Get excited because Illumi Run is returning to Australia this February and April to light up the night once again. This year’s event will launch in Melbourne, before returning to Brisbane, and concluding in Sydney.
The run is designed to be entertaining every step of the way as participants are splattered with neon paint and Illumi Glow Water, whilst rounding five glowing dance and entertainment zones with live music.
The run is not competitive or timed and participants are free to walk, run, or dance their way to the finish line at their own pace. When the course comes to an end, the fun continues with the Illumi After Party.
A lineup of DJs and dancers will keep all participants dancing and the crowd will be illuminated from paint cannons which will be synchronised with the DJ sets, shooting over 50 litres of illuminated paint at a time.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be launching ILLUMI RUN around Australia next year,” says Andrew Laing, General Manager of ILLUMI RUN. “We know it will be a great hit in 2016 as it is completely different to any ‘fun run’ offered before in Australia.”
It all sounds like a crazy amount of fun to us so we caught up with some of the folks behind the event: Andrew Laing and Courtney Tuckett to chat about how ILLUMI RUN came about and what’s in store for 2016.
What inspired the event?
We wanted an alternative to competitive fun runs – something that is accessible to everyone, whether you’re a fitness freak or you just want to get out and about with your mates. Adding live music along the course and at our After Party was a given, to amp up the entertainment factor. The glow paint, themed zones and merch takes it to the next level, making this the perfect Saturday night out. For $60 you get entry, a Swag Bag with ILLUMI RUN merch and sponsor gifts, on-course entertainment and the After Party.
What do you use to make it look so spectacular?
Our glow! ILLUMI runners get sprayed with our unique glow water along the course and at every zone. By the end, you are a glowing human rainbow. Then things get even bigger at the ILLUMI After Party – our paint cannons sync to the beats, spraying the crowd with over 50 litres of glow paint at a time.
Can you tell us about what sort of planning and organisation goes into an event like this?
It’s a year-round endeavour to ensure the best content, theming, artists and course to suit our audience. Our team are constantly looking for fresh talent and new ways of adding interactivity and entertainment to the course. Our partner program is also extensive – we survey our attendees to discover their top areas of interest, such as beauty, wellness and fashion, then nurture relationships with partners for mutual benefit. This means our attendees get exclusive deals, offers and product from our partners, which adds to the ILLUMI appeal.
Can you tell us a bit about the music? What makes it such an integral part of the event?
ILLUMI RUN is a party on the run, so the music is vital to that. We’ve signed Bombs Away, Social Hooliganz and Jesabel as our headliners across the three cities (Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney), and we sign local talent for our on-course DJs to add hype and fun to our glow zones. The music transports ILLUMI RUN from a typical fun run into a party – talent selection is vital. And our philosophy of choosing local artists is win: win – we provide a platform for emerging DJs to showcase their talent in their hometown, and in turn they bring new local audiences to ILLUMI RUN.
What sort of people sign up to be a part of ILLUMI RUN?
All ages, all types, male and female. Our core audience is 17-25 year olds, and we tend to attract more females than males (could be the tutus!). However, our appeal is broad, and we attract parents with their kids, social groups in their late 30s, and runners in their 40s and 50s too. Everyone over the age of 10 is welcome – it’s a family friendly event, and we just require that children under 12 are accompanied by an adult.
What the best experience you’ve had putting on this event?
The event itself! Our first event in Brisbane 2015 was a cracker – thousands of paint-splattered ILLUMI fans, full of joy, rocking it with their friends at the After Party. We can’t wait to bring ILLUMI RUN to the southern states – Melbourne is first on our Roadshow (27 February) and we’re amped to see our Victorian ILLUMI fans glow.
Illumi Run 2016
Saturday, 27th February 2016
Yarra Park, Melbourne
Saturday, 9th April 2016
Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane
Saturday, 23rd April 2016
Canterbury Park, Sydney
Tickets and info at Illumi Run website
