Where Are You This Week: I have returned to Ireland for one of my favorite festivals from 2015 — the annual Electric Castle Festival. This three day camping festival near the close of Europe’s festival season is a fitting way to end the summer.
2016 Artist Sampler: LCD Soundsystem, Lana Del Rey, The Chemical Brothers, New Order, Super Furry Animals, The 1975, The Shins
Estimated Size: 50,000
The MFW Beer Index: $5.50 for 1/2 liter
What Makes This Festival Stand Out: Besides the incredible lineup, there’s so much happening here that the fleeting three days is over before you know it. From all night dance parties in the forest to Gaelic karaoke to impromptu parades and secret shows, you will not be bored at Electric Picnic.
Musical Highlights: This festival boasts an epic amount of talent and you’ll find yourself dashing between tents to catch it all. You might even get lucky like I did and come upon a secret show in the woods featuring Nathaniel Rateliff putting on my favorite sets of the summer. My top sets included catching Savages for a whopping sixth time, Skepta, and The Avett Brothers.
Who Attends This Festival: This is all Irish, all the time. Like I noted from last year, my sides still hurt from laughing.
What What You Change: While Electric Picnic is a fitting capper to the end of a packed European festival summer schedule, this is the second year in a row where it was my chilliest festival. I wouldn’t mind seeing it pushed back a couple weeks into the dog days of August.
Family-Friendly Factor: 7 out of 10. There’s enough here to camp families of all ages enterained. The sheer amount of activites and art should keep the younger festies entertained throughout the day. You will definitely want to stay out of general camping and stay in the very quiet friendly camping.
Details, Details, Details
Where Is it and How Hard is it to Get There: Fly into Dublin and catch the festival bus fro downtown to Stradbelly Estate (about two hours west of Dublin).
Where Do I Sleep: You are camping at this festival and it’s insane. Bring a tent and everything you need for three day of excitement.
Getting To and From the Festival: Electric Picnic has everything you need on site including a grocery store, laundromat, and off-site for buying beer.