Stradbally is a 'beautiful home' for Electric Picnic as capacity to go up by thousands in 2024

Electric Picnic boss Melvin Benn says that Laois is its home "forever" with a plan to expand next year in at the Stradbally venue in Laois.

The Managing Director of Festival Republic spoke to reporters on Sunday about this year's festival and the 2024 edition.

“Forever. Stradbally’s great.  The idea of building it somewhere else doesn’t sit. We’ve got a beautiful home here and a great relationship locally. We’re not moving. Let me be really clear. Thomas and I are here together forever.

“The town, the layout of the festival, the make-up of the field, it’s just wonderful. If you could recreate it in another place but there’s no point. There’s always discussions and negotiations, but this is home for me as much as my home in London is. It’s fantastic."

Below: Host and landowner Thomas Cosby with friends at Electric PIcnic 2023. Picture: Alf Harvey.

 He said taking the picnic from the Stradbally community would be “a big loss to them”.

With blue skies all weekend, he believes it is the hottest ever.

“I’ve never known it to be this hot. I’ve been at every one and I’ve never known it this hot."

He confirmed that they will seek planning permission to increase capacity by 5,000 to 75,000 next year.

“Yes. Only by 5,000,” he said.

On environmental sustainability, the promotor said he wants to emphasise the need to reuse and recycle and not use disposable items like vapes.

“The sooner that gets sorted out by the Government the better,” he said.

He said it is the public and not Electric Picnic that leaves a mess.

“Ultimately the picnic doesn’t leave anything, it’s the picnic goers. We can only encourage them to do as much as they can. 

“Some of you will make a song and dance about it, rather than campaigning to society that people need to change their behaviour, you will probably choose to blame the picnic.

“We will pick up a lot of rubbish for tomorrow and recycle almost all of it," Mr Benn said.

Hazel Conroy and Nuala Kelly at Electric PIcnic 2023. Picture: Alf Harvey.

On ending the use of single use plastic cups, he said it is “very much” on the horizon. 

On drug testing, he said they are lucky that the HSE does on-site testing.

“There are no safe illegal drugs. They wouldn’t be illegal if they were safe. If they are able to test the relative strength, I think it’s a good thing,”

Some 20,000 people now come in on the early entry tickets on Thursday.

“I’ve been to more festivals than any of you, and this stands apart. My UK team can’t wait to get here. I think it’s a joy. It’s definitely the best festival in the European community.

He looked back on how the weekend went.

“There’s always things you’d do differently. The list of things to see is just endless. I was out there for the Gloria LGBT choir and when they did the tribute to Sinead O’Connor it was unbelievable. When they were singing Nothing Compares 2U it was absolutely perfect."

IN PICTURES: Super Sunday in Stradbally at Electric Picnic 2023

The disability access campsite was improved following media reports of concerns last year.

“We could have been better last year, and better again next year. But we jumped really well this year We looked and listened to what people were missing, and we are very committed to making it better."

For next year’s festival, he said areas such as Fishtown will continue to expand, but the main arena areas will stay the same.

“Croi is really taking a step forward and will take another step forward next year.  For me it's constantly evolving. 

He said that the amount of trad Irish acts this year such as the Wolfe Tones was only due to who is available to book.

“There were times I could have recited almost every song they had. There is never a shortage of amazing Irish artists. They just keep coming, in all styles. Inhaler was amazing, I watched the full set and they’re just going to be bigger and better. Who would have thought that Niall Horan would have ever been so massive at Electric Picnic, you could feel the emotion. It’s what’s available and what’s amazing.

Billie Eilish has “changed the shape of the festival for the better” he said, with the Main Stage and entrances enlarged after a stampede to see her last time caused health and safety concerns.

For the 20th anniversary in 2024, there is no big birthday celebration planned.

“We won’t be doing anything specific, but we’ll acknowledge it,” he said.