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Getting Another Perspective On The U.K. At Glastonbury Festival

RAY SUAREZ, HOST:

We're going to bring you a different story now from western England from the rolling hills outside of Bristol, where one of the world's biggest music festivals is underway. It's called the Glastonbury Music Festival. Some of this year's biggest acts are Adele, Coldplay and ZZ Top. People started arriving there this past Wednesday, which means many festival goers heard the Brexit result while the first acts were just warming up.

CANDACE BAHOUTH: Everybody who's staying with me is very, very sad.

SUAREZ: That's Candace Bahouth. She owns a bed and breakfast so close to the festival she can hear the music from her house. Bahouth is an American artist who's lived in the village of Pilton, home to the festival, since the 1970s.

BAHOUTH: I think the festival had probably been known for a year. And I remember my husband went down. I didn't because we really didn't know what was going on. And he came back and some farmer chased him with a pitchfork and said don't you ever go down there with them hippies. And it was much smaller - the area. There weren't so many people.

SUAREZ: Today, Glastonbury attracts more than 150,000 people who descend on this small village. And the narrow roads get so gridlocked that sometimes drivers get stuck in their cars for hours on route to the festival.

BAHOUTH: I used to go along where the traffic jams were and sell lemonade for 25 P a paper cup (laughter).

SUAREZ: That's about 35 cents a drink. Generally, Bahouth doesn't mind the chaos the festival brings to the area. But while we're talking - location, location, location.

BAHOUTH: At one point, people didn't want to buy houses until - because of the festival.

SUAREZ: But for music lovers, the village has its selling points. Pilton residents are allowed two free tickets each. And Bahouth always uses hers. She loves the festival - rain or shine.

BAHOUTH: It's so huge. And all the layers of diversity - the people, the food, the music, the drama, and there's mud and you lose your boots 'cause your feet - they get stuck in the mud, so you're feet come out. But nothing dampens this festival. It is extraordinary.

SUAREZ: That was Candace Bahouth talking to us about the Glastonbury Music Festival in England. She joined us from her home in Pilton. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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