Last day of festival... but plans being made for 2020
GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL organisers Michael and Emily Eavis are already booking acts for the event’s 50th anniversary in 2020.
West Yorkshire-born singer Ed Sheeran headlined the final night of this year’s five-day event, which has seen performances from Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Stormzy, Katy Perry and an address by Jeremy Corbyn.
Chants of the Labour leader’s name have been echoing across the 900-acre site in Pilton, Somerset, since the gates opened on Wednesday morning.
The clean-up is now under way after revellers enjoyed mainly dry weather, with Wednesday seeing dozens treated by paramedics after the festival’s hottest day in its 47-year-history.
Avon and Somerset Police said crime figures were lower than last year, with 140 crimes reported by yesterday morning compared to 160 the previous year. There have been 64 arrests – mainly for theft and drug offences – since the musical extravaganza opened, an increase on the 35 made last year. In an interview with the
Glastonbury Free Press, the festival’s on-site newspaper, Emily Eavis described 2017’s event as “the best one yet”.
Ms Eavis and her father Michael, 81, insisted it was right for there not to be a festival in 2018 – to allow the land, village and local wildlife to rest.
“We’ve got lots of reasons why we need a fallow year,” Mr Eavis said.
He explained: “It gives us a chance to reflect. Everybody has time to recover and come back with fresh ideas.
“We’ll be back here at the farm in 2019 and we’re definitely here in 2020 for our 50th birthday.”