Electric Picnic 2023 highs and lows: Niall Horan’s awe, €20 for chicken and chips

Ireland’s largest arts and culture festival returned to the Stradbally Estate this weekend, with 70,000 punters experiencing three days of music, culture and good craic.

It’s a rare Electric Picnic experience to witness sunshine and warmth. Normally a mudfest, with rain-soaked sleeping bags and ruined tents, the attendees this year were spared a washout.

Here is a list of some of the highs and lows of this year’s event:

HIGHS

Most delighted performer

There is a tie for this award, with both Mullingar man Niall Horan and newcomer Cian Ducrot seeming in awe at the crowd that came out to see them perform. It is said that Irish people are a humble bunch.

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Best laugh

The Ah, Hear podcast stage really gave the stand-up comedians a run for their money. Filled with some of the funniest podcasts, including I’m Grand Mam and Hold my Drink! With Charleen Murphy and Ellie Kelly, attendees were almost guaranteed a chuckle.

Best last-minute addition

Loyle Carner being added to the line-up last week proved to be a success with a massive crowd gathering at the Rankin Wood’s Stage for his Saturday night set. Having already headlined All Together Now last month, Irish people’s love for the English rapper only continues to grow from strength to strength.

Most delicious treat

Tucked away in the Trailer Park, a small outlet selling tea, coffee and sweet treats called Kelly Lou Cakes was kept busy, with a queue in front of it pretty much all day everyday.

Best surprise

So often, Electric Picnic is a rain-soaked marshland, but this year the weather worked in punters’ favour with glorious sun-filled days and temperatures hitting the mid-20s.

A bit of Irish

Enormous crowds turned up at the Electric Arena late on Sunday evening to see both the Wolfe Tones and the Saw Doctors. Nothing says Irish festival quite like a bit of rebel music.

Best set

Women in Harmony on the Main Stage on early Sunday afternoon was a beautiful way to kick off the final day of festivities.

LOWS

Food

Spending the weekend at a festival is always a pricey ordeal, but charging €14 for a burger on its own and €20 for chicken tenders and chips should, quite simply, be a crime. Cost-of-living crisis is given a whole new meaning at Electric Picnic.

Price of rides and activities

It wasn’t just the food prices that bordered on obscene. For those seeking to have their future told, a 30-minute tarot card reading came in at €50, while for those wanting to see the whole site from the top of the Ferris wheel, €12 was the cost of the pleasure. But fear not, it was only €10 during “happy hour”.

Biggest disappointment

Though the line-up featured a wide variety of genres, the gender balance of the headline acts left much to be desired. Billie Eilish was the only woman out of the six biggest acts on the ticket.

Most tiring part of the weekend

The rose-tinted glasses always make the journey to the festival site seem shorter, but lugging camping gear for a full weekend while walking a distance that could rival the Camino is no laughing matter.

Vapes

While the organisers of the festival banned disposable vapes, that didn’t stop many people from bringing them. They littered the ground underfoot, despite no vendors selling the item on site.

Toilets

With 70,000 people in attendance, festival toilets are bound to get a bit messy. However, the stench at this year’s event would turn even the toughest of stomachs.