Electric Picnic could change in 2026 with some headliners already booked

Melvin Benn, Managing Director of Festival Republic, the company behind Electric Picnic, has said the festival is staying put in Stradbally but hinted at other changes to the hugely popular festival in 2026.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Mr Benn hinted at a four-day festival in 2026. The event always have some performances on Thursday evening as patrons arrive on site but he thinks this aspect of the festival could be greater in future years.

“The appetite is definitely there (for fourth day) and I will certainly put more into the Thursday evenings, but not with the opening of the Main Stages, but there will be one or two more stages on Thursday evening,” he said.

He also spoke about the backing of the Cosby family and confirmed that he is committed to Stradbally for the long haul.

"I had a conversation with Thomas Cosby. We are already in a long-term agreement, and we didn’t discuss a longer-term agreement. We did discuss the use of more land and how we are going to grow different things.

“Thomas is at the heart of Stradbally and the heart of the festival and has been incredibly collaborative. The Cosby family have been incredibly supportive of us from day one, when all those years ago John Reynolds and myself met up in Stradbally to go look at the site for the first time," he said.

PICTURES: Young and old enjoying Electric Picnic - can you spot yourself or a friend?

His discussions with Mr Cosby do not involve an increase in capacity.

“I feel that we are at the right level at this stage, and I would like to settle it at 80,000 before I start thinking about making it bigger.

“I would like to make a few more changes in the campsite. I introduced the bespoke campsites this year and they have been well received and I think they will grow.

“The (license) preapplication is already in with Laois County Council and it is in for 80,000,” he said.

He spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live about the importance of community support for the arts and music event in Laois.

“The support has been magnificent. I think the reception I get in the community of Stradbally and its immediate surroundings is just wonderful. I don’t think there is anywhere in the world where I operate a festival where the community has embraced it as much as Stradbally...The collaboration here is as good as it is anywhere in the world," he said.

Giving his opinion on the 2025 entertainment, he said a local community choir were among his favourites. 

“I bumped into one of the fellas from the Timahoe Male Choir, and he was in tears. Not just about being on stage, but the journey that they had been on, where a few relatively lonely guys in the village got together and the difference it has made to their lives. They are buzzing that is a highlight of course,” he said. MORE BELOW PHOTO.

Other highlights included Chapell Roan and Hozier who he said were 'insanely good'. He also praised Kneecpap.

“It was a special moment for the Picnic and them as a band. It was easily the largest audience they have ever performed to. I don’t think there was anyone else at the Picnic except watching Kneecap.

“Most of the entire Picnic audience was there at the Main Stage, which was a fairly big statement of intent, not just of loving the music,” he said.

He was surprised by the tribute paid to him on stage by Kneecap.

“I was a little surprised that they referred to me. It is different in the UK. I have spent time in their dressing room reading them the riot act about what they can and can't say in England, but those restrictions are not here in Ireland,” he said.

Commenting on questions about high food and drink prices, he said there was no legal requirement on people to charge what they do in their shops. He disputed claims that the onsite food was costly, insisting that the pricing was ‘really good for the food’. He added that people can bring their own food and camp on a stove.

He encouraged people to take home their tents and rubbish but admitted that a lot will leave their waste behind them.

“We live in hope that the people will leave no trace and bring everything home. The reality is that a lot of people don’t. I can talk until I am blue in the face to say that they should do it but they take their own responsibility and they choose to leave it. We will have some salvagers to take some away, but the rest will go to waste, and that will be disappointing, but there is a limit to what I can do. I can’t go around and pack everybody’s bag for them. I am an in loco parent to them in some respects but there is a limit,” he said.

He said the going home traffic plan would be worked out with the gardaí.

“It will be a busy day tomorrow to get everybody out, but I’d say everybody will be out by mid-afternoon,” he said.

He confirmed that tickets would the Three presale tickets for 2026 would be on sale on Monday, followed by the first general sale on Wednesday and the loyalty programme.

“I would expect most of the tickets to get snapped up and then we will do a bit of a sale towards Christmas time or something like that,” he said.

He said some headline acts have been booked for next year but wouldn't reveal who was lined up.