7 Hidden Events To Check Out When You’re Avoiding The Main Stage At Electric Picnic

Electric Picnic kicks off at Stradbally Estate tomorrow, and while the Main Stage will no doubt be jammers for LCD Soundsystem, Lana Del Rey and co, there’s plenty more on to occupy your time when you’re not checking out the big names.

In fact, the festival is packed with off-the-beaten-track events, from live orchestral performances to cooking demos to late night forest dance parties. The hard part is knowing where to go and when, but panic not because we’ve done the research for you.

Here’s our rundown of things to do when you’re at a loose end, have time to kill between acts, or just need a break from the madness…

RTÉ Concert Orchestra with Jenny Greene
Friday, 9pm, Rankin’s Wood Stage
Start your weekend off with club classics chosen by 2FM DJ Jenny Greene and given a full-band sound by Ireland’s largest orchestra.

Attention Bébé
Saturday, 2am, Trailerpark
This 13-piece ensemble play aaaalll the Nineties tunes, so come along and dance your socks off to Gangster’s Paradise, Hotstepper, Rhythm Is A Dancer and heaps more.

Lake swimming
Friday 2pm – 5pm, Sat/Sun 10am – 1pm
For the first time ever, the lake at Stradbally Estate will be open to ticketholders this year. To reach the lake during the weekend, follow signs from the Jimi Hendrix campsite. The area will be manned by lifeguards and will only be opened at set times, however, so don’t go thinking you can stumble over there full of beer after LCD Soundsystem’s closing set.

Cathy Davey’s full album set
Friday night, 12am, Hazel Wood
This newly-added woodland area will be home to dance, music, art and comedy over the weekend, but the thing we’re looking forward to most is Irish songstress Cathy Davey’s first live performance of her new album on Friday night.

Mother DJs mini-set
Saturday, 9pm, 3Live
Before they take to Body And Soul for three hours of epic pop and dance late on Sunday, Mother DJs will be performing at the 3Live area on Saturday evening. Head over for a taster set before the big ‘un on Sunday. There’ll also be other secret live sets plus phone charging, festival make-up and more at Three’s official festival area throughout the weekend.

Fr Ted’s 20th anniversary celebration
Sunday from 1.30pm, Trailer Park/My Lovely Ranch
To commemorate the 20^th anniversary of My Lovely Horse, there’ll be a full-day celebration of all things Fr Ted, including Father Alan’s Alternative Sunday Mass at 1.30pm, a table quiz, the festival’s annual Lovely Girls Competition and a Rubbish Eurovision Disco.

Panel Discussion: Minding Your Mind – When You’re Not Just Rocking The Cradle, But Rocking The System
Saturday, 8.30pm, Lust For Life at Mindfield
This panel discussion on women, mental health and social change will be led by Sinéad Burke, who’ll be joined by ISPCC/Childline president Caroline Downey, Anna Cosgrave of the REPEAL Project and Edel McGinley from the Migrant Rights Centre.

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