Wicker baskets, gingham tablecloths, cucumber sandwiches, and sparkling rosé - that's what I picture if I imagine a Pinterest-perfect picnic. And for a backdrop: lush green grass, non-stop sunshine, and not a care in the world.
But with kids, the reality tends to be something quite different - a functional backpack, some fairly standard cheese sandwiches, a rug that's past its sell-by date, and a packet of wipes. Oh, and teddies. All the teddies, because heaven forbid the teddies would miss out on the cheese sandwiches.
But there’s a different kind of picnic just over the horizon – Electric Picnic is back this September, with all the food, all the music, and not a limp cheese sandwich or teddy bear in sight. And thanks to Electric Ireland, the official energy partner of Electric Picnic, it’s all set to go completely 90s with the Electric Ireland Throwback Stage.
Do you remember getting out on the dancefloor to Keep On Movin’ and Everybody Get Up? Or letting your hair down to Reach and Don’t Stop Movin’? This September you can do it all again - 90s chart sensations 5ive and S Club Party have been announced as headliners of Electric Ireland’s Throwback Stage, bringing 90s nostalgia to Electric Picnic.
In further news, Jenny Berggren of Swedish band Ace of Base has just been added to the line up at the Electric Ireland Throwback Stage. Ace of Base, best known for All That She Wants and The Sign, sold 30 million albums during the 90s, and we can’t wait for Berggren to bring Europop hurtling into the 21st century.
And if you like your movies 90s flavoured (who doesn’t?) Electric Ireland’s Throwback Stage will be screening some old-school movies from the decade that brought us Police Academy, Clueless, and Dumb and Dumber.
If you’re bringing the kids, there are loads of family friendly activities too, all set to the backdrop of the best hits from the 90s – what better way to introduce your children to some real music? (Though admittedly, this is the era that brought us Barbie Girl and Cotton Eye Joe.)
There’s also a Dance-Off ring, so you can show everyone how it’s really done – can you still remember the moves to Whigfield’s Saturday Night and Los Del Rio’s Macarena? Get practicing!
So grab your wellies, your tent, and your 90s memories for a very different kind of picnic – cheese sandwiches and teddy bears optional.
