20 years of Electric Picnic: 'You got the sense something special was happening'

Two decades on from the launch of Electric Picnic, festival veterans recall some of their magic moments 

Fans have been enjoying Electric Picnic for 20 years. 

When it launched in 2004, Electric Picnic was a one-day affair. Co-founders, the late John Reynolds and Robbie Butler, hoped to shift 15,000 tickets, but on the day around 10,000 punters showed up. There was no official camping... although people camped in the field designated for parking. The following year, it grew to a two-day event and to three days in 2006. By then, it had redefined what an Irish festival was all about.

The late John Reynolds, co-founder of Electric Picnic. Picture: Collins