Little Picnic returns to the Stradbally Estate for Electric Picnic, transforming the walled garden and back lawn into a dedicated family zone. Running Friday from 2 pm to 7 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm, the space offers children’s discos, VEX Robotics, slime labs, and traditional Irish storytelling, accessible via Family Camping wristbands or dedicated Little Picnic passes.
Engineering Curiosity Through STEAM and Robotics
STEAM Academy introduces attendees to robotics. Children interact directly with VEX Robotics hardware, gaining exposure to piloting robots.
Mark “the Science Guy” Langtry and Planet Science Kidz execute live demonstrations focusing on polymer manipulation via dedicated Slime Labs.
By grounding the weekend in hands-on tinkering—ranging from Lino printing and tie-dye garment customization with Lollipop Apparel to recycled instrument building—the event prioritizes iterative creation over consumption. Younger children engage with spatial awareness through structured classes hosted by the Ruth Shine School of Dance and Baby Boppers & Rhythm Rascals.
Cultural Heritage and Performing Arts Infrastructure
Beyond the hardware and laboratory benches, the venue integrates traditional Irish narrative structures and live performance. Seanchaí Niall de Búrca and author Niamh Donnellan (Little Irish History Heroes) translate historical figures such as Fionn Mac Cumhaill, Grace O’Malley, and Brian Boru into rhyming adventures.
DJ Will Softly, alongside the brother duo Hype Man Jackson and Calum Kieran, drives multigenerational dance sessions inside the tent. Brass instrumentation takes physical form through the Ballymore-Eustace Concert Band, introducing younger audiences to brass instruments. Traditional Irish music receives further representation from Sons of Éire, alongside dedicated sessions featuring fiddles, flutes, and bodhráns.
The Gaiety School of Acting deploys a specialized interactive production titled ‘Quentin Queries Treasure Quest,’ blending dramatic performance with environmental puzzle-solving. Meanwhile, Fighting Words facilitates free creative writing workshops, providing prompts designed to turn abstract imagination into structured prose.
Accessibility, Logistics, and Spatial Layout
The Stradbally Estate walled garden serves as a controlled perimeter. Access is governed by Family Camping wristbands, though dedicated Little Picnic wristbands are distributed onsite.
All Abilities Ireland coordinates specialized sensory play sessions, ensuring that children can process the festival environment safely. Physical wellbeing is balanced through dedicated Kids Yoga sessions, promoting motor control, spatial mindfulness, and controlled breathing exercises amidst the sensory-heavy festival grounds.
It gives families a structured operational window before the return to the standard academic term.
