Festival capacity at Glastonbury is set to decrease in 2025; querying the specific alterations festivalgoers may expect.
The much-anticipated Glastonbury Festival, set to take place in a few days, is gearing up for a new era of management and organisation, following a series of overcrowding and safety concerns in previous years.
In response to the issues experienced in 2024, the festival's organiser, Emily Eavis, has announced a purposeful cut in capacity by "a few thousand" tickets for 2025. This decision aims to ease overcrowding and manage the flow of people more effectively, particularly after 2024 attendees reported safety concerns due to dense crowds around popular performances like Avril Lavigne’s unexpectedly large set on the Other Stage.
Historically, around 210,000 attendees (including ticket-holders, staff, and performers) were present at the festival. However, last year, this number exceeded 210,000, making it one of the most densely populated events on earth and causing complaints about overcrowded stages and blocked access to areas.
To compensate for the reduced capacity, the festival is expanding its site footprint, especially around key dance and popular music zones such as Silver Hayes and Shangri-La. These expansions include multiple new stages, larger public spaces, and enhanced facilities like improved bar areas (e.g., Dragon’s Tail) and more toilets.
Other zones like Arcadia, The Glade, and The Other Stage will have larger audience areas by reallocating space from campsites, such as reducing the Oxylers campsite, to accommodate more people safely and comfortably. The Other Stage area, expected to draw huge crowds again for acts like Charli XCX, has been extended into the campsite behind to allow better crowd distribution and entry routes.
Organisers are also implementing new strategies to improve movement around the 1,100-acre site, emphasising multiple routes (around 10) to key areas to avoid bottlenecks and “herding” behaviour that has been observed post-COVID. The festival app, developed by Vodafone, will be used to assist in safety management and provide real-time crowd information.
These changes prioritise quality over quantity, aiming to create a safer, more enjoyable experience for festival-goers by balancing crowd control with enhanced amenities and more thoughtful use of space. Organisers hope that this controlled capacity and expanded site layout will improve both attendee satisfaction and the festival's long-term reputation.
While the specific sound issues experienced during certain performances last year, such as those on the West Holts stage, are not mentioned as being addressed in the changes for 2025, the Glastonbury Festival organisers are reportedly willing to listen to fan feedback to improve the festival experience.
This year's lineup includes Olivia Rodrigo, The 1975, and Neil Young as headliners, with ticket sales thought to have increased from 203,000 to 210,000 post-pandemic. The Sugababes' performance on West Holts stage had fences shut off to prevent overcrowding in the past.
The first Glastonbury Festival in 1970 had 1,500 attendees, a stark contrast to the festival's current scale. The 2025 event promises to be a significant step forward in managing the festival's growth while maintaining its unique spirit and commitment to providing a safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees.
[1] The Guardian. (2025, May 24). Glastonbury Festival 2025: full lineup, capacity, tickets, and everything you need to know. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/may/24/glastonbury-festival-2025-full-lineup-capacity-tickets-and-everything-you-need-to-know
[2] NME. (2025, May 25). Glastonbury Festival 2025: capacity cut, site expansion, and more changes revealed. Retrieved from https://www.nme.com/news/music/glastonbury-festival-2025-capacity-cut-site-expansion-and-more-changes-revealed-3157381
[3] BBC News. (2025, May 26). Glastonbury Festival 2025: Changes to improve crowd management and safety. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58109205
In light of the overcrowding and safety concerns in past Glastonbury Festivals, the organiser, Emily Eavis, has announced a reduction in ticket capacity for 2025, aiming to enhance entertainment experiences by managing the flow of people and easing overcrowding. To compensate for the reduced capacity, the festival is expanding its site footprint, specifically around popular music zones like Silver Hayes and Shangri-La, to provide more space for attendees, music performances, and improved amenities.
