Drugs are not any less illegal at Electric Picnic than during everyday life, the festival’s director has said, after the Government announced there would be a pilot drug testing system in place.
The annual music and arts festival will return to Stradbally, Co Laois, this weekend for the first time in almost three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with a record 70,000 attendees.
Melvin Benn, managing director of the event, said it has been a “long journey” to get here, following confusion about whether it could proceed last summer.
“I had some hopes that we would get away with it in 2021, we didn’t. Nobody else did in Ireland, and we’re the back end of the season,” he said.
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“We’re the biggest event, the most important event musically and culturally in Ireland, as far as I’m concerned. We’ve waited three years, we’ll just make it more special.”
Mr Benn said there would be no Covid-specific public health measures in place, and it would operate as it has previously.
“I’m struggling to remember how to spell Covid at the minute. It’s completely back to pre-Covid. We’re all free again, which is wonderful.”
On the Health Service Executive (HSE) plan to pilot drug testing, Mr Benn said he was “delighted” to support the initiative.
Under the pilot, testers will examine the chemical make-up of drugs that have been submitted anonymously to designated drop-off receptacles to gain a better understanding of the current drug trends.
If particularly dangerous substances are found to be in circulation at the event, the team will communicate this to attendees through social media and other means.
However, Mr Benn said there is “absolutely no amnesty” for people found with drugs.
“Ultimately, anything that makes people safer is something that we should be doing. Let’s not beat about the bush. Drugs are still illegal, they’re not any less illegal at the Electric Picnic because the [HSE] pilot is here,” he said.
“If the chief super catches you with drugs, he will wheel you to prison. He won’t hesitate to do that. Ultimately, the best way to stay safe is not to take prohibited drugs. It’s not that complicated.
He added: “There’s absolutely no amnesty whatsoever. There is an opportunity for people to surrender drugs, and if they are arriving with them, I would advise them to do that. If people surrender before they are about to get checked, there is no recrimination on them.”
The festival has made a number of changes since the last time it occurred, with a Heineken “greener bar”, which has been designed and developed reusing and upcycling material that will have a life after the festival; a new theatre area; and the introduction of Fish Town, a new incarnation of The Jerry Fish Electric Sideshow.
Danny O’Reilly, lead singer of the Coronas, said it is an “amazing feeling” to be able to return to the festival this year.
“It is the quintessential big, Irish festival for bands like us. We’re buzzing to be back, we’re really excited about it,” he said.
“It’s been a really difficult couple of years for everyone in the industry, but it always could be worse; you could be the band that shares its name with the virus as well. No, it’s been tough but we’re delighted to be back, and we’re excited to be getting back out on the road as well.”
Met Éireann meteorologist Conall Ruth said the weather for the weekend was looking like being “unsettled”. It was likely there would be “some fairly wet weather on the way”, with blustery winds and temperatures in the mid to high teens, he said.
While it was too early to be certain until closer to the weekend, festivalgoers should prepare for the “potential for quite a bit of rain”, Mr Ruth said.
Outbreaks of rain will push across from the west of the country from Friday afternoon onwards. Leinster is expected to see a mix of showers and sunny spells, with some rain expected on Friday evening and into the night.
