Superstar Kylie Minogue supports local Portlaoise business
Electric Picnic organisers have allegedly prioritised Portlaoise when buying supplies.
International superstar Kylie Minogue took to Electric Picnic's main stage on Sunday, and closed the festival with a bang.
During her stay in Laois, the singer requested fresh roses for her dressing room, which her team ordered from Portlaoise florist Yvonne Harte of All Occasions Florists.
Electric Picnic organisers allegedly prioritised Portlaoise businesses when purchasing such items.
"The festival had people to go out and buy requested items for the artists, and they prioritised local businesses and suppliers," Ms Harte said.
"One of the workers who came in to me told me that we should be very proud of Portlaoise, that the locals are so friendly and obliging. He said that everything they needed was sourced in Portlaoise."
Mrs Harte is a second generation owner of All Occasion Florists, and took over from her mother Mary Harte.
"The gentleman I spoke to mainly looked after last minute requests for dressing rooms," Ms Harte explained.
"It was nothing too fancy, just a regular order of roses," said Ms Harte.
Pictured: Kylie Minogue, who had fresh roses delivered to her dressing room from a Portlaoise florists.
The florists has been open for almost 50 years.
"We're a lot bigger than most florist shops. Rather than just cramped displays of flowers, we have the showroom where people can see different designs and settings."
The florists mainly does weddings, and has two floors, with a massive walk-in fridge for storing flowers on the premises.
"We import our flowers directly from Columbia, Ecuador and Holland. We get four to five deliveries a week from abroad, with al flowers fresh and ready to bloom," said Ms Harte.
"We've been established a long time, so we have a lot of regular clients. We see local kids growing up and emigrating abroad, they live all across the world so we could get orders from anywhere!" said Ms Harte.
There has been recent controversy surrounding the exclusion of local businesses from Electric Picnic, with local businessman David Walsh-Kimis of Ballykilcavan Farm and Brewery hitting out at Festival Republic.