‘I trashed a bedroom getting ready’: The shimmer and shine of Electric Avenue outfits

A bumper crowd brimming with colour and sparkles has descended on Hagley Park in Christchurch for the first day of the Electric Avenue music festival.

Split Enz leads a star studded line-up for Australasia’s biggest music festival this weekend.

Now in its 11th year, Electric Avenue has returned on an unprecedented scale, with 90,000 tickets sold to the $20 million two-day event.

“I love a festival so any chance to get dressed up I’ll do it,” Haley says. “I trashed a bedroom getting ready this morning there’s hair extensions everywhere”.

She’s most excited to see Dom Dolla and Pendulum. “I just love hanging out with everybody, meeting new people, it’s such a good vibe here.”

“This is just who I am as a person. Red, black dominating, you know how it is,” Angela says.

She says the pair are seasoned vets at Electric Ave, and have only missed about one over the years.

“So many good artists it’s going to be hard to get them all in.” The pair are most excited to see Becky Hill, Kesha, Split Enz, Pendulum, and Peking Duk.

“Really cheap to buy but very effective and bright and helpful for us to look out for each other with the pink hats,” Jaz says of their outfits.

“We have a doof stick coming which has got all our faces on it and lights for night time as well.”

Jaz says it was her and her husband’s 15th wedding anniversary today.

“I feel like it’s a really good vibe here, everyone’s quite chill. Even though there’s like 45,000 people it’s super good.”

Her crew are excited to see Pendulum, Dom Dolla, Kesha and The Streets.

“We’re all mums and wives so it’s a big girl’s trip for us, we’re pumped,” she says. She and her group are adorned in sparkly silver outfits.

“I just wanted to wear something like out the gate and sparkly and bridey so here we are,” she says.

Chloe got her outfit from The London EDITION on Instagram, and she’s most excited to see Sammy Virji perform.

Kerry and Ruth from Christchurch have been coming to Electric Avenue together for the last six years and love wearing matching outfits. They’re pumped to see The Streets. Becky Hill, and Dom Dolla.

“The crowns light up at night. We love bright colours, we love festivals we love dressing up it’s so fun. We all got the same outfit and here we are.”

This group have gone for a “cowgirl” theme for their outfits, which have come from SHEIN and Warehouse Stationary.

They’ve come from Dunedin and Christchurch and are excited to see as many artists as they can, but most of all Kesha.

Michelle says the bright yellow outfits came from op shops and Kmart. They can’t wait to see Sammy Virji, Dom Dolla, Becky Hill and Pendulum perform.

Mason has been to Electric Avenue five times now and is a “big fan of the vibe”.

Their colourful outfits came from Temu. He’s excited to see The Streets, Becky Hill and Dom Dolla.

“We’ve had a good trip down here, Christchurch has been great hospitality. It was cold this morning so I’m glad the sun’s out so I can bring the fun out.”