Thousands of music fans prepare for Electric Picnic

Electric Picnic, Ireland's biggest music and arts festival, returns this weekend with thousands of music lovers getting ready to set up camp in County Laois.

With an increased capacity this year, organisers are expecting 75,000 people at the event which is taking place two weeks earlier than usual at Stradbally Hall Estate.

The festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary after starting in 2004 as a one-day event. It will feature more than 50 acts this weekend.

Organisers have announced that, this year, the main stage will be powered by renewable energy.

Whether you want to see Kylie or Faithless, Kasabian or Calvin Harris, the line-up includes something for everyone.

As well as headline acts from around the globe, there are plenty of Irish acts in the mix too with Dublin native Jazzy set to perform again.

Other Irish stars that will be performing include Lankum, Villagers, The Wolfe Tones and Kneecap, the latter fresh from the West Belfast premiere of their movie.

And if that is not enough, other acts include Tom Grennan, Nas, The Waterboys, CMAT, Bambie Thug, Jessie Murph and Sophie Ellis Bextor.

In addition to the four main arena stages, this year sees the return of TERMINUS – Freetown’s towering temple of Dance.

Up to 8,000 people can dance within a warehouse-like structure that has been created specifically for electronica and dance music acts.

Festival organisers say this year's set will feature the most extravagant lighting and sound rig ever at Electric Picnic.

Also returning this year is Anachronica, Electric Picnic's rave in the woods.

Anachronica is designed by The Inevitable Salvagers who create art installations that are designed to shock and are often built using scrap and recycled materials.

Featuring some of the biggest names in Irish and UK house, techno, garage and electronic music, the party there continues until the very early hours.

Electric Picnic is an over-18s event (with the exception of children aged 12 and under). Children aged 13-17 years old are not permitted to attend even when accompanied by an adult.

Children aged 12 and under do not need a ticket but they must be accompanied by a ticket-holding parent or guardian at all times.

Proof of age is required for everyone, including those under 12 otherwise tickets will be deemed void.

All bars, food traders and non-food traders on the festival site will be operating as cashless only so do not get caught out.

If you are carrying cash or anything valuable, be aware that lockers and storage boxes are available all weekend in the Jimi Hendrix campsite.

These are limited though so if you can, you might want to book your locker or storage box in advance.

If you are driving to the festival with your tent and supplies on board, make sure to plan your route in advance as there are road closures and diversions.

More details can be found on the Electric Picnic website.

Gardai (Irish police) are also advising drivers not to use sat-nav or GPS to get to the site. Instead they're advising drivers to use their specially-designed interactive map.

Parking is free and all car parks will be from 09:00 local time on Friday until 16:00 on Monday.

Portlaoise is the closest train station to the festival.

Once you are off the train, you can avail of the festival's shuttle bus service. It will run from Portlaoise train station to Stradbally Hall every day.

The first bus will leave at 07:30 and run every half hour until 22:30 on Friday and until 22:00 on both Saturday and Sunday.

A return service will run hourly from 10:00 on Friday until 04:00 (Saturday), from 09:00 Saturday until 04:00 (Sunday) and from 07:00 Sunday right through until 15:30 on Monday.

Festival-goers are in for a treat weather-wise. BBC News NI's Barra Best says the forecast is promising with plenty of dry conditions and sunny spells, creating a perfect backdrop for the musicians.

Temperatures are expected to hover around a pleasant 19°C - so pack your sunglasses and sun hats.