culture
The Guide #249: As Glastonbury has a fallow year, here’s why more much-loved culture should down tools
In this week’s newsletter: The festival always comes back fresher after allowing Worthy Farm to recover from its yearly musical extravaganza. Star Wars and Charli xcx could learn a thing or two
TL;DR
- Glastonbury festival is taking an intentional fallow year in 2026 for the farmland to recover and for organizers to plan.
- Fallow years have historically resulted in a more re-energized festival with stronger lineups.
- The author suggests that other cultural institutions like Eurovision and the Star Wars franchise could benefit from a hiatus.
- Pop stars, such as Taylor Swift and Charli XCX, and overexposed TV personalities like Romesh Ranganathan could find a fallow year liberating.
- While most entertainment entities cannot afford a year off due to financial pressures, Glastonbury's unique non-profit status and other income streams make it an outlier.
- The article advocates for the value of pausing for reflection and renewal in a 24/7 culture.