincerely hope no children will be lost during the carnival. We have a facility at the Town Hall to look after any child that has lost their parents/carers. If you lose your child, speak to a marshal in the first instance so they can radio for information."