Glastonbury 2021 will go ahead as 'good times are what we need right now'

Danny Thompson
·Contributor
Updated ·2 min read
The Pyramid stage at the Glastonbury Festival of Music and Performing Arts is pictured beyond rows of tents on Worthy Farm near the village of Pilton in Somerset, South West England, on June 29, 2019. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo credit should read OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
The Pyramid stage at Glastonbury Festival on Worthy Farm near the village of Pilton in Somerset, June 29, 2019. (OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Glastonbury boss Emily Eavis has said the music festival will take place in 2021, as “good times are what we need right now”.

This year’s festival, which was scheduled to take place this weekend, was to be a special celebration marking 50 years since its inception in 1970.

However, with the coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc on festival season, and life in general, the event was cancelled.

Its future was then called in to question when founder Michael Eavis, who passed the reigns down to his daughter several years ago, said the financial implications of cancelling the festival could see it go under.

GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 27: Festival founder Michael Eavis and his daughter Emily pose for a photograph at the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts site at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 27, 2013 near Glastonbury, England. Gates opened on Wednesday at the Somerset Diary Farm that will be playing host to one of the largest music festivals in the world and this year features headline acts Artic Monkeys, Mumford and Sons and the Rolling Stones. Tickets to the event which is now in its 43rd year sold out in minutes and that was before any of the headline acts had been confirmed. The festival, which started in 1970 when several hundred hippies paid 1 GBP to watch Marc Bolan, now attracts more than 175,000 people over five days. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis and his daughter Emily pose for a photograph at the 2013 event, June 27, 2013. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

But Emily has now assured fans they can get their wellies and tents ready for Glastonbury 2021.

In an interview with The Times, she said: “We’ve survived. We’re just focused on next year now. We intend it to happen.

Read more: Emily Eavis: Glastonbury 2021 will be 'a double celebration'

“And I think when we open the gates next year it’s going to be really emotional, even if it’s pouring with rain. Good times are what we so deeply need right now, aren’t they?”

Dad Michael told The Guardian last week: “We have to run next year, otherwise we would seriously go bankrupt… It has to happen for us, we have to carry on. Otherwise it will be curtains. I don’t think we could wait another year.”

Behind the scenes at Glastonbury Festival with Michael and Emily Eavis in 2005 (Photo by Andy Willsher/Redferns/Getty Images)
Behind the scenes at Glastonbury with Michael Eavis in 2005. (Photo by Andy Willsher/Redferns/Getty Images)

Talking about the finance side of things, Emily said: “It’s been tough. In financial terms, it’s cost us millions. I mean, we were so far down the road when we got cancelled. By March, you’ve got a whole festival that’s ready, it’s baked. We were almost ready to bring it out and give everyone a slice.”

Read more: Glastonbury's Emily Eavis: Jay-Z backlash was out of control

The “slice” in question would have included Paul McCartney, Kendrick Lamar and Taylor Swift all headlining the festival’s iconic Pyramid Stage.

Diana Ross, Noel Gallagher and Pet Show Boys were also set to make appearances.

However, it is uncertain as yet if all those who were due to perform will still take to the stage in 2021.