35,000 to travel to Witnness festival

Up to 35,000 people are expected at Fairyhouse racecourse this weekend for the two-day Witnness festival. The event will feature over 60 acts on five stages around the grounds of the Co Meath racecourse.

Fairyhouse has been converted into an entertainment arena and a campsite, complete with weather shelters, a fun park and bars. The organisers are offering a Witnness "goodie bag" to the first 500 campers to arrive each day. Topping the bill today are Faithless, Stereophonics, Charlatans, Muse, The Waterboys, The Frames, Tindersticks, Embrace, Evan Dando and Eagle Eye Cherry.

Tomorrow features acts such as Ash, Texas, Fun Lovin' Criminals, Placebo, James, Feeder and Relish playing on the main stage. Super Furry Animals and David Kitt top the bill for "witnness rising", Stereo MCs for "witnness dance" and Paul Weller, Teenage Fanclub and The Saw Doctors "witnness more".

Mr Justin Green, of promoters MCD, said sales were going well. "A lot of people will decide on the day to go down, and if the weather holds up we should get 30,000 to 35,000 people, which will be a great achievement."

He described the Irish Timessponsored festival as the "biggest musical event in Ireland this year in terms of acts. There is no other multi-stage, multi-day outdoor event like this." Day tickets for the festival cost £36.50. Weekend tickets are £64 (£79 with camping).

Dublin Bus is operating a shuttle service between O'Connell Street, Dublin, and Fairyhouse racecourse for the event. Some 150 buses will be running each day, departing from O'Connell Street every 20 minutes from 11.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Buses from Fairyhouse will start to depart at 10.30 p.m. Tickets are available from Ticketmaster and Dublin Bus, costing £13 return.

Weblinks: www.witnness.com; www.mcd.ie