Glastonbury Festival will not return in 2026, as organizers implement a pre-planned fallow year to allow the farmland that hosts the event to recover from the impact of more than 200,000 attendees.
The concept originates from agriculture, where farmland is deliberately left uncultivated for a season to restore soil nutrients and long-term health. Glastonbury applies the same principle to Worthy Farm, a working dairy farm in Somerset, England, that transforms into a temporary city for the festival each summer. While many perceive the festival as a permanent fixture, Worthy Farm remains a working dairy farm first and a festival site second.
Every five to six years, the event is paused entirely, giving the land, local ecosystem, and farming operations a chance to recover from the heavy use of vehicles, tents, stages, and infrastructure.
Festival co-organizer Emily Eavis has described the fallow year as an opportunity for ‘the land to rest’ and for the farm’s cattle to reclaim pastures normally occupied by one of the largest temporary gatherings on Earth.
Eavis has also noted that the break benefits organizers, staff, local residents, and audiences, allowing everyone to step away before returning refreshed.
The practice has been part of the festival’s long-term planning since its early days, with fallow years typically scheduled every five to six years.
As a result, Glastonbury will not take place in 2026. The pause is a planned measure intended to support the festival’s long-term viability.
