Glastonbury Festival will not take place in 2026 as it enters a planned 'fallow year' to allow the farmland at Worthy Farm to rest and recover. Organiser Emily Eavis confirmed the break last year, with the festival set to return in 2027 from Wednesday, June 23 to Monday, June 27.
What is a fallow year?
Traditionally, Glastonbury runs for four or five consecutive years before taking a year off. Previous fallow years include 2012 and 2018, with the festival also forced to cancel in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. The 2026 break is a planned fallow year, not a cancellation.
Why is the break necessary?
Glastonbury takes place on a working dairy farm, and the 900-acre site is home to herds of cows when the festival isn't running. During the event, around 200,000 people descend on the site, making the fallow year essential for the land to recover. Additionally, organising the UK's largest festival is a massive undertaking, giving organisers and crew a necessary break.
What Emily Eavis said
Speaking to the Glastonbury Free Press in 2025, Emily Eavis said: 'We're taking a fallow year in 2026 to give the land a rest, and the festival before a fallow year is always a fun one to plan because you almost have to fit two years into one.' She added: 'I really would like to say thank you to everyone who's made this year so special. It's got to be the best one yet.'
Memories of 2025
Last year's festival featured major headliners including Olivia Rodrigo, Sir Rod Stewart, Neil Young, and The 1975, alongside performances from Nile Rodgers & Chic, Charli XCX, RAYE, and The Script. Lewis Capaldi also made a surprise appearance on the Pyramid stage.
Could Glastonbury move?
In 2016, festival founder Michael Eavis suggested moving the event to an alternative site during fallow years to avoid cancellation. He told the BBC he had found a site 'towards the Midlands' that could be used, but said it 'would be a huge loss to Somerset if it went there forever.' However, no further updates have been given, and Emily Eavis previously stated that any event away from Worthy Farm would not bear the Glastonbury name.
