Arcadia Glastonbury

Arcadia Glastonbury.

The Spider is no more. Long live The Dragonfly and Bugg! Welcome to Arcadia Glastonbury!

The Dragonfly

I must admit, I was apprehensive of the Dragonfly replacing the Spider. The spider was so amazing and awe-inspiring. However, I loved The Dragonfly. Glastonbury is always evolving and so is Arcadia.

There seemed more room at Arcadia at Glastonbury 2024 which was good. You could really enjoy the experience more. I loved the lighting especially. I am sure there will be more additions over the coming year. The Arcadia crew never stand still.

Here is all the information from Arcadia themselves on the changes:

Arcadia kicks off a whole new chapter at Glastonbury with its boldest installation yet. The Dragonfly, a giant biomechanical creature, will awaken at the heart of an evolved geometric space, exploring ideas around renewal, our relationship with technology and how we adapt to a changing climate.

Roaming both the Arcadia field and the wider festival will be the dragonfly’s mobile, amphibious cousin – the Bug. Built from submarine moulds, the Bug comes alive on six wheels of self-contained sculpture, spreading the carnival spirit with its own eclectic lineup and a custom sound system hand-built by Minirigs.

2024 also sees a whole new daytime dimension to Arcadia’s world – an interactive kids area open to families. The Alchemists’ Playground is a collaboration with constructive play specialists Woodland Tribe – a forge of ideas, workshops and creative adventure.

Previous Arcadia Installations

The Arcadia Spider

She rises from the ground to a ridiculous height. Her eyes look down emotionlessly. Fire and electricity burst from her spindly legs. She makes Shelob look friendly. Yet, thousands of people have the time of their lives under her. Arachnophobes these people are certainly not.

I am talking about Arcadia of course. One of the most iconic stages at Glastonbury Festival, if not the world. The first time I saw THE spider was at Glastonbury in 2010. It was Glastonbury’s 40th anniversary and we had glorious weather. We arrived on Wednesday morning as always and had a chilled day.

That night or Thursday night, I noticed fire erupting in the far distance. At first, I thought it was a fireworks display ( lots of cider had been consumed by this point). Then I realised it was something else. When Gorillaz had finished their set we wandered towards the fire.

When we came across Arcadia, we were blown away. We had never seen anything like it. It was like we stumbled into a post-apocalyptic, Mad Max version of Worthy Farm. Dancers shooting lightning at each other, fire bursting all around, a DJ playing tunes from inside the spider. WTF! All of us were seasoned gig-goers and we were standing there in awe. That is what Glastonbury manages to do every year, create a sense of awe. Arcadia certainly helps.

Pangea

Pangea made a brief appearance at Glastonbury 2019. It was meant to slowly evolve over 5 years but Covid and local opposition put a stop to it. Carl Cox, Fatboy Slim and Annie Mac headlined in 2019.

When did Arcadia first appear at Glastonbury?

Arcadia founders Pip Rush and Bert Cole first got together to work on The Afterburner. It made its debut at Glastonbury in 2007. Each year they added pieces to The Afterburner and in 2010 they added the “legs”, which are old Customs and Excise scanning units! Ever since then, Arcadia has been wowing Glastonbury goers every year.

Where is Arcadia in Glastonbury?

Arcadia is located in the South-West area of the festival, just below The Park and up from The Other Stage. It can get very busy so if you want a good spot, head to it earlier rather than later.

Will Arcadia be at Glastonbury 2025?

If you mean the spider then no. We now have the brilliant Dragonfly. As this was new at Glastonbury 2024, I think it will be around for a while.

Who will headline Arcadia in 2025?

Arcadia is just one of the amazing stages at Glastonbury.

Who is coming to Glastonbury 2025? Let’s meet under the Dragonfly!

See you on the farm!

The Glastonbury Festival Guidebook Is Now Available

Hey there, Glasto Newbie!

So, you’ve scored tickets to Glastonbury? Congrats! Now, let’s make sure your first time is more epic than a Pyramid Stage headliner. Our Glastonbury Festival Guidebook is like your cool best friend who’s been there, done that, and is ready to guide you through the festival’s wonders. Download it below: