The Glastonbury Festival was hit hard by the global pandemic.
According to financial documents obtained by Billboard, the annual music event lost more than $4 million last year when it canceled in-person festivities for the second consecutive summer. Glastonbury organizers scrapped the 2020 festival—which was to be headlined by Paul McCartney, Kendrick Lamar, and Taylor Swift—due to concerns over the coronavirus. Since then, the festival saw its turnover fall from $61 million to $1.3 million, marking a record drop for the decades-old event.
After lockdowns forced the 2021 cancelation, organizers announced Glastonbury Live at Worthy Farm—a one-day livestream event that featured performances by Coldplay, Jorja Smith, HAIM, and Honey Dijon. Months before the online showcase, Glastonbury received a $1.2 million grant as part of the British government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
“We’re grateful to have been offered an award from the Culture Recovery Fund,” co-organizers Michael and Emily Eavis tweeted. “After losing millions from the cancellation of our last two Festivals, this grant will make a significant difference in helping to secure our future.”
This year’s Glastonbury is expected to return to Worthy Farm from June 22-26. The in-person event is currently sold out, as the 2020 tickets have rolled over to the 2022 festival. Glastonbury has yet to announce a full lineup, but confirmed Billie Eilish will headline the Pyramid stage on Friday night.
