CREATING THE SPIRIT OF GLASTONBURY’S NEWEST AFTER-DARK DESTINATION
When Glastonbury Festival reimagined the former John Peel Stage area into an entirely new destination known as Woodsies, it wasn’t simply creating another music stage.
It was building atmosphere.
A place where festival-goers could wander beneath the tress after sunset and discover something altogether different from the high-octane energy found elsewhere across the vast site.
To help bring that vision to life, Area 51 was invited to do what it does best:
Create a world.
MORE THAN ENTERTAINMENT… CREATING AN EXPERIENCE
From the very beginning, the brief extended far beyond supplying quality performers.
Area 51 was entrusted by Glastonbury with helping establish the personality of Woodsies itself, transforming the woodland setting into an immersive, living environment that encouraged visitors to linger long after darkness fell.
Every evening became an unfolding theatrical experience in what was established as vibrant, verdant hub.
Roaming musicians, stilt walkers, pop-up performances and beautifully costumed entertainers emerged from the gloom of the trees, delighting audiences wherever they wandered.
Rather than simply watching a show, festival-goers have become part of the developing story itself.
A STUNNING OPENING CEREMONY
One of the most ambitious commissions was creating the spectacular opening ceremony that officially welcome people into the Woodsies area at the beginning of the festival itself.
The result was an unforgettable tribal-inspired procession that built anticipation and excitement before culminating in an extraordinary fire ritual unlike anything else taking place across the giant festival location.
Area 51 assembled an international company of performers, including remarkable fire artists and dancers from Mexico, alongside its own team of immersive performers dressed in striking tribal costumes with elaborate make up and peak visual styling.
The ceremony drew inspiration from ancient landscapes and rituals across Central America married to the folklore of Britain’s West Country: seasonal traditions and mystical associations melded to create something that felt both timeless and completely original.
Staged on the Wednesday as Glastonbury Festival starts, the procession and subsequent sunset ceremony have become one of Woodsies’ defining traditions and is popular with regular attendees and festival virgins alike.
WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN…
Against a backdrop of atmospheric scenery, dramatic lighting and beautifully dressed woodland spaces, Area 51’s performers kept the area alive and kicking with a constantly evolving mix of immersive entertainment.
The beautiful scenery, designed immaculately and installed without hitches by Area 51 crew members, added considerably to the overall ambiance.
Visitors may encounter imposing stilt walkers emerging from between the tree line, musicians appearing unexpectedly amongst the crowd or beautifully costumed characters inviting spontaneous reaction from one and all.
The aim was to never overwhelm the audience.
Instead, Woodies offs a more relaxed, poetic and immersive alternative to some of the festival’s more intense late-night environments, giving punters somewhere to wind down, explore and discover moments of genuine surprise and joy.
REINVENTING THE EXPERIENCE EVERY YEAR
One hallmark of Area 51’s work is that no two festivals are quite the same.
One year saw the brilliantly eccentric Caravan of Lost Souls unexpectedly appear on the Woodsies Tree Stage, delighting the audience with its unique blend of immersive theatre, circus and beautifully offbeat humour.
The following year brought something entirely different, as futuristic animatronic robots, towering stilt creations and otherworldly characters transforming the forested landscape into a vision of tomorrow.
Every return visit introduces fresh ideas, new visual themes and unexpected encounters that stretch the imagination, ensuring Woodsies continues to evolve while retaining its own distinctive atmosphere.
SHARING THE STAGE WITH THE SCISSOR SISTERS
Area 51’s relationship with Woodsies has also extended onto its main music stage.
In 2025, the company’s crew appeared alongside long-time collaborators, The Scissor Sisters, bringing striking visual performance, dance and energy to one of the standout live gigs.
That appearance continued a creative friendship with the band that stretches back many years and demonstrates, once again, Area 51’s ability to move effortlessly between immersive festival animation, unique scenery design and installation and large-scale performance.
HELPING WOODIES FIND ITS IDENTITY
Creating a successful new festival destination takes far more than simply great music.
It requires atmosphere.
Character.
Moments of surprise.
Superlative imagination.
And reasons to stay just a little longer…
Through spectacular opening ceremonies, international performers, immersive storytelling, evolving visual themes, woodland animation, first class scenery and unforgettable live performances, Area 51 has helped Woodsies become one of Glastonbury’s more distinctive after-dark experiences.
It’s exactly the kind of creative challenge the company relishes – taking an empty canvas and transforming it into somewhere audiences remember long after the festival has ended.
