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arts · Friday 28 August 2026 · Festival hours 
Electric Picnic 2026: Art Trail & Visual Arts Programme
At Stradbally Hall · Stradbally, Co. Laois
At Stradbally Hall · Stradbally, Co. Laois
Electric Picnic is Ireland’s largest music and arts festival, but the Art Trail running through the grounds of Stradbally Hall is its own thing entirely - a reason to come that has nothing to do with the stages. Around 30 artists scatter sculptures, installations and interactive pieces across the estate each year, and discovering them is as much a part of the weekend as any headline act. It suits curious visitors, families with older children, anyone who wants more than a music bill, and people who like their art served outdoors among mature trees rather than in a gallery.
The Art Trail weaves through the wooded sections of Stradbally Estate, so you find pieces gradually as you walk rather than in one concentrated space. Works range from large-scale outdoor sculptures and immersive light installations to interactive pieces you can touch or step inside. Artists apply through an open submission process, so the mix shifts each year and tends to favour new or emerging Irish talent alongside more established names.
A separate venue called ArtLot operates deeper in the woods as an alternative arts and music stage - it has hosted mural painters, printmaking workshops, spoken word, and late-night DJ sets in past years. The festival has also partnered with the Institute of Art, Design + Technology in Dún Laoghaire to bring student-made sculpture to the trail, which has included fantastical animal figures built from recyclable materials. Many pieces are lit at night, so the trail looks different after dark.
The Art Trail is included with your festival ticket and runs across all three days of the bank holiday weekend.
Stradbally is a small Laois town on the R425, roughly 10km east of Portlaoise and 80km from Dublin via the M7 and M8. By car, exit at junction 17 (Portlaoise North) and follow signs for Stradbally. The festival operates a large-scale coach service from Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and other cities each year - check the Electric Picnic website for the official coach timetable and pick-up points, as these are updated closer to the event. Camping is available on site, so most attendees arrive for the full three days rather than day trips, though day tickets are also sold.
Stradbally itself is a quiet market town with a long connection to the festival - the Hall and demesne have hosted Electric Picnic since its early years, and the estate is striking outside of festival season too. There is more to see in Stradbally and across Co. Laois.
Heading to Stradbally Hall in Stradbally? Laois has plenty more to see. Read the Stradbally area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.