Glastonbury 2024 is almost over and what a festival it has been… but if you don’t hurry up and pre-book tickets for next year as soon as they come out, you might not get another chance for a long time.
That’s because the iconic festival is set to take a break.
This year's Glasto has been one to remember as it's been chock-a-block with A-list singers from Dua Lipa and Shania Twain to bands like Coldplay and The Feeling.
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Even the Sugababes made an appearance and allowed everyone to relive their 2000s dream.
However, after years of serving up the best live performances, co-organiser Emily Eavis said plans are in place to ‘give the land a rest’.
As per The Sun, Glasto will take a year off in 2026.
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Eavis explained: "The festival before a fallow year is always a fun one to plan, because you almost have to fit two years into one.
"We’re already in talks with some acts for it. It’s exciting!”
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. Every single one of our vast, incredible crew is crucial to making this event work.
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"And, of course, it simply wouldn’t exist without the participation of the kind, brilliant, respectful festival-goers.
"I think people here show a better way to live, and that they do take a little bit of that back to the outside world with them.
"It honestly restores your faith in humanity.”
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A fallow year is a year of rest for the land, and Glastonbury usually has one every four to five years.
Eavis told BBC's Sidetracked podcast: "The fallow year is important because it gives the land a rest, and it gives the cows a chance to be out for longer and reclaim their land.
"And it gives everyone time to switch off. And I think it's quite good not to be seen to be cashing in. At the best time when we could just rake it all in, to go 'no' is so important - that ethos - now more than ever.
"Sometimes you just need to calm it all down and come back with a renewed excitement and enthusiasm."
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After the fallow year, surely Glasto will come back bigger and better than ever?
If that’s even possible.
LADbible has contacted Glastonbury for comment.
The most iconic Glastonbury moments
2000: The year that nearly killed Glasto
While Glasto has always had people attempting to gatecrash, 24 years ago gatecrashers descended the infamous festival in record numbers.
It was so bad it resulted in the festival being cancelled the following year as ticketless punters swarmed the site, with fears at the time the chaos could kill off the festival altogether.
Luckily, as we know, Glasto is still going strong. Speaking to the Guardian in 2020, the festival's co-creator Michael Eavis explained: "The fence wasn’t good enough, the security was crap. So I was hauled over the coals by the police, who said: "You’ve got to get someone to organise your show. You’re a nice bloke and all that, but you couldn’t arrange something in a brewery, you know the saying?
"I said: ‘Fair enough. At least I can be guaranteed to get 150,000 people at the drop of a hat – I did get the knack of that!’”
The set that turned Coldplay into megastars
The set helped turn Coldplay into megastars. (BBC)
Back in 2002, the ‘Fix You’ hitmakers won fans over as they played tunes from their upcoming second album.
Apparently, the band’s agent didn’t feel they were ready for it at the time, but Eavis insisted they headlined.
And I’m sure they’re glad they listened seeing as they’ve now got nine studio albums under their belt and millions in the bank, with their A Head Full Of Dreams Tour having grossed more than half a billion dollars in its two-year run. Impressive.
Jay-Z playing Oasis on the Pyramid Stage
He hit back in the best way. (BBC)
It was the feud no one saw coming, but in 2008 rapper Jay-Z responded to Noel Gallagher slagging off having ‘hip hop at Glastonbury’ in the most hilarious way.
The star opened up his infamous headlining set on the pyramid stage playing his own version of ‘Wonderwall’, which went down a treat with fans and spawned one of the most iconic moments in Glasto history.
The muddiest year ever
It was pure carnage. (BBC)
Britain isn’t exactly known for its glorious sunshine and I think that’s especially the case when it comes to festivals, which often see punters squelching through mud in their wellies, pint in hand.
Glasto in particular has become synonymous with being pretty muddy, but 2016 really took the biscuit. Even the festival’s boss said ’in all 46 years, it hasn’t been as bad as this’ as things became an absolute logistical nightmare after weeks of rainfall beforehand.
The scenes were chaotic, to say the least. Festival-goers were filmed diving into the mud and struggling to wade through gloop in such a way that made going for a pint like climbing Mount Everest. Generally, everyone was just really trying not to fall on their ars*s.
It wasn’t a pretty sight, but of course Brits still managed to embrace the music and the photos and videos have since gone down in the Glasto history books.
The Killers' secret set
The band performed again in 2019. (BBC)
The iconic band decided to take a more chilled approach to festival life by taking over the secret act slot on the John Peel stage in 2017.
However, as is usually the case with 'secret' gigs, word spread quickly as fans flooded to the stage in their droves to catch the band in action.
It was a far cry from their previous Glasto performance, which saw their headline show become marred with serious technical issues which majorly affected the sound.
Kylie's long-awaited headline set
Kylie's set broke records. (BBC)
In 2019 Kylie Minogue set the pyramid stage alight for her headline set, but she was actually meant to grace the stage much sooner.
14 years earlier, the pop princess was forced to cancel her slot after being diagnosed with breast cancer, making her appearance on the stage even more special for both her and fans.
Her set ended up being crowned the most-watched in Glastonbury’s history, raking in 3.9million watching at its peak, beating the likes of Ed Sheeran, Adele and even Beyoncé.
Alex from Glasto
That same year, rapper Dave created probably one of the most meme-able Glasto moments when he brought a bloke called Alex on stage to perform ‘Thiago Silva’ with him, which he absolutely nailed.
Safe to say the moment went viral, with the then 15-year-old becoming known as 'Alex from Glasto'.
It's no surprise really given his unreal rapping skills and the fact that he was donning a bucket hat, FILA bag and Paris Saint-Germain shirt. Brilliant.
Topics: Glastonbury, Music, UK News, Festivals
Britt Jones