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Greenbelt festival to 'take a breather' in 2027

Louise Parry
News imageJacob Lowe/Greenbelt At night a crowd stands in front of the main stage, pumping their arms in the air. The outdoor stage is floodlit so the performers are not really visible, but there is clearly a band on stage. The top of the stage frame has the model of two huge hands pointing upwards.Jacob Lowe/Greenbelt
Greenbelt says its "full festival" will return in 2028 after the final Boughton House event this August

A long-running festival is taking a pause in 2027 while it continues to search for a new home.

The faith, arts and music festival Greenbelt will hold its final event at Boughton House, Northamptonshire, over the August Bank Holiday weekend after basing itself at the stately home since 2014.

Organisers said they had carried out "an extensive search" for a new site, but that "more time is needed to secure the venue that will allow Greenbelt to grow and evolve".

Creative director Paul Northup said: "We'd rather pause for a year than settle for somewhere that doesn't allow Greenbelt to flourish over the long-term."

News imageTom Bradely/Greenbelt Boughton House stately home set behind a large dipped lawn. Two children in the foreground play with circus toys. There are no big crowds in this photo. The sun is shining.Tom Bradely/Greenbelt
Greenbelt Festival, which includes a campsite at Boughton House, has its origins in Suffolk

It hopes to go out with a bang and a "memorable farewell" to Boughton House, with Arrested Development and The Proclaimers in the line-up as well as Charlotte Church, Michael Sheen and Cathy Newman.

Greenbelt said although it would not stage a "full-scale festival" in 2027, there would still be events and activities including a community camping gathering and an online Lent programme.

The full festival would return in 2028, it said.

Northup said: "Over the last year we've visited some wonderful sites and had countless conversations about what Greenbelt's future could look like.

"We've realised that we're not simply looking for somewhere to site a festival.

"We're looking for somewhere Greenbelt can more fully be itself: more imaginative, more rooted, more sustainable, more accessible."

News imageBecca Hicks/Greenbelt A small outdoor stage with four circus performers leaping and twisting in the air, wearing brightly coloured outfits. You can see the tops of the crowd watching. There are tall leafy trees behind.Becca Hicks/Greenbelt
Greenbelt is billed as a family-friendly festival

The festival was launched 52 years ago and has moved home seven times.

Greenbelt previously said the cost of providing a "hefty" infrastructure at the rural location had become more expensive each year.

"There are some really strong contenders on the table, but after more than 50 years of Greenbelt, we owe it to our audience, artists, partners and future generations of festival goers to take the time to get this as right as we possibly can," Northup added.

News imageMartin Heath/BBC Crowds sit outside a large open sided marquee facing towards it, listening to a speaker. Many wear straw hats and sit in camping chairs. There are trees around and the sky is blue with white clouds.Martin Heath/BBC
As well as music and entertainment, Greenbelt hosts discussions by campaigners and sessions exploring faith

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