Electric Picninc organsiers discuss plans for date change with local farmers

Organisers for Electric Picnic and local farmers have discussed their plans to accommodate next year's changed dates.

The country’s biggest music festival, located in Stradbally Hall, Co. Laois, will move from its usual September dates to 16-18 August.

The change in scheduling has been confirmed to accommodate a “specific artist”, according to festival director Melvin Benn.

Benn has addressed concerns raised by local farmers as the festival is set to clash with harvesting season.

 

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According to the Laois Nationalist, Benn said “I didn’t know it was blinking harvest season. Maybe I should have. I asked the landowner was everything alright to go and he said it was."

“They [local farmers] were a bit shocked, but they have overcome that shock,” he added. “Saturday was the only day that I didn’t meet them this week. I met them again and given some of the plan of how I’m going to overcome it. They’ve accepted the plan and seemed to be happy with the plan.

"I’ll still get people into the grain store which is right in the middle of the Main Street in Stradbally,” Benn continued.  “But we’ve overcome the problem.”

"It’s not that difficult. If we take advantage of tracks and roads that are already here in the area, we can do it. One or two of [the farmers] are going to change their crop rotation. Tractor drivers were stopping me and saying don’t worry about it Melvin, it will be fine.”

Last weekend proved to be yet another unforgettable iteration of the famous festival. Catch all the photos and live reviews from Electric Picnic 2023 here. 

Tickets for next year's festival go on sale Friday 8 September at 9am via ticketmaster.ie.