Glitter-butts, disco vibes and vintage leotards: Inside the wild Yours & Owls music festival

Almost 20,000 festival revellers have descended to Wollongong, south of Sydney, for music festival that grew out of a hole-in-the-wall cafe. 

Dressed in glitter and vintage leotards, party-goers arrived at Stuart Park, North Wollongong, for the Yours and Owls music festival.

Locals from the beach-side city hail the festival as ‘Wollongong Christmas’. 

The October long-weekend festival will close on Sunday evening after kicking off on Saturday morning – allowing attendees to recover from the madness on Monday’s public holiday.    

Almost 20,000 festival revellers have descended to Wollongong, south of Sydney, for two-day music festival

One woman took the music festival's obsession with glitter to the next step by planting two blue sparkly hand prints on her butt cheeks

One woman took the music festival’s obsession with glitter to the next step by planting two blue sparkly hand prints on her butt cheeks

Party-goers arrived at Stuart Park, North Wollongong, for the Yours and Owls music festival

Party-goers arrived at Stuart Park, North Wollongong, for the Yours and Owls music festival

Spring fashion was on show with many young women matching their plaid pants and patterned skirts with tiny bikini tops

Spring fashion was on show with many young women matching their plaid pants and patterned skirts with tiny bikini tops

Visitors were able to enjoy performances from more than 48 music acts including prominent headliners Alison Wonderland, Peking Duk and Angus and Julia Stone

Visitors were able to enjoy performances from more than 48 music acts including prominent headliners Alison Wonderland, Peking Duk and Angus and Julia Stone

One woman wearing a shiny top poses for the camera while smoking a cigarette at the two-day festival

One woman wearing a shiny top poses for the camera while smoking a cigarette at the two-day festival

Visitors were able to enjoy performances from more than 48 music acts including prominent headliners Alison Wonderland, Peking Duk and Angus and Julia Stone. 

Spring fashion was on show with many young women matching their plaid pants and patterned skirts with tiny bikini tops.

Other music-lovers opted for era-based fashion including bright and bold 80s style leotards and legwarmers.   

One woman took the music festival’s obsession with glitter to the next step by planting two blue sparkly hand prints on her butt cheeks.  

A man who was busting to urinate was captured standing on top the festival provided portable toilets in hilarious video footage.

The man, who couldn’t wait to use the portaloos, was probably eager to head back to the stage for more music.

Two women hold hands while showing off their matching festival outfits -  simple black jeans and colourful puffer jackets 

Two women hold hands while showing off their matching festival outfits –  simple black jeans and colourful puffer jackets 

One festival-goer wears a daisy-bra with high-waisted blue jeans and love-heard sunglasses 

One festival-goer wears a daisy-bra with high-waisted blue jeans and love-heard sunglasses 

The two-day festival that is putting the south-coast city on the map kicked off on Saturday morning and will close on Sunday evening

The two-day festival that is putting the south-coast city on the map kicked off on Saturday morning and will close on Sunday evening

A man who was busting for the loo was captured standing on top the festival provided portable toilets in hilarious video footage

A man who was busting for the loo was captured standing on top the festival provided portable toilets in hilarious video footage

The up-and-coming festival increased capacity to almost 18,000 visitors this year after 14,000 people stepped through the gates in 2017

The up-and-coming festival increased capacity to almost 18,000 visitors this year after 14,000 people stepped through the gates in 2017

A young woman excitedly poses for the camera before she heads to the up-and-coming music festival

A young woman excitedly poses for the camera before she heads to the up-and-coming music festival

A young woman made the bold choice to wear green tights to match her pink vintage leotard and legwarmers 

A young woman made the bold choice to wear green tights to match her pink vintage leotard and legwarmers 

The up-and-coming festival increased capacity to almost 18,000 visitors this year after 14,000 people stepped through the gates in 2017.

The festival is run by trio of mates Ben Tillman, Adam Smith and Balunn Jones who also own their own record label.

The trio opened Yours and Owls cafe in Wollongong CBD as part of a business venture in 2010. They booked bands at the venue before eventually selling the business. 

This inspired the trio to continue working in the music industry and they began to book bands at the University of Wollongong.

In a bid to put the seaside town on the map, the trio eventually launched their first boutique festival in 2014, with only 2000 guests.

Within a few short years the festival has boomed in success and brought economic growth to the local community.

With pink glitter on her face, one woman took her outfit to the next level by matching it with pink fluffy shoes

With pink glitter on her face, one woman took her outfit to the next level by matching it with pink fluffy shoes

One woman opted for leopard print fashion, coordinating it with large hoop earring and chunky neck jewellery

One woman opted for leopard print fashion, coordinating it with large hoop earring and chunky neck jewellery

In photos posted to popular social media application Instagram, music-lovers coordinated their outfits for the event 

In photos posted to popular social media application Instagram, music-lovers coordinated their outfits for the event 

Wearing a red bikini top and orange skirt one festival-goer appears ecstatic to bask in the sunshine

Wearing a red bikini top and orange skirt one festival-goer appears ecstatic to bask in the sunshine

Some music-lovers opted for era-based fashion including bright and bold 80s style leotards and legwarmers

Some music-lovers opted for era-based fashion including bright and bold 80s style leotards and legwarmers

In a bid to put the seaside town on the map the trio who run the event launched the boutique festival in 2014, with only 2000 guests

In a bid to put the seaside town on the map the trio who run the event launched the boutique festival in 2014, with only 2000 guests

Within a few short years the festival has boomed in success and brought economic growth to the local community

Within a few short years the festival has boomed in success and brought economic growth to the local community

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk