Tens of thousands of people are preparing to make their way to Electric Picnic for the biggest weekend in Ireland’s music calendar.

Some 75,000 people are expected to attend the event in Stradbally this weekend – with a wide range of acts on show.

Festival goers are expected to be treated to a largely dry weekend, with temperatures set to get as high as 22C.

Kylie Minogue at Sziget Festival 2024 in Budapest, 07-08-2024. Image: Colin Darbyshire / Alamy

This year’s event gets underway earlier in the year than usual after the festival was moved from its traditional time of early September to accommodate one of the headline acts.

Kylie, Calvin Harris and Noah Kahan are among those taking to the main stage over the weekend – but organiser Melvin Benn will not reveal which star led to the change of date.

“I’m not going to mention the act that we wanted on the main stage to change the weekend but we are delighted we have that act and lots of others this particular weekend,” he said.

With so many people making their way to Laois at the same time, Gardaí are advising drivers not to use sat-nav and to follow local signage instead.

Gardaí have also released a new interactive map to help people plan their journeys from all corners of Ireland.

Festivalgoers are strongly encouraged to make their way to the site by public transport where possible.

Crowds at the Electric Arena for the Wolfe Tones at Electric Picnic. (Photo by Electric Picnic)

General ticket holders can access carparks from 9am today.

Later this evening the main stage will welcome the likes of Sophie Ellis Bextor and Noah Kahan.

Faithless and Nas lead the way in the Electric Arena while Villagers are playing Rankin’s Wood.

The carparks will remain open until 4pm on Monday August 19th.