Tag: mardi gras

Where to watch Sydney Mardi Gras’ new Pride route for 2023

Mardi Gras Parade men topless in speedos

With a new route that still wind sup out front of the party to end all parties, the Mardi Gras after party at Hordern Pavillion where you’ll see Agnes, Sugababes, Kitty Glitter and plenty more acts, it’s time to start getting excited. On Saturday 25 February 2023, the world-renowned Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade returns home to Oxford Street in celebration of the 45th anniversary of the first Mardi Gras march. This iconic event unites individuals across the LGBTQIA+ communities to showcase their pride, advocate for equal rights and express their passion. As the centrepiece of the epic Sydney WorldPride Festival, all eyes will be focused on 12,500 marchers as over 200 floats grace Oxford Street for the first time since 2020. Expect to see all of your Parade favourites, with First Nations, 78ers and the legendary rumble of the Dykes on Bikes leading the Parade as well as the quintessentially Australian Lifesavers With Pride and the many colourful, political, satirical and outlandish floats that has made the Parade famous over the last four decades. This year’s Festival theme, “Gather, Dream, Amplify,” comes to life as bigger floats adorn the entirely revamped route. With lighting and firework shows elevating the spectacle of the Parade, from Hyde Park to Moore Park, including a new Parade route milestone Drivers Triangle located by recently-announced Viewing Area Ruby Road. For more about Mardi Gras in Sydney 2023, head to the website and plan your night!

Sydney Mardi Gras in April: keep the festivities going with 3 more events

Pool gay men Mardi Gras

The parade grounds might have settled down and the biodegradable glitter may have been washed away, but you’d best believe the queer energy that’s born every year from Mardi Gras lives on! With a few more wrap-up events still to go, that celebrate LGBTIQA+ freedom and equality in all its colours, the time’s come to turn to the ticket counters and get outfit planning for how you’ll see-out yet another successful Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Here’s what’s on… KAFTANA POOL PARTY Saturday 2 April 2022, 12-8pm. ivy PoolSteam your muumuus and dust off your chunky costume jewelry, Kaftana Partyis back. The iconic ivy Pool will be transformed into the ultimate retro daydream for this poolside afternoon of extravagant fabulousness. Sit back, sip on a Pink Lady, and celebrate with a camp smorgasbord of DJs including Queen Shirene, Kate Monroe, KILIMI and Division 4. As well as special performances from the likes of Drag legend Joyce Maynge, Burlesque wonder Mama Medusa and genderf*ck drag artist Peach Fuzz. Tickets: Second release $60More info: www.mardigras.org.au/events/kaftana-pool-party SISSY BALL Sunday 3 April 2022, 6-11pm. Sydney Town HallJoin the fierce icons and rising stars of the Australian ballroom scene and soak in the essence of queer culture, art and expression at Sissy Ball. This glam throw down is upping the ante, making its grand debut at the opulent Sydney Town Hall – a venue truly fit for all kweens! Curated by House of Slé godmother Kilia Pahulu;style, precision and a whole lot of sass will collide on the runway as contestants battle it out in a number of categories including… Read More

Where to stay in Sydney for Mardi Gras this March

Rooftop pool day time 2

Before we start, good luck. There are literally movements of people who book years ahead, BUT, it’s worth knowing where the competition’s at in case you’re in the booking mood of planning for the annual Sydney Mardi Gras in 2023. The Pullman Hotel sits at the base of Oxford Street at what in pandemic times, used to be the ‘holding pen’ – for lack of a better term – for all the colours of the rainbow before they’d take to their choreographed marches along the now renowned route. Things are different in 2022 thanks to the pandemic and the parade will be in a loop around the Sydney Cricket Ground, BUT, when it comes to sorting out where to stay, an overnighter at the Pullman might be just what you need for stumbling in super late after it. Or early. The hotel has on offer a Mardi Gras package, offering for $285 accommodation, breakfast and parking. Ideal for those sore-headed Sunday and Monday mornings before the next party. For more, head to the Pullman Hyde Park website.

The gayest roast you’ll eat this Mardi Gras

Roast gay lgbtiq drag queens

Believe it, or not; this isn’t a euphemism. This annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras we’ll celebrate it all with The Roast, subverting the traditional Sunday family meal, with an afternoon celebration of queer food, drink, comedy and theatre from The University of Sydney’s The Refectory with your chosen crew. Happening at the Refectory in Camperdown, the Roast include a four-course banquet curated by award-winning chef, Anna Polyviou, post-Mardi Gras cocktails from Absolut, and the talents of Sydney-based Mangarai First Nations queen Tyra Bankstown and QTBIPOC collective House of Silky. Meanwhile, music will be handled by Paul Mac and Johnny Seymour of Stereogamous,Timothy & The Heart Strings and hosted by Sharon Manhatten.  Limited tickets for the event on 76 March are available now via Humanitix. All ticket sales go to supporting ACON, Australia’s largest HIV and sexuality and gender diverse health organisation.

Fair Day kicks off the Mardi Gras Festival 2022 and it was glorious!

Fair Day Mardi Gras 2022

The biggest and most colourful event of the opening weekend of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2022, Fair Day, returned to Victoria Park today with a full day of entertainment and picnicking in the sun. Thousands of smiling faces gathered in the park to celebrate not only the beginning of Mardi Gras, but also the power and beauty of diversity. Check out the full Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2022 program here.

Easiest way to get to the Sydney Mardi Gras from these 6 cities

Mardi Gras parade Sydney THE F 2

You anywhere but Sydney and planning to go to Mardi Gras? Worry not; Sydney might be far, but it’s still connected. Here’s how with Cathay… New York: The origin of the historic 1969 Stonewall Riots, New York kicked off Pride marches and celebrations the world enjoys today. Visitors can be enriched by the historic gay liberation movements ignited in this city, as well as take part in the bustle of its June Pride events. From unique drag nights to inclusive street markets New York has something for everyone. London: Entering its 51st year, London Pride is one of UK’s biggest celebrations with a vast array of events including world famous cultural and political art scene, culminating in the Pride Parade on the 27 of June. Tel Aviv: Celebrate at the Middle East’s biggest Pride festival and take to the streets with more than 250,000 Pride attendees. With an abundance of inclusive activities, join the party and cheers to acceptance and inclusion during a week-long Pride festival. Amsterdam: Looking for a unique parade experience? Look no further than Amsterdam. Leaving the streets and hitting the water this city’s Canal Pride Parade is something no pride lover can miss. With parade watcher’s filing the edges of canals, be amazed by the literal floats. Taipei: Making history in 2019 as the first Asian nation to legalise marriage equality, Taiwan is now making its mark on the world LGBTQI+ scene. Hosted in October, Taiwan Pride attracts tens of thousands of visitors to the capital city, Taipei. San Francisco: One of the best represented LGBTQI+ communities… Read More

Time to limber up, bitches: Sissy Ball is dipping into Enmore this Sydney Mardi Gras

VogueBall website

Category is: Whatever you fucking want! Back, more bold and fierce than ever, Australia’s pre-eminent vogue ball, Sissy Ball is returning for the 2020 Sydney Mardi Gras. It came, it saw, it served cunt; and this year’s she’s back again, 22 Feb at Enmore Theatre. The Sissy Ball’s all about self-expression, identity, fluidity and finesse and this year’s event is set to showcase the Asia Pacific’s ballroom scene featuring legendary house battles, live music, DJs and phenomenal performing artists. Houses and individual entrants will vogue off for the chance to win Sissy Ball’s seven coveted category titles. On the local front, competing houses include House of Slé, led by house mother Bhenji Ra. Slé’s members include Western Sydney-based artists with cultural and urban skill sets, all belonging to the greater Asia Pacific diaspora. They walk alongside House of Silky, one of Oceania’s leading kiki vogue houses, Melbourne’s original House of Dévine, House of IMAN, headed by house mother Jaycee Baybee, as well as New Zealand based House AITU, plus up-and-coming stars of the local ballroom scene. Categories and more to be announced soon – keep an eye out! Get in quick, third release tickets are on sale now and selling fast!

The 2020 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras theme and program has been revealed and it’s magical

Mardi Gras 2020

What Matters has been revealed as the theme for the 2020 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and it promises to be bigger and bolder than ever.  The theme builds on the legacy of Mardi Gras – a platform for activism, encouraging the community to think about creating a more inclusive future.  “This year we celebrate those at the forefront of the fight for equality. From ground-breaking queer artists to trailblazing thought leaders, Mardi Gras 2020 is an opportunity to visit the next destinations on our journey of diversity, inclusion and social justice,” says Mardi Gras Arts Interim CEO, Grant Lowe.  Mark it on your calendars! Friday 14 February 2020 is when the festivities kick off, with a diverse program of events running until Sunday 1 March 2020. They’ll be dazzling dance parties, top-tier theatre, music, world-class workshops and family-focused fun, with the iconic Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade taking place on Saturday 29 February, 2020. The post-Mardi Gras Parade celebrations will continue with the iconic Mardi Gras Party happening at the Hordern Pavilion with the electrifying Dua Lipa headlining. The pavillion and its surrounding areas will be transformed into a brand-new adult playland with the party starting at 11pm – 8am. Fourth release tickets are on sale now.  There’s a supersized program on offer including the pre-eminent vogue ball, Sissy Ball and iconic festival classics such as Fair Day and Laneway, the traditional closing event of Mardi Gras. There’s no shortage of thought-provoking workshops and community events, with Queer Thinking taking over… Read More

Keep Mardi Gras going: A new type of anal play with Aneros

Man abs

The glitter has settled – even though the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras didn’t endorse its use this year – guests have gone home and international visitors have boarded their planes, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the party stops. And much like the Sydney Mardi Gras, which is one of the most socially accepting and creative events in the world on any calendar year that isn’t just for gay men and women, neither is what they practise outside of the public’s eye. Aneros knows this all too well. They’re one of the favourite producers and brand keepers of anal pleasure for men and women, to be honest, producing some of the finest tools on the market to get all kinds of jobs done. They’re the leaders in the world of men’s prostate massagers and have just launched a new one for their bands of customers, the Helix Syn Trident, which they say is the most advanced product of its kind on the market. It’s the second iteration of the first Helix Syn massager, which was all about ergonomics and health, as it provided relief from prostate complications and preventative measures for erectile dysfunction (ED). It was made with a lot of qualities, like a specially balanced body that provided a greater range of motion, increased responsiveness, and more focused internal stimulation. The latest version though, produces a spring-like action with a unique “cradling” sensation, for more external stimulation, with greater stability. This new arm configuration is more form-fitting, making the Helix Syn Trident comfortable for… Read More

And you thought you nailed choreography? Sydney Dance Company has a Mardi Gras float

Sydney Dance Company Mardi Gras parade 1

OK, so, if you’ve ever seen the Sydney Dance Company dancers on stage, then you know what you’re in for. Prepare to pack up your dancing shoes, rip apart your pom-poms and go home if you’re in this year’s parade, because shit is about to get turned up. The world renowned dance troupe is, for the first time ever, making its debut in the 2019 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade down Oxford Street in front of millions. In honour of the Company’s 50th anniversary in 2019, the Sydney Dance Company’s choreography features a high energy, tightly rehearsed dance routine with 80 members of Sydney Dance Company’s community, led by dance class manager Ramon Doringo. If you need a taste of the kind of magic that awaits, have a look at what they did at their most recent presentation. Ramon will lead the synchronised marching troupe from the back of a golden Sydney Dance Company Studio float, complete with ballet bar, mirrors and performing drag queens. Doesn’t matter if you’re gay, or just love the energy of the LGBTIQ festival and show of pride, missing the dance rendition from the Sydney Dance Company along the full parade track is more of a sin than the life we’re all living. So get trackside! See what’s on at this year’s Sydney Mardi Gras at their program.