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Irish festival Electric Picnic promoter defends crowd safety
September1
Electric Picnic promoter Melvin Benn has defended the organisation and crowd safety procedures at the 80,000-capacity Irish festival following a crowd collapse at one of its smaller stages and a separate capacity issue at the Electric Arena.
The incidents took place during Electric Picnic at Stradbally Hall in County Laois, one of Ireland’s largest music and arts festivals, which has increased its overall attendance capacity by around 15% since 2023.
On Friday night, a crowd collapse occurred ahead of a scheduled performance by US DJ Armand van Helden at the Smirnoff stage. Festival-goers reported heavy congestion as large numbers of people attempted to enter and leave the area.
Benn, Managing Director of Festival Republic, said the festival responded immediately after identifying the incident.
“We stopped it immediately as soon as we could see a crowd collapse,” he said, adding that medics and security staff were already in the area and that Van Helden’s performance was prevented from starting.
Announcements were subsequently made through screens and the venue’s public-address system informing attendees that the performance had been cancelled.
Separate capacity issue at Electric Arena
A second crowd-management issue occurred on Saturday during a performance by UK DJ Duke Dumont at the Electric Arena.
The tent reached capacity, prompting organisers to send several notifications through the festival’s official app advising attendees not to approach the venue.
Large numbers of people gathered outside the tent, although reports from the area indicated that the crowd remained orderly.
Benn said the venue had been full but argued that the situation had been managed effectively and had not resulted in a safety incident.
Festival Republic defends safety planning
Asked whether the incidents suggested changes were needed to Electric Picnic’s crowd-management strategy, Benn defended the festival’s organisation and said he believed its procedures had worked effectively.
He also rejected suggestions that the festival necessarily needed larger venues for electronic and dance acts, despite strong demand for several DJs appearing at this year’s event.
The incidents nevertheless highlight the challenge facing large multi-stage festivals in predicting audience movements, particularly where individual artists attract crowds significantly larger than the capacity of the stages to which they are programmed.
The festival has expanded significantly over the past decade, with its licensed capacity rising to around 80,000. It is regarded as one of the key events in the Irish festival calendar and regularly attracts major international touring artists alongside Irish acts.
Electric Picnic is promoted by Festival Republic, one of the largest festival operators in the UK and Ireland.
Festival Republic is led by Melvin Benn and operates a portfolio that includes major events such as Reading & Leeds, Latitude and Wireless, alongside Electric Picnic. The company is controlled by Live Nation Entertainment, the global concert and ticketing group.
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