Fourth birthday celebrations for the collective saw a section of Stuart Park converted into a mini-festival on Saturday, complete with a party-ready crowd sporting dyed t-shirts, wild hair, short-shorts, bohemian capes and boots.

The sold-out festival got underway at 2pm in a fenced off part of the park’s south-western side.

Carly Waddell and Alexandra Scott came from Dapto to see set favourites Bootleg Rascal, Lyall Moloney and headliners Sticky Fingers take the stage.

‘‘We don’t usually get these bands in Wollongong, we have to go to Sydney to see them,’’ Carly said.

The event also received strong reviews from Wollongong’s Mikaela Ackerman, who welcomed the chance to see one of the biggest line-ups of Australian bands to ever visit the city. 

‘‘This has never happened before in Wollongong, not a festival of this size,’’ she said.

‘‘It’s great that we’re not on a train in Sydney - we’re in our home town!’’ 

Crowds were still thin at The Owls’ 3pm set but started to pack in by late afternoon ahead of performances by High Tails, Hockey Dad, Safia, The Griswolds and Dune Rats. 

Wollongong’s Alex Morgan, 24, helped to get the dancing started.

‘‘The sun’s out, there’s beautiful music, beautiful people, we’re near the beach - what more could you want?’’ she said.

‘‘I go to a lot of festivals all over Australia and this is just so good.’’