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Despite torrential overnight rain and muddy conditions, thousands of festivalgoers converged on Stradbally Hall for the first day of Electric Picnic 2026. The event kicked off with performances by Swedish pop star Zara Larsson and a special collaboration between The Cranberries' Mike and Noel Hogan with Sombr. The festival features a variety of stages, including the Main Stage and the Croí stage, offering a wide range of musical experiences.
Stradbally Hall estate, in Co Laois, welcomes 80,000 festivalgoers to the first day of this year’s event Electric Picnic 2026: Fiadh Byrne watches the Swedish pop star Zara Larsson arrive on the Main Stage.
Photograph: Enda O'DowdElectric Picnic 2026: Niall O'Donnell has brought extra duvets because of the bad weather forecast. Photograph: Enda O'DowdElectric Picnic 2026: Overnight rain left the festival site muddy on Friday. Photograph: Enda O'Dowd Electric Picnic 2026: Jack Nolan carries Shemie Kavanagh through some of the mud and puddles. Photograph: Enda O'Dowd Electric Picnic 2026: Éabha Nagle carries Ali Fitzpatrick through some of the mud and puddles.
Photograph: Enda O'Dowd Electric Picnic: Chloe Hayward travelled from Bournemouth, in southern England. Photograph: Enda O'DowdElectric Picnic 2026: a wedding at the inflatable church. Photograph: Enda O'DowdElectric Picnic 2026: on the way into the Croí stage. Photograph: Enda O'Dowd Electric Picnic 2026: Ned and Kate Morrissey from Waterford at the Croí stage.
Photograph: Enda O'Dowd Electric Picnic 2026: best friends Niamh Morrissey, from Cork, and Carmel Bennett, from Portlaoise, take a dip at the festival, which they have attended nearly every year. Photograph: Enda O'DowdElectric Picnic 2026: Sombr on the Main Stage on Friday night. Photograph: Enda O'Dowd Electric Picnic 2026: Mike and Noel Hogan of The Cranberries on the Main Stage with Sombr for a singalong version of Zombie.
Photograph: Enda O'DowdZara Larsson at Electric Picnic: Biblical rain can’t stop hitmaker in prime Friday pop slot‘It was awful’: Electric Picnic early arrivals face washout nightLATEST STORIESBritish far-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos detained by ICE as a ‘visa overstayer’Electric Picnic 2026: Saturday stage times for all the top areas, weather forecast and more
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