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comedy · Friday 28 August 2026 · Various 
Electric Picnic 2026 - Comedy & Spoken Word
At Stradbally Hall Estate · Stradbally, Co. Laois
At Stradbally Hall Estate · Stradbally, Co. Laois
Electric Picnic has been running at Stradbally Hall Estate since 2004 and has grown into one of Ireland’s biggest cultural weekends, drawing around 75,000 people across three days in late August. While the music headlines tend to get the attention, the comedy and spoken word programming has its own devoted following - for many people, it is the main reason to go. If you want a festival that offers more than standing in front of a stage, the mix on offer here is hard to match.
The Comedy and Spoken Word area at Electric Picnic runs across the full three days, from Friday 28 August to Sunday 30 August. It sits within the wider MindField arena, which the festival describes as its home for thought-provoking debate, poetry, theatre, and performance. The Word Stage runs from early afternoon deep into the night, shifting from more intimate daytime spoken word sets - poets, storytellers, performers working without a safety net - to looser, more chaotic late-night bills that can mix comedy, improv, drag, and music in the same hour.
Past years have brought in multi-award-winning spoken word artists, Beat Club improv nights with guest performers, and debut sets from names building a following online. The MindField area has also hosted podcasts recorded live, presidential-themed debates, and theatrical pieces that do not fit anywhere else on site. Specific 2026 performers had not been announced publicly at time of writing - check the Electric Picnic website for the full bill as it is revealed.
The wider festival adds 27 stages across the grounds, including Arcadia, Fosset’s Circus, the Body and Soul wellness area, the Art Trail, a 24-hour cinema tent, and family entertainment zones. Tickets for 2026 are sold out.
Stradbally is in central Co. Laois, roughly 12 km south-west of Portlaoise and about 80 km from Dublin via the M7/N80. During Electric Picnic weekend, Bus Éireann and private operators run dedicated festival coaches from Dublin, Cork, Galway, and other cities - booking these in advance is strongly advised, as roads around Stradbally get heavy on Friday afternoon and Sunday evening. On-site car parking is available for those driving, but factor in queuing time on arrival and departure. Many festival-goers camp on the grounds for the full weekend rather than commuting each day.
Stradbally itself is a quiet estate town in the Laois midlands, with the hall and its walled grounds forming the centrepiece of the village. The Steam Museum at Stradbally Hall is worth a look outside of festival season. There is more to see in Stradbally and across Co. Laois.
Heading to Stradbally Hall Estate 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.