THE IRISH FARMER’S association has said that the dates for next year’s Electric Picnic festival should be changed in order to facilitate harvest season. 

The Stradbally-based event is taking place this weekend and is usually held in early September. However, next year Electric Picnic is scheduled for mid August.

In a statement issued by the IFA, county chair John Fitzpatrick said the dates for the 2024 festival need to be revisited. 

“The Electric Picnic has become a huge event and much hard work has gone in over the years to retain the support of the local community. This changing of the dates came out of the blue and it is going to cause huge problems for local farmers,” he said. 

“The dates announced for 2024 – August 16th-18th - are right in the middle of harvest season. To expect that the harvest and the movement of grain can take place with 70,000 people piling into a small rural town is not realistic.

“It’s a time where there will be lots farm machinery on the roads at the busiest time of the year in one of the busiest tillage areas in the country,” he said.

“There needs to be serious dialogue to resolve this issue and everything must be on the table.”