Michael Eavis on Glastonbury’s fallow year and politics: “If you don’t agree, you can go somewhere else”

Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis has explained the festival’s need for a fallow year, while also opening up about the festival’s ongoing political stance and legacy.

• READ MORE: The story of the first ever Glastonbury 

Michael and Emily Eavis opened the gates the the iconic Worthy Farm event early yesterday morning (Wednesday June 25), with many fans having camped outside overnight and travelled from across the world to be greeted by the festival bosses and their family accompanied by a brass band.

While the eyes of the world are on Pilton for what the world’s biggest and most legendary festival has to offer this weekend, fans will have to wait until 2027 for the next edition with 2026 being confirmed as another fallow year. The festival traditionally takes a year off for one in every five to allow the farmland to recover.

“I invented those in the ’80s,” Eavis told today’s edition of The Glastonbury Free Press, “because it was very stressful with the licence, the police, the village, the press and the council. I thought, ‘We’ll give them all a break so they’ve got nothing to complain about for a bit!’ And of course, the farm gets a rest. It was a really good idea. I think we’ll be ready for a break next year!”

He also discussed Glasto’s politics, with the festival renowned for its charity efforts alongside campaigning for nuclear disarmament, world peace and environmental causes and what is seen as a largely left-wing approach – famously inviting then-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to speak on the Pyramid Stage in 2017.

Asked if Glastonbury still “stands for something” after 55 years, Eavis replied: “Oh heaven’s above, yes, of course it does. And I think the people that come here are into all those things. People that don’t agree with the politics of the event can go somewhere else!”

Michael also praised his daughter Emily, who has been running the festival since her mother’s death in 1999. “Emily is doing so well, he said. i’m just feeling really safe with the show being in her hands.”

A number of significant changes have been made to the site at Glasto this year, with Emily Eavis revealing that they had been “trying to make as much space as possible” and “selling a few thousand less tickets” for 2025.

She also said that she “did not believe” that the BBC would be broadcasting Neil Young’s headline set – with him currently not appearing in their coverage plans for the weekend – as well as discussing Kneecap’s controversial slot with the band’s Mo Chara facing terror charges, arguing that “everyone is welcome here”.

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Last night saw early arrivals treated to a circus and acrobatics show on the Pyramid Stage, followed by the traditional fireworks from The Park.

Music at Glastonbury kicks off in earnest tonight with the likes of Heartworms, Maruja and Fat Dog set to perform across the site, before tomorrow’s first day sees headline sets from The 1975 and Loyle Carner alongside the likes of Biffy Clyro, Franz Ferdinand, Wet Leg, Supergrass, Self Esteem and two highly anticipated ‘TBA’ secret sets – with the one on Woodsies predicted to be Lorde and the Pyramid slot rumoured to be Lewis Capaldi.

The weekend continues with Charli XCX, Deftones, Neil Young, Olivia Rodrigo, The Prodigy, Rod Stewart and many more. Check out the full line-up and schedule here.

Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews, photos and more from Glastonbury 2025.

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