Glastonbury Festival will not take place for a second year in a row because of the coronavirus pandemic, the organisers have announced today.
The music festival’s co-organiser, Michael Eavis – who curates the lineup with his daughter Emily, said he was ‘so sorry’ to have to cancel the event for the second year in a row.
Most live music events, including Glastonbury, were wiped out last summer by the pandemic and a recent study warned that without state support, Britain’s £1.3billion live music industry is heading for another summer washout.
Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis (pictured in 2013), said he was ‘so sorry’ to have to cancel the event for the second year in a row
Glastonbury Festival will not take place for a second year in a row because of the coronavirus pandemic, the organisers announced today
Glastonbury and other summer music festivals could be cancelled unless the Government steps in to provide Covid insurance, a report warns today. Pictured: Kylie Minogue performing at Glastonbury on June 30, 2019
Emily had previously teased there would be ‘a hell of a lot of surprises’ for the festival in 2021
Emily had previously teased there would be ‘a hell of a lot of surprises’ for the festival in 2021, telling reporters last year: ‘We’re rolling two festivals together for 2021.
‘We’ve got a hell of a lot of surprises and things that we were planning for the 50th (anniversary) and we’re going to try to get those things going for next year.’
But in the announcement today, the pair apologised to fans as they confirmed they were forced to cancel the event once again.
They said: ‘With great regret, we must announce that this year’s Glastonbury Festival will not take place, and that this will be another enforced fallow year for us.
‘In spite of our efforts to move heaven & earth, it has become clear that we simply will not be able to make the Festival happen this year. We are so sorry to let you all down.
‘As with last year, we would like to offer all those who secured a ticket in October 2019 the opportunity to roll their £50 deposit over to next year, and guarantee the chance to buy a ticket for Glastonbury 2022.
‘We are very appreciative of the faith and trust placed in us by those of you with deposits, and we are very confident we can deliver something really special for us all in 2022!
‘We thank you for your incredible continued support and let’s look forward to better times ahead. With love, Michael & Emily.’
Last year marked the 50th anniversary of Glastonbury, and the June festival in 2020 had been set to see Sir Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar perform on the hallowed grounds of Worthy Farm in Somerset, south west England.
Speaking last August, Eavis insisted that, even if they have to wait an extra year, Glastonbury would survive in spite of the financial impact.
Asked if he was concerned about the legendary event’s future, he said: ‘No I do not worry at all, I am so confident that it will survive.’
And Eavis reassured festival-goers that they will bounce back ‘stronger’.
Miley Cyrus performed on the Pyramid Stage the last time the festival was held in 2019
Most live music events, including Glastonbury, were wiped out last summer by the pandemic. Pictured: Festival-goers enjoy Glastonbury in 2019
A study by the industry body UK Music, released earlier this month, urged ministers to indicate a start date when live music can resume with full audiences so that organisers can plan ahead and book events.
It says projects to pilot socially distanced gigs were ‘not financially viable for the vast majority of venues’.
And it warns that, with commercial Covid insurance not available, summer festivals that take a long time to organise face cancellation in weeks unless the Government steps in.
UK Music chief executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin said: ‘With the right support, live music can be at the forefront of the post-pandemic recovery and play a key role in our country’s economic and cultural revival.’