Glastonbury Festival will not take place in 2026 as organisers have confirmed the event will observe a scheduled fallow year.
This longstanding tradition allows Worthy Farm's land to recover from hosting more than 200,000 festival-goers annually.
The hiatus forms is where the Somerset festival takes a break roughly every five or six years to prevent irreparable damage to the working pastures.
Co-organiser Emily Eavis told the BBC: "We are due a fallow year. The fallow year is important because it gives the land a rest, and it gives the cows a chance to stay out for longer and reclaim their land."
Glastonbury Festival will not take place in 2026
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The 1,000-acre site functions primarily as a dairy farm, with its herd producing milk for Worthy Farm cheddar, and requires periodic respites to maintain soil quality and allow grass regeneration.
The festival's first official fallow year occurred in 1988, with subsequent breaks in 1991, 1996, 2012 and 2018.
The 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Eavis explained the broader benefits: "I think it's important, I think it gives everybody time to just switch off and the public as well. Then you kind of go away for a bit and it feels lovely when you come back."
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Organisers have confirmed the event will observe a scheduled fallow year.
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She added: "Sustainability and the need to live in harmony with the land has always been vital to Glastonbury Festival."
The break also provides respite for the Pilton community and allows organisers to undertake repair work and administrative tasks such as renewing contracts.
The festival has implemented numerous environmental initiatives, including banning single-use plastic plates, cups and cutlery, alongside glass bottles, flares and Chinese lanterns.
Festival-goers must sign a 'love the farm, leave no trace' pledge when purchasing tickets.
The 1,000-acre site functions primarily as a dairy farm
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Eavis stated: "We are striving to leave as little an imprint on the land here as we possibly can. For me, Worthy Farm is what life here is all about."
The farm has operated as a dairy enterprise for 150 years, with the festival beginning in 1970.
Glastonbury is expected to return in 2027, likely taking place during the last weekend of June.
Potential dates are Wednesday, June 23 to Monday, June 28 or Wednesday, June 30 to Monday, July 5.
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