Dunedin Prepares to ‘Paint the Town Ed’

Dunedin is gearing up to host more than 60,000 visitors and 100,000 concert goers during Easter weekend as Ed Sheeran mania takes hold of the city.

Dunedin City Council, Enterprise Dunedin and Dunedin Venues Management Limited are ensuring Dunedin presents the best possible experience for both fans and residents attending the concerts.

Dunedin City Council, Enterprise Dunedin and Dunedin Venues Management Limited are ensuring Dunedin presents the best possible experience for both fans and residents attending the concerts.

A group of stakeholders and business leaders have been meeting for months to plan Dunedin’s response to the influx of visitors.

Enterprise Dunedin Director John Christie said the three concert dates represent a significant economic boost to the city’s local economy over Easter and are an opportunity to showcase Dunedin to tens of thousands of people.

“In addition to the economic boost through spending on accommodation, activities and shopping over Easter, these concerts have the potential to grow Dunedin’s reputation internationally as a fantastic place to visit and attend events,” John said.

“The team at Enterprise Dunedin have come up with some innovative ways to engage with concert goers and Ed Sheeran’s global fan base to showcase Dunedin to the world.”

Dunedin City Council Events Special Projects Coordinator Tammy Jackman said the group is working on some unique and distinctly Dunedin ways to ensure visitors have an amazing experience while here.
“We’re aiming to create a festive vibe through collaborations with local entertainers, artists, community groups and schools on a variety of entertainment which will be a focal point for fans and residents.”

This will include the 1100-strong Meo Ukulele Kids’ Jam, a paint by numbers community mural, lunchtime music by local bands, the Shape of Sound Live courtesy of the International Science Festival, Midwinter Carnival – Autumn Lights, and the Dunedin Youth Orchestra.

In keeping with Ed Sheeran’s belief in supporting emerging artists, the concert weekend activities will feature a number of up and coming local bands who are part of the Amped Music Project, including: Painted Blind, Do Speak Louder, Bark Like a Dog, Solid Merit. The project is a Dunedin-based youth mentoring platform to help young musicians gain valuable experience in the music industry. In addition, other young local performers Emily Rose Young, Children of Fate and Todd Gorinski will also feature in the programme of events.

To ensure the city can cater to visitors’ needs, retailers will have the option of opening on Easter Sunday and special licences have been issued to allow bars to open over the Easter weekend.
Enterprise Dunedin has launched a dedicated page on its website www.dunedinnz.com/ed providing information on transport, parking, accommodation, events and the stadium as well as competitions, social media activity, user-generated content and maps. Concert-goers will be able to share their Dunedin experience via social media using the #Paintthetowned hashtag.

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