Mud, music and messy hair – all prevalent at every music festival, yet Electric Picnic has always stood out from the crowd. Here’s why.
As thousands prepare to descend upon Stradbally this weekend, first-time Electric Picnic-goers may be forgiven for wondering exactly where does Ireland’s boutique festival get its unique reputation from? Is it truly ‘more than just a music festival’, and if so, how?
Well to any festival newbies, we at JOE can confirm – the biggest attraction at every Electric Picnic is the sheer multitude of attractions. Sure that may be because the lineup isn’t that much too shout about (sorry Rob) but we guarantee half your time in Laois this weekend will be spent sampling an array of sensory delights. We’ve selected our pick of the bunch below:
1 The Body and Soul Area – The Body and Soul area of Electric Picnic has been a signature staple of the Stradbally festival for many years, with its success even leading to the inaugural ‘Body and Soul Gathering’, which took place this June in Co. Westmeath. Expect hot tubs, yoga classes and children’s workshops. The Holistic area of Body & Soul also features over 60 professional therapists to help you unwind and distress. Massages on-site include full body oil massages, stretchy massages and gentle yet deep therapies. It all makes a refreshing change to Oxegen’s signature brand of de-stressing – stamping out a fire in your tent that some gouger started ‘for the craic’. The Body and Soul area also doubles as a great venue for hippie-spotting, if the mood strikes. We counted 28 in this pic.
2 Salty Dog Saloon – The Salty Dog Stage has been described as a ‘sea-beaten shipwreck’ that’s marooned in the woods of Stradbally Hall. If you’re looking for a late night nightcap or a bottle of rum, we recommend attempting to stumble your way towards the site, which boasts a capacity to dish out chocolate and rum cocktails. Some of the acts regaling the crowds at the Salty Dog this weekend include Seasick Steve and Jerry Fish and the Mudbug Club.
3 Leviathan Political Cabaret – Host David ‘I predicted the recession!’ McWilliams hosts the Leviathan Political Cabaret on Friday night at the Mindfield Arena, with the event promising a weekend of comedy, political satire and debate. Amongst the attractions this year include Ryan Tubridy’s Picnic Brunch, Guardian cartoonist Steve Bell and everyone’s favourite former MP-turned-cat impressionist, George Galloway.
Friday night solely features the aforementioned Political Cabaret, while Saturday takes on a more current affairs-based edge as Tommy Graham, editor of History Ireland, hosts a discussion on Irish neutrality. Later in the day the ‘Godfather of British comics’ Pat Mills, of 2000 AD, drops by for the Big Comic Chat. Sunday brings Tubb’s Picnic Brunch and Jon Ronson, author of The Men Who Stare at Goats.
4 Arcadia – Do you like lasers? Do you love laser shows? Let’s be honest, you probaby answered ‘YESSS!!’ and ‘Yeah… I suppose’ in that order to those questions. But no matter – Electric Picnic’s laser show, Arcadia, looks pretty spectacular. Expect your senses to be melted with a dazzling array of pyrotechnics and a host of DJs. We’ve embedded just a sample of last year’s shenanigans below. Sadly, festival organisers have no plans to distribute laser guns throughout the show, as they apparently haven’t been invented properly yet.
5 The Bridgestone Food Awards – One of the biggest differences between Electric Picnic and its rival festivals is the sheer scope and variety of food traders at the event, each offering their own unique, mouth-watering concoptions. This year the Bridgestone Food Awards returns to honour the exceptional food traders, with a number of different awards up for grabs.
Amongst the gongs on offer are the Green Award, for the most ecologically-aware producers, the Vegetarian Award for the most creative vegetarian cookery, the Best-Dressed Vendor for the most ‘spiffing stall’ and the Judge’s Award for the best all-round creativity. We think an even more creative option would be to offer up a giant beef burger covered in chicken to mock the hippie’s false gods. Finally, a new Picnicker’s Award will be doled out for the dish that has been voted tops by festival-goers.
