Body & Soul pulls out of Electric Picnic after 16 years

They're also planning a new winter festival called ERIU for December 2020. 

If you've been to Electric Picnic at any point over the last 16 years, you'll know that the Body and Soul area is very much the focus point of the festival for many people.

Located in the middle of the arena, Body and Soul provides a place to chill out and watch some music in a relaxed setting.

The Body and Soul area even spawned its own festival, which has run at Ballinlough House for the last decade - and now, after 10 years as a standalone event, organisers have announced that they are ending their partnership with Electric Picnic.

Founder Avril Stanley released a statement as follows: "After 10 years as an independent festival, we have decided to step back from our presence and 16-year partnership with Electric Picnic so that we can refocus all of our attention to what the central idea behind Body&Soul is all about: creating an intimate and collaborative festival of the future.

"One that can embrace social change in a hugely positive way while celebrating an important and ancient Irish festival in our own unique, stand-alone style.

"We want to work towards bringing back a fresh energy and perspective to Body&Soul at the Summer Solstice Festival in Ballinlough and for our new winter festival ERIU (Decemeber 2020)."

The statement continues: "We are adding a new sense of purpose to our festival pillars of sustainability, wellbeing, creativity, culture and family and we hope to focus all of our efforts in bringing something different to the landscape of Irish festivals into the next ten years.

"The Body&Soul family celebrates all of the incredible and unforgettable moments in our first festival home and wishes the Electric Picnic every success in the future."

It is not yet known whether Electric Picnic will replace the Body & Soul area with a similar vibe.