Imagine a cross between an art gallery, a stage play and a rock concert and you’re on your way to imagining what Wellington’s waterfront is going to look like in July when it hosts Illuminate.
Having taken America by storm, Illuminate will be New Zealand’s introduction to this unique form of social event.
Revellers arrive dressed in white and enjoy the sounds of some of the country’s best live acts. Then at midnight paint is released to them in bottles to paint themselves and each other. UV lights add to the vibrancy as participants create living works of art. Such is the popularity of the concept that the 1500 tickets have already sold out weeks ago.
Wellingtonian Floyd Morgan investigated the paint party phenomenon happening in America which inspired him to bring the concept down home. The first one is being held in Wellington’s iconic Shed6, on 18 July 2009.
“It’s been extraordinary how quickly New Zealanders have gotten behind the event, both buying tickets and throwing their support behind it,” said Mr Morgan.
“With a top of the line laser show and sound system shipped in from Australia especially for Illuminate, it’s going to be a pretty special evening. We’ve also got some of New Zealand’s top musical artists performing including former Salmonella Dub front-man Tiki Taane and NZ’s #1 harddance live act High Dosage”.
Loosely based off Indian festival of colours, Holi, Illuminate plays off the tribal instincts within people to come together and be involved with something larger than ourselves.
Plans are underway to host Illuminate paint parties in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin and Hamilton this summer.
