Kildare music fans get final line-up for Electric Picnic
Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi will headline the opening night on Friday
Thousands of music fans from Kildare are expected to make the short trip to Stradbally this weekend as Electric Picnic returns with one of its biggest line-ups to date.
The three-day festival takes place at Stradbally Hall, Co Laois, from Friday, August 28 to Sunday, August 30, with an estimated 80,000 people expected to attend.
For many Kildare festivalgoers, the proximity of Stradbally makes Electric Picnic one of the county’s biggest annual music events, with the neighbouring counties separated by only a short journey.
Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi will headline the opening night on Friday, with the singer joining a bill which includes Sombr, Loyle Carner, Skepta, Role Model, Wolf Alice, Wunderhorse, Jade, The Mary Wallopers and The Saw Doctors.
Saturday will see Gorillaz take the headline slot, alongside CMAT, Zara Larsson, Van Morrison, Geese, The Scratch and Men I Trust among the performers appearing across the festival.
Fontaines D.C. will close the main music programme on Sunday, with Amble, Damien Dempsey, The Undertones, The Stunning, Florence Road and numerous other acts also performing.
The festival will also feature comedy, theatre, food, arts and family attractions, including Little Picnic and a range of late-night entertainment.
Electric Picnic organisers have warned of increased traffic around Stradbally during the festival period, while entertainment on the main stages runs until 2am on Friday and Saturday and midnight on Sunday.
With Kildare among the counties closest to the Laois festival site, roads heading towards Stradbally are expected to be particularly busy throughout the weekend.