A partygoing mum who goes to more raves than her 21-year-old daughter is always being mistaken for her sister. When Karolina Harper entered her forties, the mum-of-four gained a new lease of life and has proved you can still "rave and misbehave". She parties alongside her husband, Steve, 53, an engineering manager, and insists "you are never too old to have a good time."
The couple want to show age is just a number and hope to encourage others to go out and let their hair down - even if everyone on the dance floor is decades younger. The pair even made their whole family go on holiday to Ibiza for their daughter Laura's 18th birthday - much to her dismay.
Admittedly, their children - Jade, 25, Luke, 24 and Laura, now 21 - haven't inherited the party genes but Karolina hopes her youngest Kai, 15, will follow in their footsteps.
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Karolina, 40, a photographer, from Coleraine, Northern Ireland, said: "I hate the spa, get me in the rave. I love to rave and misbehave.
"My children just roll their eyes. I think they secretly like it."
Originally from Lodz, Poland, Karolina was a self-confessed party girl back in the day and worked as a dancer at a dance festival in Berlin, Germany, when she was 22.
She went to university at 19 and then fell pregnant and re-enrolled when her daughter was just one.
Now she is older she feels she is "in her prime" - also attending Creamfields this year alongside her partner in partying - husband Steve.
Despite often feeling like the eldest in the room, she encourages other older people to let go of their inhibitions.
"I don't have an issue going anywhere, I just laugh at the youngsters," she said. "They say 'oh you're hot' and I just laugh at them.
"We’re not too old to party middle-aged, it's all in your head. You get your freedom back in your forties."
Karolina's passion for partying reignited when she went on a hen do to Magaluf, Majorca, Spain, in 2018 - and she even has a tattoo dedicated to her favourite DJ Camelphat.
She was invited up onto the stage in Ushaia, Ibiza, when she explained to him she had attempted to see him four times in various locations but her plans kept falling through due to Covid and cancellations.
"It was absolutely amazing I said to him 'can I just say you're the best DJ in the world?" she said.
For her 40th birthday, she got DJ decks and has learnt how to mix herself.
"I honestly just go for the music and I think young people don't appreciate it in the same way," Karolina said.
"It's a shame when you go to events and all the youngsters are completely out of it."
This summer, the family went to Ibiza for a week, which saw the parents get home at 7am each morning after seeing six different DJs.
The mum-of-four admits her daughter was far too sensible to enjoy Ibiza for her 18th birthday and she stayed out later than her.
Laura admits her ideal trip would instead be a city break to Rome or Paris, not back-to-back raves like her mum.
"I’m getting younger as I’m getting older. I am 41 and I like the way I am, your life is a blink," Karolina said.
"I feel like I’ve got more energy, I feel fitter, and I criticise myself less. There is definitely an appetite for more over 30s club nights."
Her daughter, Laura added: "I love that my mum refuses to give up on her partying years.
"In fact she's refused to give up on mine too, seeing she does enough raving for us both. My mum manages to keep herself young and make me feel old all in one go. Everyone thinks we're sisters!"
You can keep up with Karolina's party lifestyle on Instagram @theharperswedding and TikTok @karolinaharper1.
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