Ed Sheeran is set to perform three concerts at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand, Thursday night and Easter weekend – and the city has “Ed Sheeran mania.”
According to the East Anglican Daily Times, a mural of the singer has been painted on a wall in the city center, at a cost of nearly $6,000. The city has also renamed a passenger train the “Easter Ed Express,” and a local paper is selling Ed Sheeran-shaped gingerbread men.
In addition, the city council plans to allow bars and restaurants to serve alcohol to the thousands of fans descending on the city for the concerts, suspending a rule that restricts the sale of booze from being sold on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
A local supermarket has even created an “Aisle of Sheeran,” selling orange-colored products to match the singer’s hair.
Ed says he understands all the fuss, because he grew up in a small U.K. town called Halifax, where big stars rarely performed.
As for the mural, Ed said, “I had no say in the matter...I think the guy has done a really, really good job. It looks fantastic, and if it makes people happy then good.”