Up to 32,500 people are expected to attend the last music festival of the summer - the Electric Picnic - starting today in Stradbally Estate, Co Laois.
In its third year, Ireland's only "boutique festival" has been extended by a day to run until Sunday. A campsite, an inflatable church and the Leviathan Think Tank have also been added to the equation.
"It has the potential to be the best Electric Picnic yet," says organiser John Reynolds. "It's all camping, so there will be a greater sense of community and we've added plenty of new elements."
Over 200 acts will perform on seven stages over the three days. Massive Attack and Damian Rice headline tonight, while Groove Armada, the Pet Shop Boys and Basement Jaxx perform on Saturday and Sunday night.
Comedians Des Bishop and Jason Byrne top the bill at the International Comedy Club stage which will also host Australian Charlie Pickering and Doctor Cocacolamacdonalds, both fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Other highlights include theatrical entertainment in the form of the Lost Vagueness cabaret and parodies of modern life staged in the world's only licensed inflatable church. The silent disco, where music is pumped through wireless headphones, is also back.
Meanwhile, guest speakers at the Leviathan Think Tank tent will discuss topics ranging from punk gospel politics to rock 'n' roll legends. Author and broadcaster David McWilliams hosts two political cabarets on the legalisation of drugs and the music industry's decline.
The festival culminates in an attempt to break the world record for the world's biggest toast, organised by Amnesty International. About 15,000 people will raise a glass to freedom at the festival's main stage on Sunday night.
Friends of the Earth will also be present, inviting people to register their opposition to climate change and make a personal pledge to improve the environment on a life-size speech bubble. These will be photographed and used as part of a video installation to be shown at the UN climate change conference in Kenya this November.
The festival campsite opens from 9am today until midday on Monday. Scouting Ireland, the country's largest youth organisation, will run several "tent help" sites.
For €5 (which will go towards building the Lough Dan scout centre in Wicklow), a team of scouts will help pitch a tent and deal with any camping-related crises. They will also collect unwanted tents at the end of the weekend for recycling and send some to scout groups in Africa.
More luxurious alternatives to camping are also available. Prices start at €295 for a wooden Pod Pad which sleeps two, or can be used to store belongings. Other options include beach hunts, tepees and 11 handcrafted bohemian tents.
AA Roadwatch is warning of delays for the festival's duration on key routes approaching Stradbally. The N7 from Kildare and Dublin and from Limerick and Roscrea will be particularly slow, with heaviest congestion expected on the N8 northbound from Fermoy and Abbeyleix.
Bus Éireann is running a special return coach services from Galway and Dublin from 10am today until Monday morning.