It’s a rare Electric Picnic experience to witness sunshine and warmth. Normally an annual mudfest, with rain-soaked sleeping bags and ruined tents, the attendees of the 2023 event were spared the washout.
The sun shone down on Stradbally Estate from pretty much dawn to dusk, as temperatures hit the mid-20s over the weekend.
“Last year was bleak, we deserve this year,” Róisín Clarke says, sipping coffee on Sunday morning. Her shoulders are lobster red after the intense rays of Saturday. “I’m definitely getting burnt again today.”
Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic, said it was the hottest Electric Picnic ever. He has big plans for the festival, intending to increase the capacity to 75,000 next year, as well as moving the date to the middle of August.
The date change is a “one-off” for next year, he says, largely aimed at attracting a specific, unnamed artist to perform at the annual event.
Electric Picnic is the biggest arts and culture festival in Ireland, and the third and final day of the event seems far more relaxed than the preceding ones.
The tumultuous journey from the car park is a long-forgotten nightmare, though one that looms ever closer on the horizon as the return journey creeps nearer.
Attendees are up and about early on Sunday, in advance of headline performances by The Killers and The Script on Sunday night.
A security guard at the paintball gate is checking bags to make sure there’s no contraband being smuggled on to the site.
“You can’t bring them in,” he says to a topless man. “Can’t bring what?” the man asks, confused. “Those muscles,” he replies, receiving laughter in response.
It would appear punters are feeling refreshed, despite the late Saturday night. English DJ Fred Again... took to the main stage at 11.30pm and had the entire Stradbally estate jumping and raving as he played his dance and electronic tunes until the early hours of Sunday.
Inhaler was another highly anticipated act, particularly among the younger, female contingent. One woman at their set in the Electric Arena on Saturday held up a sign to frontman Elijah Hewson: “Do U want a wife?” Now, that would be a great “how we met” story to tell the children.
Stories are the focus in the Manifesto tent. This venue is filled to the brim for Irish comedian Aisling Bea in conversation with Tara Flynn, with even more people flocking outside to try to overhear.
“Everyone is standing in the sun there. Can we push in?” Bea says. “I’m just worried about skin cancer, guys.”
Unfortunately, as Sunday moves along, other worries begin to appear: two men in a queue for coffee are confronted by reality sooner than they would have liked.
“When are you starting the new job?” one asks.
“Monday,” the second man replies.
“As in, tomorrow?”
The friend nods. “9am tomorrow. We’ll have to see if I’m there. Future me problem.”
Ah, there’s nothing like the carefree bliss of Electric Picnic that makes you forget all about your responsibilities. Until 9am on Monday, that is.
