From the weather forecast and stage times to travel, camping and what you can bring, here’s everything you need to know about Electric Picnic 2026.
Watch: Sinéad Courtney reports from the Electric Picnic preview
Electric Picnic returns to Stradbally Hall in Co Laois from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 August, with 80,000 festival-goers expected to attend.
More than 800 performances are planned across 50 stages, with Lewis Capaldi, Gorillaz and Fontaines D.C. taking the headline slots on the Main Stage.
CMAT, Sombr, Zara Larsson, Amble, Djo, Van Morrison, Wolf Alice, Skepta, The Mary Wallopers, The Saw Doctors, JADE and Florence Road are among the other acts heading to Stradbally.
The festival is sold out, with Ticketmaster Resale the official resale platform.
So, what will the weather be like, who’s playing when and what should you know before setting off?
What will the weather be like?
Pack for rain.
Met Éireann’s latest outlook points to an unsettled weekend, although Friday currently looks like the better of the three days.
Friday should bring bright or sunny spells mixed with scattered showers, some of which could be heavy or thundery. Temperatures are forecast to reach between 18C and 23C.
Saturday is expected to start with low cloud and rain before conditions clear eastwards. Sunshine and showers should follow, with mostly dry weather developing by evening. Highs of 16C to 21C are forecast.
Sunday currently looks the wettest day, with outbreaks of rain expected for much of the day, heavy and persistent at times. Temperatures are forecast to reach 16C to 18C.
The forecast can still change, but waterproofs, layers and footwear capable of handling mud look like sensible additions to the bag.
Who are the headliners?
CMAT and Fontaines D.C. are among some of the Irish acts at this year’s Electric Picnic
Lewis Capaldi closes the Main Stage on Friday, Gorillaz headline Saturday and Fontaines D.C. bring the Main Stage programme to an end on Sunday.
There is also a strong Irish presence throughout the weekend.
Read more:
From JADE to Geese: Our ten acts to see at Electric Picnic
CMAT plays immediately before Gorillaz on Saturday, with The Mary Wallopers also on the Main Stage that evening.
Sunday brings the RTÉ Céilí Mór, Van Morrison, The Saw Doctors and Amble before Fontaines D.C. close out the festival.
Main Stage times
Friday 28 August
6.00pm – 7.00pm: JADE
7.30pm – 8.30pm: Zara Larsson
9.00pm – 10.00pm: Sombr
10.45pm – midnight: Lewis Capaldi
Saturday 29 August
2.00pm – 3.00pm: City Stages ft Tinie Tempah
5.30pm – 6.30pm: Role Model
7.15pm – 8.15pm: The Mary Wallopers
9.00pm – 10.15pm: CMAT
11.05pm – 12.35am: Gorillaz
Sunday 30 August
1.00pm – 2.00pm: RTÉ Céilí Mór
2.45pm – 3.30pm: James Marriott
4.00pm – 5.00pm: Van Morrison
5.30pm – 6.30pm: The Saw Doctors
7.00pm – 8.00pm: Djo
8.30pm – 9.45pm: Amble
10.30pm – midnight: Fontaines D.C.
Stage times are subject to change, with festival-goers advised to use the official Electric Picnic app for the full programme and any updates.
Who else should I catch?
There are plenty of potential clashes away from the Main Stage.
On Friday, Wunderhorse and Wolf Alice are among the acts in the Electric Arena, while JPEGMAFIA and Loyle Carner play Rankins Wood.
Saturday brings Jessie Murph, The Undertones, Damien Dempsey and Duke Dumont to the Electric Arena, with Cliffords, Aaron Rowe, The Academic and The Scratch among the Rankins Wood line-up.
Don’t miss Florence Road on Sunday Photo: Kate Poling-Cummings
On Sunday, Florence Road, Mick Flannery and Skepta play the Electric Arena, while Ravyn Lenae and Geese are among those at Rankins Wood.
The Comedy Arena also runs throughout the weekend and, for the first time, opens on Friday evening, with Deirdre O’Kane headlining.
Comedian Taran O’Sullivan, magician Steve Spade and comedian Sinéad Quinlan at the Comedy tent
Mario Rosenstock tops the Saturday programme, while Shane Todd and Reggie Watts are among Sunday’s acts.
With hundreds more performances taking place around the site, the official app is the easiest way to build a personal timetable.
What else is there to explore?
Miss Maple Shell with Dirty Circus at the GlowDepot at the Electric Picnic
Electric Picnic is about considerably more than its biggest stages.
Freetown and Terminus
Freetown sits beyond the Salty Dog and is home to 14 venues clustered around the Terminus dance space.
The late-night district runs until 4.00am, with Terminus hosting DJs including X Club, Interplanetary Criminal, Belters Only, MALUGI, Effy and CamrinWatsin over the weekend.
GlowDepot
New for 2026 is GlowDepot, a forest stage inspired by the cult roaming installation that previously appeared around the festival after dark.
Its programme mixes emerging and underground artists with Irish club culture, with NewEra, Sloucho, Ev Wilde, JenTen and a King Kong Company DJ set among the line-up.
Croí
Donal Lunny, Zoe Conway and Máirtín O’Connor
Croí offers a change of pace, combining music with yoga, movement, meditation, breathwork and other wellbeing activities.
Donal Lunny, Máirtín O’Connor and Zoe Conway, Eleanor McEvoy, John Francis Flynn and Denise Chaila are among this year’s musical line-up.
MindField
MindField celebrates its 20th year at Electric Picnic with its usual mix of ideas, politics, podcasts, spoken word and performance.
Dylan Moran, Dawn O’Porter, Blindboy, CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan and actor Liam Cunningham are among those taking part, while RTÉ Radio 1’s Brendan O’Connor Show will broadcast live on Sunday morning.
Fish Town
Jerry Fish returns to oversee Fish Town, where music is mixed with circus, cabaret, drag, burlesque and sideshow performances.
MayKay, Jinx Lennon, Rowetta, Shobsy and Dustin the Turkey feature on this year’s bill, along with a trad rave and OTT Wrestling.
The Hazelwood
An Chollchoill, or The Hazelwood, celebrates ten years at Electric Picnic this year.
Hidden in the Stradbally woods, the area focuses on Irish language, culture, music and performance.
Little Picnic
Little Picnic at Electric Picnic Photo: Anamaria Meiu, PhotoStar
For younger festival-goers, Little Picnic returns to the walled garden with music, science, storytelling, circus, crafts and workshops.
DJ Will Softly, Mark the Science Guy, Planet Science Kidz and the Gaiety School of Acting are among those taking part.
There is plenty more to explore around the site, including Trailer Park, Global Green, the Theatre of Food, ArtLot and Treasure Beach.
Can children go?
Yes, but Electric Picnic has a strict age policy.
The festival is over-18s, with the exception of children aged 12 and under. Children aged from 13 to 17 are not permitted to attend, even when accompanied by an adult.
Children aged 12 and under do not require a ticket but must be accompanied by a ticket-holding parent or guardian.
There is a maximum of two children per adult, and organisers recommend bringing proof of a child’s age.
When do the campsites open?
General campsites open at 9.00am on Friday 28 August.
Early Entry ticket holders can enter from 2.00pm on Thursday 27 August, provided they also have a valid Weekend Camping ticket.
All campsites are due to close at 1.00pm on Monday 31 August.
How do I get there?
One of the most important pieces of travel advice is not to simply follow your phone once you approach Stradbally.
Electric Picnic and An Garda Síochána are advising motorists to follow event signage and garda directions rather than Google Maps or sat-nav because road closures and diversions will be in place.
By car
Drivers travelling from Dublin and the north should leave the M7 at Junction 16 and follow the designated festival route and signage.
Gardaí are also asking non-event traffic to avoid the road network around Stradbally where possible from Thursday morning until Monday afternoon.
By coach
Marathon Coaches is operating services from North Wall Quay in Dublin from Thursday to Sunday.
On Friday, coaches depart every 30 minutes between 7.00am and 1.00pm and hourly from 1.00pm to 7.00pm.
There are no Marathon return services on Friday night. Returns operate on Saturday night and from Sunday into Monday.
TravelMaster is also operating services from a range of locations around the country.
By train
Portlaoise and Portarlington are the closest railway stations.
Shuttle buses run from Portlaoise Train Station every 30 minutes from 7.30am to 11.00pm on Friday and from 7.30am to 10.00pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Getting dropped off
The designated pick-up and drop-off point is just off the N80 on the Portlaoise side of Stradbally.
Gardaí say there will be no collection point at the festival car parks, so anyone arranging a lift home should use the official pick-up and drop-off area.
What should I bring?
Along with your ticket and ID, waterproof clothing, layers and comfortable footwear look particularly advisable this year.
Empty reusable bottles are permitted and free drinking-water points are located around the campsites and arena.
A power bank is also worth packing, particularly with tickets, payments and festival timetables increasingly living on your phone.
What can’t I bring?
There are different rules for the campsite and arena.
Bags in the arena must not exceed A4 size. Camping equipment, chairs, glass bottles and disposable vapes are also prohibited from the arena.
Small umbrellas are permitted, but golf umbrellas are not.
Glass bottles are prohibited across the festival site and alcohol brought to the campsite must not be in glass.
The campsite alcohol limit is 48 cans, two bottles of wine decanted into non-glass containers, or one bottle of spirits decanted into a non-glass container, per person.
The full prohibited-items list is extensive, so it is worth checking the latest festival guidance before packing.
Is Electric Picnic cashless?
Yes.
All bars, food outlets and market traders will operate on a cashless basis.
What if my phone dies?
Power-bank rental machines will be available in the Late Night Arena, Jimi Hendrix campsite and Samuel Beckett campsite, as well as at several AIR Hubs.
Charging and Wi-Fi are also available at AIR Hubs around the site.
What if I need help?
AIR, or Assistance, Information and Response, hubs are located across the campsites and arena.
The main medical centre is in the Jimi Hendrix campsite beside the arena entrance and operates 24 hours a day. A 24-hour Welfare Tent is also based there.
And perhaps the simplest bit of festival planning is one of the most useful: agree a meeting point with your friends before heading into the crowds.
With 80,000 people and more than 800 performances across 50 stages, you may be glad you did.