Aldi at Electric Picnic: The festival’s official supermarket partner returns to Stradbally Hall

As all savvy Picnickers know, Aldi is the country’s top spot for that all-important pre-festival shop – from quality snacks at amazing prices, to the exciting Festival Essentials range of Specialbuys. But did you know that Aldi also has a unique presence on-site at Electric Picnic, as the festival’s official supermarket partner?

This year, Aldi’s pop-up store will be returning to Electric Picnic’s Andy Warhol campsite, allowing you to pop in and pick up all your vital bits across the whole weekend. From last-minute camping equipment, to treats and drinks to keep you suitably fuelled and refreshed, you can look forward to a brilliant range of products at unbeatable prices.

Whether you’ll be rising early to explore the campsite, or plan to keep that tent zipped up well into the afternoon, there’s no need to panic about missing out on catching a great deal. You’ll find the shop open from: 2pm-11pm on Thursday; 7am-2am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday; and 7am-12pm on Monday.

As there’ll be no Deposit Return Scheme machine for your plastic bottles and cans at the pop-up store, Aldi have committed to donating all deposits paid on relevant products to their charity partner Barnardos. Of course, you can still pack up your empties and redeem your deposits at your local Aldi store after Electric Picnic – but you can be happy in the knowledge that your deposits paid at the festival have gone towards helping children in need of Barnardos’ services.

The pop-up shop’s not the only spot where you’ll find Aldi represented at Electric Picnic. The supermarket’s Mamia family tent will once again be located in the gorgeous Little Picnic area, beside Family Camping – offering parents the space to feed and change their mini festival-goers, with complimentary items from Aldi’s award-winning range of Mamia products.

Over at the podcast tent, meanwhile, you can catch a live episode of Aldi’s Mamia & Me parenting podcast, featuring RTÉ star and mother of two, Louise Duffy, as the special guest. The live show, which begins at 1.30pm on the Sunday, will find Louise chatting to host Jen Hogan about her remarkable life and career, as well as her favourite Electric Picnic moments.

As always, revellers with a grá for good grub will be particularly drawn to the Theatre of Food stage – the action-packed programme for which opens at 4pm on the Friday with a special appearance from Aldi brand ambassador Trisha Lewis, famed for her hugely popular Trisha’s Transformation Instagram account. Drawing from over two decades of experience in the food industry,

Trisha will be teaching her audience how to create delicious recipes using Aldi’s fresh Irish produce and 100% Bord Bia Quality Assured meats.

On the Sunday, at 12pm, the Theatre of Food will also play host to the EPic Charity Brunch 2024, in aid of Barnardos – a charity Aldi has raised over €1,000,000 for, in support of their vital work.

Of course, Aldi’s presence at Electric Picnic wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of a very special root vegetable on the line-up! You’ll find Kevin The Carrot – moonlighting as DJ Kev – doing his thing behind the decks at Aldi’s pop-up store.

The nation’s favourite carrot is also set to make guest appearances at the Main Stage, the Mamia family tent, and other locations across the weekend. If you bump into him, be sure to take a photo or video, and post it to your social media feed using #AldiFest2024 – and be in with a chance of winning one of several €100 Aldi gift cards, to help you beat the post-festival blues!

Read on for more essential insights from DJ Kev himself…

Photo: Sam Boal/PHOTOCALL IRELAND

DJ KEV

He’s made the leap from the aisles of his local supermarket to the biggest music festival in the country – sharing a line-up with international music’s true cream of the crop. As DJ Kev prepares to make his triumphant return to the festival, we sat down with the captivating carrot to discuss early roots, his “raw, earthy” sound, and his Aldi shopping list...

First off, it’s an honour to talk to you, Kev. How are you feeling ahead of EP ‘24?
I’m feeling grate. I can’t wait to get back to Electric Picnic and give the people what they want – my fresh beets!

What are some of your own festival essentials?
Fertile soil, plenty of water, exposure to sunlight, and my Aldi entourage

Are there any surprising benefits to attending a festival as a carrot?
I’m an outdoorsy type so festival season is my favourite – I feel much more in my natural habitat among the green fields of Stradbally than I do playing at a hothouse rave. The earthy vibes and blend of sunshine and showers really help me to grow as an artist.

Tell us all about your glam routine – what’s the inspiration behind your festival look?
I’m a low maintenance carrot but you gotta bring a bit of bling to Electric Picnic. So, I’ll dust off my chunky gold chain and shine it up for the weekend. My overall look is inspired by the one and only, Mr T - I pity the fool who can’t appreciate his waistcoat and gold chain combo.

You come from an Irish farming family – how did they respond to your transformation from Kevin the Carrot into DJ Kev?
I’m still plain old Kevin at home so they help to keep me grounded and not forget my roots. They’re salt of the earth people who’ve nurtured my musical interest since I was a baby carrot, so they’ve been a great inspiration and support over the years.

Was it challenging, learning to master the DJ decks as a carrot?
I grew up playing traditional Irish music and instruments so the coordination and dexterity that it taught me really helped to develop my skills as a DJ when I got into that scene.

How would you describe your sound?
Raw, earthy and orange-inal.

What advice would you give to other carrots trying to break into the DJing world?
Stay humble and grounded or you’ll be chewed up and spat out quicker than a toddler that won’t eat their vegetables.

What are some of your favourite tunes to get a party started?
To start off a set, you can’t go wrong with Block Rockin’ Beets. For a good singalong, Sweet Carrot-line does the job. I love a good mash-up as well, to give them something different.

What will be on your shopping list for the Aldi pop-up store at Electric Picnic 2024?
Fresh fruit and juices to start each day. Baby wipes to keep me fresh. Protein bars and drinks to keep my strength up. Jellies to keep my energy high. And, if the sun is shining, definitely some ice creams and ice from the ice shop to help stay cool.

What EP acts can we expect to see you in the front row for?
Calvin Harris has been one of my idols for a long time so I’ll definitely be fanboying at his performance. I’ve invited him to see me play the Aldi store stage, so hopefully he can find the time to see what I can do too.