Forest Fest, a boutique independent music and arts festival, returns to the village of Emo in Co Laois this weekend for its third year.
The event was established in 2022 by solicitor and indie-rock fan, Philip Meagher, when he envisaged a festival primarily targeted towards a more mature audience.
The three-day festival has several music stages, a funfair with rides for all ages, circus shows, workshops, various art installations and a host of street entertainers.
With about 20,000 people expected to attend the festival, a bit of planning can do no harm. Here is everything you need to know.
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When and where is it on?
The festival runs from Friday to Sunday in the village of Emo, Co Laois. Early entry for campers is available on Thursday.
Are there any tickets left?
At the time of writing, whole weekend, individual day admissions and camping tickets were still available. These can be purchased through the Forest Fest website. Buy tickets from accredited sources only and add yours to your phone’s wallet before you leave home to keep it handy.
Who is performing and when?
Festivalgoers are spoiled for choice with a variety of acts scheduled to perform over the weekend. Headliners for this year include Franz Ferdinand, Manic Street Preachers, Orbital and The Stranglers.
A host of Irish music acts are lined up across the other stages, including Pillow Queens, Ryan Sheridan, Dylan Flynn & The Dead Poets and Motionsickness. A number of tribute bands will feature too if you fancy a sing-a-long, with Live Forever Oasis, Qween, Daft Punk Tribute and The Complete Stone Roses all set to play.
Check out the full line-up below.
Friday, July 25th
Main Stage
- Something Happens – 5pm-6pm
- Tom Meighan – 6.40pm-7.40pm
- Franz Ferdinand – 8.20pm-9.50pm
- The Dandy Warhols – 10.30pm-11.30pm
- Live Forever Oasis – midnight-1am
The Village Stage
- Harvest – 5.30pm-6.30pm
- Cry Before Dawn – 7pm-8pm
- The 4 of Us – 8.30pm-9.30pm
- The Farm – 10pm-11pm
- Alabama 3 – 11.30pm-12.45am
- Daft Punk Tribute – 1am-2am
The Perfect Day Stage
- The Jury – 4.40pm-5.25pm
- Shark School – 5.45pm-6.30pm
- The Jobseekerz – 6.50pm-7.35pm
- Intercom Heights – 7.55pm-8.40pm
- Seattle Grunge Experience – 9pm-9.45pm
- The Luna Boys – 10.05pm-10.50pm
- Risky Business – 11.10pm-11.55pm
- The Deadlians – 12.15am-1am
- Thin As Lizzy – 01.15am-2am
Fleadh Stage
- Madra Salach – 4.20pm-5pm
- Meadhbh Hayes – 5.20pm-6pm
- Alltacht – 6.20pm-7.10pm
- CUA – 7.30pm-8.20pm
- Laura Jo – 8.40pm-9.30pm
- Moxie – 9.50pm-10.40pm
- Stocktons Wing – 11pm-midnight
Ibiza Stage
- Lauren (Saxophone) – 4pm-2am
- Danny Kay Ibiza – 4pm-5pm
- Alan Professor – 5pm-6pm
- Gee Moore – 6pm-8pm
- Terry Farley – 8pm-10pm
- X-EXPRESS-2 – 10pm-midnight
- Gee Moore – midnight-2am
Saturday, July 26th
Main Stage
- Thumper – 12.40pm-1.40pm
- Aoife Destruction & The Nilz – 2.20pm-2.50pm
- Therapy? – 3.20pm-4.20pm
- Peter Hook & The Light – 5pm-6pm
- The Stranglers – 6.40pm-7.40pm
- Kula Shaker – 8.20pm-9.20pm
- Manic Street Preachers – 10pm-11.30pm
- Orbital – 12.15am-1.45am
The Village Stage
- Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets – 12.15pm-1pm
- The Coathanger Solution – 1.20pm-2.05pm
- These Charming Men – 2.30pm-3.30pm
- Dirty Blonde – 4pm-5pm
- Coach Party – 5.30pm-6.30pm
- Pillow Queens – 7pm-8pm
- Kerbdog – 8.30pm-9.30pm
- Reef – 10pm-11pm
- Teenage Fanclub – 11.30pm-12.40am
- The Riptide Movement – 1am-2am
The Perfect Day Stage
- Houston Death Ray – 12.20pm-1.05pm
- Southern Freud – 1.25pm-2.10pm
- The Magic Mod – 2.30pm-3pm
- Kiera Dignam – 3.20pm-4.05pm
- Dopamine – 4.25pm-5.05pm
- Fake Friends – 5.25pm-6.05pm
- The Classic Beatles – 6.25pm-7.25pm
- Apollo Junction – 7.45pm-8.25pm
- The Manatees – 8.45pm-9.30pm
- Dutch Criminal Record – 9.50pm-10.35pm
- Post-Party – 10.55pm-11.40pm
- Walk The Line – midnight-1.30am
Fleadh Stage
- Music Generation Laois Trad Orchestra – noon-12.45pm
- Chris Comhaill – 1.15pm-2pm
- Cormac Looby – 2.15pm-3pm
- The Oars – 3.15pm-4pm
- Kevin Coniff and The Dublin Trio – 4.15pm-5pm
- Buille – 5.15pm-6pm
- Eric De Buitléir – 6.15pm-7pm
- Mary Coughlan – 7.30pm-8.30pm
- The Sharon Shannon Trio – 9pm-10pm
- Beoga – 10.30pm-11.30pm
- KAN – midnight-1am
VIP Stage
- The Magic Mud – 7pm-7.30pm
- The Legendary Drama Kings – 7.45pm-8.30pm
Ibiza Stage
- Lauren (Saxophone) – noon-2am
- David H (Percussion) – noon-2am
- Danny Kay Ibiza – noon-1pm
- Nick Coles (Live Keys Hybrid Set) – 1pm-2pm
- Alan Prosser (12 Inch Thumpers) – 2pm-3pm
- Gee Moore – 3pm-5pm
- Mr C – 5pm-7pm
- Gee Moore – 7pm-9pm
- Jam El Mar (Jar and Spoon Classics) – 9pm-11pm
- DJ Pippi – 11pm-1am
- Gee Moore – 1am-2am
Sunday, July 27th
Main Stage
- Rattle and Hum – noon-1pm
- Nick Lowe – 1.30pm-2.30pm
- Bad Manners – 3.10pm-4.10pm
- Jack L – 4.50pm-5.50pm
- Tony Hadley – 6.30pm-7.50pm
- Travis – 8.30pm-10pm
- Qween – 11pm-midnight
The Village Stage
- Ryan Sheridan – 12.15pm-1.05pm
- Paddy Casey – 1.35pm-2.25pm
- B–ngo Loco – 2.55pm-4.25pm
- Andrew Strong – 4.55pm-5.45pm
- Robert Finley – 6.15pm-7.15pm
- Hermitage Green – 7.45pm-8.45pm
- Billy Bragg – 9.15pm-10.30pm
- The Magic Numbers – 11pm-midnight
The Perfect Day Stage
- MOA – 12.15pm-12.45pm
- Fizzy Orange – 1.05pm-1.45pm
- Thanks Mom – 2.05pm-2.45pm
- Strength in Numbers – 3.05pm-3.45pm
- Basht – 4.05pm-4.45pm
- Glasshouse Performs: The Velvet Underground – 5.05pm-5.50pm
- The Youth Play – 6.10pm-6.55pm
- Motionsickness – 7.15pm-8pm
- Pogueology – 8.20pm-9.05pm
- Grooveline – 9.25pm-10.10pm
- Sack – 10.30pm-11.20pm
- The Drive – 11.40pm-12.20am
Fleadh Stage
- Set Dancing W Maureen Culleton & Irish Dancing from Scoil Rince Ni Anglais – noon-12.40pm
- Eva Coyle and Band – 1pm-2pm
- Sean Lyons and Eva Carroll – 2.30pm-3.15pm
- Frankie Gavin and De Dannan – 3.45pm-4.45pm
- Buioch – 5pm-5.45pm
- Niall McCabe – 6pm-7pm
- Freddie White – 7.30pm-8.30pm
- Hunger of the Skin: Brian Finnegan – 9pm-10pm
- The Complete Stone Roses – 10.20pm-11.30pm
Ibiza Stage
- David H (Percussion) – noon-midnight
- Danny Kay Ibiza – noon-1pm
- Alan Prosser (12 Inch Thumpers) – 1pm-3pm
- DJ Sean – 3pm-3.40pm
- Nick Coles (Live Keys Hybrid Set) – 3.40pm-4.40pm
- Lange and The Morrighan – 4.40pm-6pm
- Gee Moore – 6pm-7pm
- Mr C (The Shamen) DJ Set and Live PA with David H – 7pm-10pm
- Gee Moore – 10pm-midnight
What else is there to see and do?
Apart from live music, Forest Fest has a variety of experiences on offer. Festivalgoers will have access to a drop-in circus workshop for children, a replica archeological dig site, food vendors offering cuisines from around the world, stands selling crafted goods and other items and shows by street performers. There will also be art installations from global artists.
What time should I arrive?
Early access for those camping and glamping will open on Thursday at 2pm. General camping opens at noon on Friday. For Friday day ticket holders the gates will open at 4pm. For Saturday and Sunday ticket holders the gates will open at noon. The festival arena will remain open until 1am each night.
How do I get there?
As with many festivals held in remote rural locations, it takes some planning to get there.
By bus:
Day return buses to Forest Fest will run from Dublin, Tullamore (via Geashill), Mountmellick/Portarlington, Kilkenny (via Carlow, Athy and Stradbally), Portlaoise and Cashel (via Horse and Jockey, Thurles, Urlingford, Cullahill, Durrow, Abbeyleix). You can buy a ticket on any of these day return buses from Forest Fest’s website.
By car:
Forest Fest is easily accessible by car as it is only 5km away from the M7. Take Exit 15 and then follow signs for Emo and Mountmellick.
There will be a free car park for all patrons of the festival. The walk from the car park to the venue is approximately 15-20 minutes. The organisers have said that there will be a shuttle bus from the car park to the venue available for patrons with mobility or accessibility needs.
By train:
There are regular hourly train services to Portlaoise and Portarlington railway stations and the festival will be served by local taxi and shuttle bus services.
What if I’m camping?
Unlike other festivals there does not seem to be an option to rent or buy your camping gear for the weekend, so it is best to come prepared. If you fancy paying more for accommodation you can book to glamp instead of camp and sleep in one of their pre-pitched tents. You can book them here.
Toilets are dotted around the festival grounds and the campsite has a number of hot shower blocks. There will also be a designated concrete cooking area at the top of the campsite. This is the only area where stoves are permitted and the festival has a total ban on disposable barbecues.
There will be a regular shuttle bus service for all campers to and from the campsite to the festival gate and all general amenities.
What’s security like?
Forest Fest is open to people of all ages and all bags, cars and items are subject to search upon entry.
There will be 24/7 security at the festival arena and campsite.
Strictly no liquids are allowed into the festival arena, alcohol and other liquids will be confiscated or disposed of at the gate.
The organisers have a list online of all items that will be confiscated if found and have said that gardaí will be notified about any illegal items and you may be removed from the festival as a result.
Anything else?
There will be spaces available to store medications which require refrigeration and there will also be free drinking water available on site, so make sure to bring a reusable bottle
There will be phone charging points around the festival site and in the Glamping and VIP areas.
How is the weather looking?
It is forecast to be a cloudy start to Friday with scattered showers. As the day goes on these showers are expected to become more isolated with sunny spells developing. Highest temperatures of 16-20 degrees with moderate, occasionally fresh, westerly winds. There will be a good deal of dry weather on Saturday with sunny spells and showers. There is a chance of more persistent rain on Sunday, Met Éireann has said.
