Glastonbury Festival attendees were left puzzled after a significant announcement regarding the relatively unknown Shangri-La stage.
Organizers unveiled a revamped lineup for the Shangri-La stage this year, sparking confusion among festival-goers due to the major changes made to the area. The highly anticipated Worthy Farm event is set to feature headliners such as The 1975, Neil Young, and Olivia Rodrigo, with an array of other artists and attractions.
Speculation arose when the Shangri-La stage was revealed to be hosting numerous artists, as shared by fan account The Glasto Thingy on X. The updated stage list, categorized under the “we believe in soil” theme, left some Glastonbury enthusiasts bewildered.
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It became evident that the area had undergone a significant transformation, as confirmed by creative director Kaye Dunnings, who announced that the entire space would be recreated from scratch.
Responding to the changes, a fan inquired about the possibility of a complete overhaul or simply renamed stages, expressing confusion over the absence of familiar stage names on the new poster. Another user pondered, “Renamed or complete changes?”
In response, The Glasto Thingy stated, “Not certain yet. I had heard Nowhere and Peace were merging into one big stage, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”
The alterations to the Shangri-La stage appear to be substantial, with creative director Dunnings acknowledging the removal of “everything” from the previous theme, ‘Everything Must Go,’ which critiqued capitalism. The reset encompasses everything from the stages to the communication plan, reflecting the festival’s new emphasis on celebrating real-life, interpersonal connections.
In an interview with Creative Boom, Dunnings revealed, “We’ve been planning this new direction for the last two years—it’s almost like a pilot episode, an introductory year because the festival will be taking a year off in 2026 to let the farmland recover. Then, in 2027, we’ll go really deep into the themes we’re covering this year.”
This indicates a new ongoing theme for the area that will extend beyond the current festival, with a fallow year in 2026 designated for the grounds to rejuvenate.
Despite the changes, the Shangri-La stage will feature familiar names such as Example, Fatboy Slim, and Kneecap, generating excitement among attendees to explore the new theme. Additionally, festival-goers expressed disappointment over Pulp’s absence from the lineup, as the legendary 90s band is not set to perform, causing an unforeseen stir among fans.