Electric Picnic 2011

Ireland's complete music and arts festival that offers an array of fine music, theatre, comedy, holistic health and art. Musically it's a more eclectic mix of artists than the other Irish mainstream events.

Pod and Festival Republic present Electric Picnic back for its eighth year, and held from Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th September at Stradbally Hall Estate, Co Laois - less than an hour from Dublin.

Line-up

Arcade Fire, Pulp, and The Chemical Brothers lead the acts announced including Interpol, P J Harvey, Beirut, Jimmy Cliff, Public Enemy, DJ Shadow, White Lies, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Midlake, The Charlatans, Big Audio Dynamite, Codes, The Walkmen, Lykke Li, Sharon Shannon, Death In Vegas, Micah P. Hinson, British India, Toots and the Maytals, The Vaccines, Jape, ASIWYFA, Gavin Friday, The Potbelleez, Sinead O' Connor, The Go! Team, Boys Noize, Paul Kalkbrenner, Twin Shadow, Willy Mason, Trentemoller, Killing Joke, Ivan St John, Dave Clarke, Caitlin Rose, Health, Mogwai, O Emperor, Adam Beyer, The Danger Is, Adebisi Shank, Flying Lotus, Mundy, and R.S.A.G..

The latest additions are Underworld, Bob Geldof, M. Ward, I Am Kloot, Foster the People, Republic of Loose, The Black Angels, Everything Everything, Niki & The Dove, The Rubberbandits, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Donal Dineen's Parish, Sharon Corr, and Ghost Estates.

As well as loads of comedy, spoken world, a range of stages, lots of site art and many areas to explore with plenty of catering options and all the normal facilities you'd expect at a festival, and an an emphasis on eco-friendly initiatives.

Family Campsite

The Electric Picnic offers a Family Ticket which will permit access for two adults and up to four children to the designated Family Campsite. Families can also download a small booklet outlining children's activities and programmes as well as useful information on family camping, baby changing facilities, showers, toilets, etc. The "Children's Festival" will have its own area and reception for babies, toddlers and children up to 12. It will be programmed with all sorts of creative workshops, kids yoga, chill out space for parents, and games.

Tickets

Early bird tickets are no longer available. Tickets are priced at 240 euros for an adult weekend ticket. There will be no single day tickets, Family Camping Tickets (240 euros per adult payable in easy installments) and Campervan Tickets are also available priced at 60 euros, Sunday day tickets 99.50 euros.

To buy tickets, click here.

On site

Arcadia return this year with a unique space-aged 360 degree venue complete with robots and junk metal art installations, circus acts, trapeze performers, and fire spinners.

The festival will also feature Comedy & Spoken Word, Arts & Theatrics, the Arcadia area, Fosset's Circus, Art Trail, the Body & Soul area, Global Green & Greencrafts, the Eco Picnic, and Amnesty Ireland.

The 'Comedy Tent' once again will cater for all comic styles ranging from the musical stylings of Dead Cat Bounce, Rubberbandits, and Abandoman to stand up. There will be a special emphasis on 'breakthrough' acts both from the national and international circuits.

The 'Body & Soul' area will be back with a new stage for 2011 inspired by the 'Earth Ships' of Arizona - made from recycled electrical waste, bottles, tyres and cob walls, with a line-up of up and coming performers and artists on both the Body & Soul Stage and the Love Letter Stage, whilst resident artists the DoLab will be returning alongside performers Lucent Dossier. Plus L.A. artists Shrine and his recycled art installations and Gerard Minawaka's bamboo sculptures, and the Wood Collective.

The 'Mindfield' spoken word area is back with a programme including political cabaret events hosted by David McWilliams with special guest, Jon Snow, plus interactive conversation, debate, poetry, literature, music, science, history, architecture and more.

The 'Global Green' returns as the place to slow down and celebrate the potential for cultural transformation, bringing together a wide community of cultural creatives, artists and civil society organisations with Greencrafts including a chance to wrought hot metal on an anvil, to smith your own silver ring, and to carve a wooden bowl. Highlights include Global Green Vintage Party; The Rethink Tank; 'Surfing The Waves of Change' animated film premiere; The Slow Tent Pizzas; The People's Picnic; Cooking Demonstrations, Vintage Cycle Fashion Show; Craftitecture; Goldsprints, Kids Stuff, Yoga, and Slow Down Sounds, and the Cork Ukulele Band, and more.


'Trenchtwon' returns with the spirit of Jamaica tucked away in the forests of Stradbally as does 'Fossets circus', 'The Salty Dog Saloon', 'Farmers Market', 'The Family Area', and 'Soul Kids' in the walled gardens with festival fun including yoga, enchanted fairy workshops, and arts & crafts.

Public transport

Bus Eireann will be operating a bus service to Stradbally from Dublin, Cork, and Galway. Tickets can be booked on buseireann.ie. CoachestoConcerts.co.uk will operate a service from Belfast to the festival. Shuttle buses will operate between Portlaoise train station to Electric Picnic for those wishing to take the train.

More info

For detailed information about various aspects of the festival see the Electric Picnic Information (includes detailed info on camping, travel, food & drink, and more).

There'll be more information here when available.

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