'Of course it's going ahead' - Electric Picnic organisers rubbish cancellation rumours
Speculation on social media has been rife over the past few weeks as fans await news of the line-up
The organisers of Electric Picnic have addressed social media rumours casting doubt on the long awaited 2024 festival.
Keyboard worriers have been expressing their worst fears as the long wait goes on to see who will perform this year at the sold out festival in Stradbally, Laois.
That worry has amped up for several reasons, including the sale of tickets earlier than usual just before last year's festival, which has stretched out the wait.
The Cosby Estate has a licence to accommodate up to 950 Ukraine residents in temporary cabins and marquees - near but not on - the site of the festival.
Last year, EP headliners including Billie Eilish, Lewis Capaldi and The Killers were announced earlier than usual in December 2022, followed by the full line-up announcement on April 21 2023. A callout for Trailer Park designers came in March 2023.
Additionally, the once-off movement of the festival two weeks earlier on August 16 to 18 had raised protest among some farmers that the roads and fields will still be busy with harvests.
The festival is, however, firmly in a new ten year contract with hosts, the Cosby Family, with MD Melvin Benn declaring last September that Laois is its home "forever".
The Leinster Express contacted the Electric Picnic spokesperson and got the following brief but clear update:
"Of course it's going ahead. We released the line up late April last year also."
Meanwhile, Electric Picnic's sister festival, Reading and Leads, also a Festival Republic event next August, has announced a load of acts, headlined by Liam Gallagher, Lana del Rey, Fred Again and Fontaines DC, who have just been given a big boost by Cillian Murphy after choosing their song as the soundtrack to his new Versace ad.
A planning application submitted to Laois County Council in February to set up a substation to power the Main Stage by mains green electricity instead of diesel generators is nearing decision time.