Glastonbury 2025 got off to an ambitious start with a high-flying circus and acrobatic show on the Pyramid Stage on the opening evening last night (Wednesday June 25). Check out footage above.
After festival bosses Michael and Emily Eavis opened the gates in the early morning – with many fans having camped outside overnight and travelled from across the world – tens of thousands of revellers enjoyed the opening day by exploring the site.
After last year’s disappointing drone display, the festival promised a “stunning Theatre & Circus show” on the main stage for the first time since 1990, where ‘Look To The Skies’ performed The Dreamweaver’s Journey and brought bring highwire walkers, acrobats and circus performers before the traditional fireworks display.
Mesmerising and utterly brilliant performance tonight from the Theatre & Circus troupe at the Glastonbury Festival.
Absolutely stunning.#Glastonbury2025 #GlastonburyFestival pic.twitter.com/MKG94BgFwn— Neil Juggins (@neiljuggins) June 25, 2025
With cyclists and acrobats suspended above the crowd, performers juggling fire and musicians banging drums, the performers put on a highly impressive display. However, the spectacle was lost on much of the huge audience gathered who couldn’t see the finer details of what was happening on stage or read instructions for sing-along crowd participation.
The lack of audio amplification also left something of a flat feeling of a flat feeling as the crowd began to disperse, while many stayed to witness panoramic fireworks from behind the Pyramid and the hill behind The Park.
The day also saw the traditional opening ceremony in the Green Fields’ Sacred Space in the King’s Meadow with the return of the ‘The Flame Of Hope’, uniting 15 sacred flames from around the world to honour “a thousand voices who will unite in a powerful mantra for Peace to create a collective sense of unity, love, and purpose,” ending with a fireworks display at 10.45pm.
Music at Glastonbury kicks off in earnest tonight with the likes of Heartworms, Maruja and Fat Dog set to perform across the site, before tomorrow’s first day sees headline sets from The 1975 and Loyle Carner alongside the likes of Biffy Clyro, Franz Ferdinand, Wet Leg, Supergrass, Self Esteem and two highly anticipated ‘TBA’ secret sets – with the one on Woodsies predicted to be Lorde and the Pyramid slot rumoured to be Lewis Capaldi.
The weekend continues with Charli XCX, Deftones, Neil Young, Olivia Rodrigo, The Prodigy, Rod Stewart and many more. Check out the full line-up and schedule here.
Check back at NME here for the latest news, reviews, interviews, photos and more from Glastonbury 2025.