Longitude: Leave your selfie sticks and backpacks at home

Concert goers have been urged not to bring any backpacks or large bags to the Longitude music festival this weekend.

Organisers have warned music fans that anyone planning to attend the event should note that large bags and backpacks will not be allowed in to the festival, only small bags measuring no bigger than A4 [21cm x 29.7cm] will be permitted into the festival.

Over 120,000 people are expected to attend the three-day music event. Gardaí have said that anyone under the influence of alcohol or other substances will be prevented from entering the venue.

Extra gardaí are also being deployed to police the event this year in the wake of recent terrorist attacks in the UK.

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A senior Garda source told The Irish Times that extra gardaí will be policing the event this year.

“In comparison to other years, this will be a larger scale operation given recent events in the UK. 40,000 people are expected on site each day and we want to ensure the public’s safety. A full sweep of the venue will take place before music fans show up,” said the source.

Organisers of the festival said that any items which may be reasonably considered for use as a weapon, or which may cause danger or disruption to any other persons at the event, will be confiscated.

“Persons suspected of carrying items that may be used in an offensive or dangerous manner, or carrying out illegal activities within the arena or other parts of the site may be searched,” said a spokesman.

When is it on?

This year’s Longitude festival will open for business at 2pm on Friday and run until approximately 11pm each evening.

How do I get there?

Organisers have urged people to use public transport as huge volume are expected. Dublin Bus services that go close to the festival site include:

16 Airport / O’Connell Street to Grange Road

116 Burlington Road to Grange Road

161 Dundrum Road Luas Station to Grange Road

From the city centre, Marathon Coaches is operating a return bus service from Georges Quay (outside Ulster Bank) in the city centre. Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Departure times are: 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm. Tickets are €10 when booked online up to 10am on the morning of each service, or €15 return or €10 one-way on the day.

What’s the weather going to be like?

It is looking like it is going to be a weekend for shorts, with a warm and humid day expected on Saturday. Highest temperatures of 18-24 degrees, warmest across east Munster and Leinster.

Sunday will be mostly dry but a few light showers may develop during the afternoon. Top temperatures on Sunday of 16-20 degrees, warmest in the south and east.

Are tickets still available?

All tickets for the festival which takes place at Marlay Park this weekend are now sold out.

What items are banned?

Large bags and backpacks will not be allowed in to the event, only small bags measuring no bigger than A4 (8.27in/21cm x 11.7in/29.7cm) will be permitted.

Fold up chairs (Garden furniture) or shooting sticks, umbrellas, selfie sticks, flares/fireworks, laser pens, megaphone/air horns, aerosols, spray cans, smoke and gas canisters, nitrous oxide and any associated equipment, glass, drones.

Illegal/unidentifiable substances, “legal highs”, herbal highs or NoS.

Anything that can be perceived as a weapon or which could cause danger or disruption to any other persons at the event.

Professional cameras with a detachable lens, recording equipment or Go Pro’s.

What’s new this year?

One of the weekend's main attractions will be The Weekend and Mumford and Sons headlining on Saturday and Sunday respectively, but there's a couple of new additions to look out for too.
Heineken's "Live Your Music" concept is sure to be a big hit, offering a fully responsive, custom-built space featuring DJs and collectives from the worlds of house, disco, hip-hop and R&B.
The hub will use innovative technology to gauge the energy of the crowd by tracking noise levels, body movement and heat. The more energy unleashed by music fans, the more experiences will be unlocked.