Sweet dreams are made of this
Festival-goers piled into Mount Maunganui’s Trustpower Baypark yesterday for Bay Dreams 2019 — New Zealand’s biggest music festival.
More than 30,000 people were expected at the event.
Early arrivals were quick to start dancing around, smiling and happy.
“I’m so excited to be here,” Natasha Burton said of her first festival.
Ladi6 was an early act and a welcome performance for the hordes filtering through the gates. Glitter, underwear and matching outfits were everywhere.
Nina Mirfin and Jack Gothard arrived in Tauranga from Warkworth two days earlier for their first Bay Dreams festival.
Mirfin said it was because it’s the “best lineup I’ve ever seen”.
Katchafire drew a large crowd after Ladi6, with many enjoying the sunshine and reggae vibes.
Saxon Moore, 23, who also attended the pre-party said she was keen to watch Sticky, Cardi B and Peking Duck.
Some festival-goers found heavy traffic backed up, but moving, on State Highway 29A approaching the stadium.
Earlier, American rapper Joey Bada$$ shared on social media one of his first Mount Maunganui experiences — a skydive. The musician posted photos on his Instagram page on January 1 with the caption “JUMPED INTO 2019 LIKE . . . HAPPY NEW YEAR”, tagging Mount Maunganui as his location.
International superstar Cardi B was one of the headliners after performing in Perth and Sydney.
The female rapper, one of the biggest names in music today, has been a significant Bay Dreams drawcard.
Heston Taylor, 21, said he couldn’t wait to “party with Cardi”.
For Chanelle McLeod and Lindi De Klerk, it was their first experience of the Bay Dreams festival.
De Klerk’s number one on the lineup was Australian singer-songwriter Tash Sultana “because she’s super talented and I’ve never seen her”.