Glastonbury 's back!
The Somerset festival has been given a green light to go ahead with a crowd of 50,000 people this September for a special one day festival.
Organisers were forced to cancel plans for the event's usual five days in June, but have had a licence approved for the one off event by Mendip council, but without a campsite.
It comes days ahead of the festival's online streaming event Live at Worthy Farm, which takes place on the usual site, but without an audience this weekend, featuring Coldplay, George Ezra and Damon Albarn.
Sam Phripp, the council’s chair of licensing, said of the September event: “Any event would have to be Covid-safe, and Mendip will work with other organisations and the organisers to make sure that’s the case.”
The possibility of a return in September was first reported in March this year.
Back then, event organiser Emily Eavis wrote on Instagram that she was seeking the green light to hold a one-off concert at Worthy Farm later in the year.
Emily, who runs the famous festival with her dad Michael, was left devastated after being forced to cancel the event in 2020 and again in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
She penned: "For those asking for an update on our plans later this year. We have put an application in for a licence for a concert at the farm in September (around the time we'd usually do Pilton Party)."
She added: "Of course, we've no idea yet whether we'll able to do that, but we wanted to get the application in to be in with a chance.
"Unlikely we'll have any news for a couple of months - but will let you know right here when we do."
While she didn't want to get fans' hopes up too much at the time, it seems they've got every reason to celebrate now.
Emily and Michael had offered their sincere apologies when they were forced to cancel the 2021 festival.
They tweeted at the time: "With great regret, we must announce that this year’s Glastonbury Festival will not take place, and that this will be another enforced fallow year for us.
"In spite of our efforts to move Heaven & Earth, it has become clear that we simply will not be able to make the Festival happen. We are so sorry to let you all down.
"As with last year we would like to offer all those who secured a ticket in October 2019 the opportunity to roll their £50 deposit over to next year, and guarantee the chance to buy a ticket for Glastonbury 2022.
"We are very appreciative of the trust and faith you have placed in us by those of you with deposits, and we are very confident we can deliver something really special for us all in 2022!
"We thank you for your incredible continued support, and let's look forward to better times ahead. With love, Michael & Emily."
