30,000 People To Descend On Laois For Forest Fest This Weekend

Friday, 21 July 2023 08:18

Almost 100 acts are set to perform on stage.

A huge three day music and family festival which will employ more than 400 staff locally gets underway in Laois today.

Forest Fest features almost 100 acts with 10 thousand people due to descend on Emo each night.

The event will host Sister Sledge, Suede, James, Gabrielle and Suzanne Vega to mention but a few.

Festival organiser Philip Meagher says everyone is very excited for the weekend ahead.

Gardaí have issued the following traffic advise:

General traffic advisory:
• No onsite parking will be available
• Motorists are directed to use the free Park and Ride on the R445 Old Dublin Road
• A shuttle bus service will be provided by Martleys of Portlaoise from several locations in Portlaoise and Portarlington to the event
• Camping equipment will also be transferred via the shuttle bus free of charge
• We will be on duty at key junctions to stop and redirect traffic where necessary
• No parking will be permitted on roadsides and cars that do so will be towed
• Private buses will be directed onto the R419 through Kennels Cross onto the R422 to a bus drop off area at Emo National School
• Campervans will be directed to the orange campervan parking facility via the R445 junction with the R422 at New Inn Cross (Finline Furniture)
• Pre-accredited accessible parking will be located at Emo Community Centre
• Caravan parking is located on the R419 - Patrons will walk t9o the event site via Killimy Estate
• The Drop Off and Collection site is located at the Park and Ride facility on the R445 Old Dublin Road
• Please note that there is no parking or drop off facility in Emo village
• Residents will be allowed local access with a pre-accredited residents pass
From 10:00am Friday morning until 1pm on Monday the following temporary road closures will be in place:
• R422 from junction R445 at New Inn Cross to its junction at R419 Kennels Cross
• L3154 from its junction with the R419 to its junction at the R422
• The R422 (Emo village) to Emo Court - visitors to Emo Court will be diverted to an alternative entrance.

Those travelling to Forest Fest, Emo Co. Laois:
• From Dublin use the M7 motorway and take Exit 15
• From Limerick/Cork use the M7/M8 motorway and take Exit 16
• From the Midlands (Tullamore) use the N80 to Mountmellick and take the R422 to Kennels Cross, Emo
• From the Southeast use N80 and divert to R445 Old Dublin Road.

Those not attending this weekend's festival but will be in the area are advised to use the following routes:
• From Monasterevin, Co. Kildare use the R445, M7
• From Portarlington use the R419
• From Mountmellick use the R422 and the R419
• From Portlaoise use the R445, M7

Finally, rain is forecast for the weekend and so Gardaí are encouraging all those attending to use public transport where possible and prepare for the weather conditions.