Electric Picnic organisers and local farmers have plan for new festival dates

Electric Picnic organisers and local farmers have been discussing a plan to accommodate next year's altered festival dates.

The popular music festival will move from its usual September dates to August 16th to 18th next year. There has been much speculation over which artist is behind the date change, with festival director Melvin Benn confirming it is for a "specific artist".

Mr Benn has addressed concerns expressed by Laois farmers as the festival will clash with harvesting season.

As reported by the Laois Nationalist, Mr Benn said: “I didn’t know it was blinking harvest season. Maybe I should have. I asked the (festival site) landowner was everything alright to go and he said it was.

“They (local farmers) were a bit shocked, but they have overcome that shock. Saturday was the only day that I didn’t meet them this week. I met them again this morning (Sunday) and given some of the plan of how I’m going to overcome it. They’ve accepted the plan and seemed to be happy with the plan.

"I’ll still get people into the grain store which is right in the middle of the Main Street (along the main N80) in Stradbally. But we’ve overcome the problem. I think I’ve got a solution.”

When asked specifically what his solution was, Mr Benn replied: "It’s not that difficult. If we take advantage of tracks and roads that are already here in the area, we can do it.

“It was from being Jesus I’m up against here on Wednesday on Thursday, to now it’s relaxed. One or two of them (local farmers) are going to change their crop rotation. Tractor drivers were stopping me and saying don’t worry about it Melvin, it will be fine.”