Glastonbury 2024: Arcadia announces big changes for this year
The festival's iconic spider will be replaced by a giant dragonfly.
By Nick Reilly
Glastonbury Festival has announced that the festival’s towering Arcadia spider will be replaced by a giant dragonfly for this year’s edition.
The Arcadia spider has become an iconic emblem of the festival since it was introduced in 2007, with the likes of Skepta, The Chemical Brothers and Calvin Harris all playing the stage – which is made from scrapyard metal.
While 2019 saw the spider being replaced by a giant crane dubbed “Pangea”, this year’s festival sees a “giant biomechanical” dragonfly take centre stage instead.
“Arcadia kicks off a whole new chapter at Glastonbury with their boldest installation yet,” the festival wrote on their website.
“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.”
It’s also been revealed that the structure was built from an ex-military Royal Navy helicopter, which transforms a “weapon of destruction” into “a unifying symbol”.
“As conflicts flare around the world, the transformational nature of the sculpture is a monument to hope,” they explained.
In addtion, representatives of the Wadjuk Noongar nation from Australia will be invited to perform a ceremony called Warraloo, which “sees The Dragonfly burst into life”.
As for the acts, the likes of Barry Can’t Swim, Eric Prydz and Joy Orbison will all grace the stage.
Glastonbury is largely ringing the changes this year, after it was also revealed that two brand new stages will be unveiled on The Park.
The changes include the end of The Rabbit Hole after 17 years at the festival, replaced by new venues The Wishing Well and Scissors. “This year, we welcome two new venues bent on robbing your every inhibition, and filling your mind – and every synapse – with bacchian wonder,” the festival said.
Of their new venues, they revealed: “First up, The Wishing Well. A place in which to ignite your deepest desires and unfurl your wildest wishes. Re-awaken all that inspires you, because at The Wishing Well – where dreams are made – hope springs eternal!
“Further round the field, is the Park’s second new fun house: Scissors! An utterly delicious femme-queer venue where anything can (and does!) happen. Head to Scissors for a cut, or just come along to enjoy some of the daily talks, then slip out the back to discover a queer wonderland.
“Relax in the beer garden and play pool, or catch a movie in Flick Shack. With nightfall comes a twilight roster filling Kiki’s nightclub, where kaleidoscopic walls will keep you dancing til dawn.”
Glastonbury 2024 will see Dua Lipa, Coldplay and SZA headline the Pyramid Stage, with Shania Twain occupying the traditional Sunday afternoon Legends’ Slot. Others to take to the iconic main stage will be LCD Soundsystem, K-pop band SEVENTEEN, Burna Boy, PJ Harvey, Janelle Monáe, Olivia Dean and more.
Headlining the Other Stage will be IDLES, Disclosure and The National with the likes of The Streets, The Last Dinner Party and Confidence Man also on the bill, while the Woodsies Stage (formerly the John Peel Stage) will be headlined by Jamie xx, Gossip and James Blake. Jungle, Jessie Ware and Justice are headlining the West Holts Stage