Locals Call For Electric Picnic To Be Cancelled, As Govt Announce Funding For Country's Festivals

Tuesday, 15 June 2021 15:38

By Ciara Noble @niaracoble

File image: Electric Picnic Logo/Twitter

Event staged in Stradbally, Co. Laois

The government has announced €25 million in funding to help gigs and festivals to happen this year.

Electric Picnic, Body and Soul, Sea Sessions and PaircLife by Indiependence are among the festivals to receive funding.

'Electric Picnic' takes places annually, in Stradbally Co. Laois.

The festival was cancelled in 2020, due to the pandemic.

Organisers say it will go ahead from September 3rd to 5th.

However people living in the town want to see it cancelled again this year.

Councillor for Graiguecullen-Portarlington MD, Fianna Fáil's Paschal McEvoy spoke on this morning's 'Kildare Today', noting locals did not want the event to take place in 2021:

Sylvester Phelan, owns a store shop in the town, and says people are concerned about public health:

The government funding includes the holding of events at the Olympia, the Gaiety and Bord Gais theatres along with funding for a number of touring circuses.

The Live Performance Support Scheme aims to provide money for live events to take place even with reduced attendances.

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