A festival celebrating faiths, harmony and healing is set to take place in Glastonbury this summer.

As the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, the full title of the popular Glastonbury Festival, takes a fallow year, mayor of the town Bill Knight has come up with a new event.

And Mr Knight can call on past experiences when organising his festival, as a former school friend of Glasto founder, Michael Eavis.

Mr Eavis was in the year above him at Wells Cathedral School "many moons ago", he explained, before Eavis left to join the Merchant Navy.

"After his father died, Michael left the Merchant Navy and came back home to run the family farm," said mr Knight.

"The rest is history."

Mr Knight's event, Glastonbury 2012: Unity Through Diversity – A Celebration of Harmony and Healing, is set to be a celebration of "all the faiths".

More than 75 faiths are set to be involved from 4pm on April 21 at the Chalice Well Gardens.

Knight will lead the ceremony along with organiser and host Morgana West, manager of the Glastonbury Pilgrim Reception Centre.

"I’m Glastonbury through and through," said Knight.

"I’m enormously proud to be from this incredible place that draws spiritual teachers, muses, healers and seers from around the world.

"There is nowhere in the world quite like it."

For more information visit www.glastonbury2012.com