'No price increase': Tickets for Electric Picnic 2026 on sale Monday

Tickets go on sale for next year's Electric Picnic as revellers head home from the 2025 event

Dermot Kennedy was a surprise addition at Electric Picnic on Sunday, when he performed with Noel and Mike Hogan and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in a moving Cranberries set, seven years since the death of Dolores O’Riordan. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

The organiser of Electric Picnic has said two headliners for the 2026 edition are already in the books.

The dust settled on this year’s festival on Sunday night, with 80,000 people heading home from Stradbally in Laois on Monday.

As they go out the gates, the first batch of tickets are going on sale for customers of Three+ — general sales commence on Wednesday, September 3 — and already, it seems, there are two big names sorted for it. 

Mo Chara in action on the main stage at Electric Picnic on Saturday during Kneecap's blistering set. The Belfast trio thanked festival director Melvin Benn from the stage. Picture: Larry Cummins

Festival Republic director Melvin Benn said: “There’s a few little bits that I want to change. Headliners, we’ve got two of the three nights booked. And for a really strong place with that, we’re very happy with those two of the three nights. 

"The third night, we’re not under pressure. People come for the whole thing.”

An extra 5,000 tickets were sold this year compared to last year’s edition, but there are no current plans for further expansion in 2026.

Electric Picnic director Melvin Benn speaking to media on Sunday. He said headliners were already booked for two of the three nights of next year's festival. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

“I feel that we’re at the right level at this point in time [with 80,000] and I’d like to set it at 80 before I start thinking about it. 

"I want to make a few more changes in the campsites, because I introduced the bespoke campsites this year, and they’ve been well received by those people that are in them, and I think they’ll grow.”

Mr Benn also confirmed that ticket pricing would remain the same as it was for 2025’s edition.

Hozier headlined Electric Picnic for his second time on Friday night. 

He was full of praise for Kneecap’s performance on the main stage on Saturday. The Belfast trio personally thanked him in the middle of the set for the opportunity. He said he was surprised they made reference to him.

“I was a little surprised that they made a reference to me. Actually, I think it’s different in the UK, I spend time in their dressing room reading of the riot act about what they can and can’t say in England. 

"But of course, Ireland doesn’t have those restrictions. It’s wonderful.”

DJ Próvaí of Kneecap performing a blistering set on the main stage at Electric Picnic on Saturday. Picture: Larry Cummins

Mr Benn was speaking after another hugely successful weekend for Ireland’s biggest festival.

The festivities had gotten underway on Friday evening with a sensational showing on the main stage.

International pop icon Chappell Roan’s first appearance at EP saw it become an Electric Pink Pony Club, with 90 minutes of pure unadulterated bopping among the tens of thousands in the crowd.

That led to the arrival of Hozier, headlining the festival for the second time.

Hozier hit all the right notes hit all the right notes both in his performance and his comments on Gaza and Palestine, with a particular aim at the Irish Central Bank for their role in the sale of Israeli bonds.

There were huge domestic highlights across the entire weekend.

Robbie Cunningham of Amble who captivated the very many Electric Picnickers who had stuck around to see Amble after Kneecap's set. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

Saturday saw the main stage debut of the most talked-about band in 2025.

Kneecap’s rip-roaring hour-long set drew what was probably the biggest crowd of the entire weekend, many of whom stuck around for Amble afterwards, who kept the crowd captivated with their catalogue of hits.

The evening was capped off on an Irish side by festival mainstays The Coronas rattling through their repertoire, leaving the 10,000 fans that opted to choose them over main stage headliner Fatboy Slim in raptures.

Fatboy Slim had meant to be performing a surprise set on the Salty Dog stage, but it was postponed for safety reasons, with Mr Benn saying he was “disappointed” but noting that safety comes first.

Sunday surprises

Sunday saw a couple of surprises pulled from the magic hat of the organisers.

Going into the weekend, we already knew that Noel and Mike Hogan of the Cranberries would be teaming up with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra to perform their hits on the main stage.

David Gray also joined the Hogan brothers who delivered an incredibly powerful performance with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, seven years since the tragic death of Cranberries lead singer Dolores O’Riordan. Picture: Niall Carson/PA 

But an alert on Sunday morning gave campers a surprise when it was announced that Dermot Kennedy would be joining them.

It was an incredibly powerful performance from the brothers, coming eight years after the band’s final performance together and seven years since the tragic death of lead singer Dolores O’Riordan.

Then it was time for Kingfishr, who had the song of the summer in Killeagh, which was sang back to them by the thousands who had shown up for their main stage act.

English star Becky Hill and American rockers Kings Of Leon were scheduled to bring the curtain down on the weekend on the main stage on Sunday night.