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nightlife · Friday 28 August 2026 · 2:00pm 
Electric Picnic Music & Arts Festival
At Stradbally Hall · Stradbally, Co. Laois
At Stradbally Hall · Stradbally, Co. Laois
Electric Picnic is Ireland’s largest music and arts festival, and if you have never been, the scale of it takes a moment to absorb. Three days across the grounds of Stradbally Hall, with stages, forests, art installations, comedy tents and food markets spreading out across 550 acres of ancient parkland. The 2026 edition runs Friday 28 to Sunday 30 August, headlined by Gorillaz on Saturday night - their first time on the Stradbally stage - and Fontaines D.C. closing out Sunday. It suits music fans of any stripe, but also people who want the full festival experience: the atmosphere, the camping, the late nights in wooded glades, and the food.
The festival site is built around Stradbally Hall, a classical 19th-century house that has been in the Cosby family since 1620. The grounds give the event its particular feel - forested corners, open parkland and a natural intimacy that belies the crowd numbers. Beyond the main stage, the programme spans multiple zones: Body & Soul handles wellness, yoga and holistic experiences in its own wooded village; Mindfield runs spoken word, debate and ideas; the Trailer Park is where electronic and underground acts push through till early morning. There is theatre and comedy alongside the music, and the food offering is genuine - independent traders rather than standard festival fare. The 2026 lineup adds Wolf Alice, CMAT, Zara Larsson, Skepta, DJO and JADE to the headliners, so there is plenty across every stage across the three days. Boutique camping options including bell tents and yurts are available for those who do not want to pitch their own.
Stradbally is on the R427 in central Laois, roughly 80km from Dublin via the M7 motorway - exit at junction 17 towards Portlaoise, then follow signs for Stradbally. Bus Eireann and private coach companies run festival shuttles from Dublin, Cork and other cities for Electric Picnic weekend; check the festival travel page for the current year’s services. Driving to the festival means using designated car parks on the approach roads - follow steward directions and allow extra time on arrival and departure days. Trains serve Portarlington and Portlaoise (both on the Dublin Heuston to Cork/Limerick line), with shuttle buses connecting to the festival site.
Stradbally is a quiet market town for most of the year, with the Stradbally Woodland Railway - a narrow-gauge track running through the demesne - worth a look outside festival weekend. The Steam Rally, held on the same grounds, draws vintage engine enthusiasts each summer. 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.