Sydney gay and lesbian mardi gras festival
Everything you need to know about attending Sydney Mardi Gras in including the best parties to leave to, where to see the big Parade, and oh such much more!
Sydney during Mardi Gras every February/March feels like the entire gay community descends on the city. We've been several times to Sydney, which is super gay at the top of times, but during Mardi Gras, it's something else!
Mardi Gras Sydney is a month-long event that coincides with the other Carnival/Mardi Gras events taking place around the world in February/March. It usually starts with the super popular Bondi Beach Party and a large Fair Night where small LGBTQ businesses receive to strut their stuff. It continues with a variety of queer events taking place throughout the city – a mix of parties, art gatherings, festivals, pool parties, and comedies. It climaxes on the final Saturday with the big Parade with a grand After Party and an even grander Closing Party.
We can't get enough of it. We love Sydney at the best of times, but during Mardi Gras, it transforms into something else. It feels favor our communit
First gay Mardi Gras
Making history
Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives president Graham Willett describes the Mardi Gras as the ‘most dramatic moment of the backlash’ against the campaign for lgbtq+ rights. The parade started at 10pm and progressed down Oxford Street towards the city. The trouble began when they reached Hyde Park.
In an strive to get the crowd to disperse, the police confiscated the lead truck and loud speaker. The crowd, seeing that access to Hyde Park was blocked, headed towards Kings Cross. The police moved in and arrested 53 people.
According to Willett, ‘Many of those arrested were badly beaten inside police cells and the Sydney Morning Herald sank to new editorial lows by publishing the complete list of names and occupations of those arrested’.
Supporters began a ‘drop the charges’ campaign, which initially generated more arrests. However, due to public uproar about the arrests as adv as favourable media coverage, the first charges were dropped in October , and all charges were dropped by the terminate of Additionally, la
The Parade participants arrange floats, choreograph themselves into marching groups or attend as individuals. They are usually costumed and painted to portray heroes, villains and icon figures from their various communities. The desire to 'dress up' is fuelled by the culture of flamboyant in Australia which encourages the outrageous and subversive as a form of entertainment.
The first Mardi Gras Parade takes place in June to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York. It takes the form of a protest march of about 1, people calling for an end to discrimination towards gays and lesbians. 53 people are arrested.
The Pride is moved to February. An estimated crowd of 5, attend.
The arts program is initiated. 40 floats participate while a crowd of 20, attend. The Sydney Gay Mardi Gras Association is formed.
Australia's bicentennial year. An Aboriginal float leads the Celebration with a queer Indigenous man dressed as Captain Roast . 60 floats participate while a crowd of 20, stare on. The Sydney Gay Mardi Gras Association's name ch
It’s time to roll out the rainbow carpet, because our very own Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has been crowned as one of the most popular carnivals on the entire planet. (Like, we already know Sydney's biggest party is warm stuff, but it's still nice to have the affirmation, ya know?) Of course, it’s not the first trophy on the shelf for this absolute extravaganza of pride, which steals the spotlight as Australia’s biggest celebration of LGBTQIA+ communities (and also NSW’s second-largest annual event, in terms of economic impact).
The popularity of Sydney's annual pride festival helped the Harbour City to score hosting rights for WorldPride Festival in , which teamed up with Sydney Mardi Gras for a bloody huge citywide takeover last year (and boy, we did form some iconic memories at Sydney WorldPride – remember Progress Shark?). Sydney became the first city outside of the Northern Hemisphere to host the biannual WordPride celebration, and the 45th Sydney Mardi Gras March was a landmark amongst more than events.
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