The annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras went off with a bang in 2022, taking over – yet again – the Sydney Cricket Ground in lieu of its usual Oxford Street route due to the pandemic. But despite news of war, bad weather and general average news around the world, the crowd gathered in celebration and love for one and all, shining a light on diversity, inclusion and equality regardless of who you are and who you love. Here are some highlights from the evening.
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.
Mardi Gras is when Sydney comes alive. More alive. And the city’s crawling with the LGBTIQA+ from around the country (maybe the world this year, too, but let’s see). And no place comes quite as alive as those in Surry Hills, namely, The Winery on Crown Street. With a long history of queer activities and entertainment on offer, The Winery is back at it again with a post-pandemic spread of gayness that you simply need to be at. And here’s what’s on… Camp Cocktail Menu Available from 18 February – 9 March, The Winery ‘Camp Cocktail Menu’ is full of 13 bright, colourful,deliciously fruity cocktails with just the right amount of pizzazz to get the party started. Think ‘Pash Me’with vanilla, rum, passionfruit and whites or the ‘That Peach Though’ jug with peach, vodka, citrus andprosecco. Full menu here Big Gay Brunch Every Weekend (Saturday and Sundays) from Saturday 19 February – Sunday 6 March11:30am, 2:00pm, 4:30pm | $79pp Every weekend The Winery will bring the hottest new brunch in town – Big Gay Brunch – hosted bySydney Drag Royalty. Guests can enjoy three fabulous courses and two hours of bottomless drinks.An epic rotation of Queens will host the festivities including Carmen Geddit, Charisma Bella, MynxMascato, Jacqui St Hyde, Danni Issues, Fairah, Raquel, June Richards and Tina Bikki. Book here Drag Bingo Monday 21 February, 7pm | Free Hosted by Carmen Geddit, get ready for fabulous rounds of Bingo and prepare for a night of fun, laughterand prizes. Mardi Gras Singles Party Tuesday 22 February,… Read More
Because life, Mardi Gras this year will be different. In response to the pandemic and to ensure they’re providing safe spaces for the community to come together, this year’s Mardi Gras festival will look different than it has in the past. Here are four new events to look forward to: LAUGH OUT PROUDFriday 26 February, 2021Enmore TheatreAfter a sold out inaugural event in February 2020, Mardi Gras’ comedy gala is back for a night of belly laughs with Australia’s best and brightest LGBTQI+ comedians. Featuring a stellar line-up of hilarious queer stand-up talent, Laugh Out Proud is Mardi Gras’ comedy event of the year! Hosted by the award-winning Nath Valvo, Laugh Out Proud has loads of comedic talent for one incredible night only – including: Geraldine Hickey, Mel Buttle, Thomas Jaspers, Rosie Piper, Margot Tanjutco, Selina Jenkins, Jake Howie and Jay Wymarra. MY TRANS STORYFriday 26 February, 2021NSW Teachers Federation AuditoriumAt a time when the trans experience is becoming more visible we still rarely see stories by trans and gender diverse people on a screen, in theatres, a bookshelf or in popular culture and when we do, they focus on coming out and surgery or discrimination and hate crimes. From the personal to the political My Trans Story features proud trans and gender diverse storytellers from Sydney and beyond, including Tea Uglow, Andrew Guy plus more to be announced, celebrating their complex, sometimes funny, often fearless, always fierce histories. MY DRAG STORYSaturday 27 February 2021NSW Teachers Federation AuditoriumWith Priscilla, Queen of the Desert stamped on our national identity and Drag Race sashaying across screens there’s no doubt Drag has sunk its six-inch heels into the mainstream. From… Read More
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
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!
It’s almost time for the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and that means one thing: It’s about to get gay. Legendary singer Sam Smith has just been announced as the headliner for the globally renowned after party at Hordern Pavillion! Sam, who now goes by they, has a performance on the main stage, tantalising the more often than not, repeat crowds, who are used to such major fellow headliners as Kylie, the Veronicas and Cher! And if you don’t know them (shame on you), Sam Smith has established themselves as one of the world’s most soulful voices and has topped the charts worldwide with hits including: “Money on My Mind”, “Stay With Me”, “Writings on the Wall”, “Too Good at Goodbyes” and 2018 dancefloor anthem “Promises” (with Calvin Harris). Don’t miss out on an unforgettable night, final release tickets are on sale now and selling fast! To book, go to www.mardigras.org.au.
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.
When you’re living in as sun-soaked a city as Sydney, if you identify as LGBTIQ or their friends, or you plan on going to the gay party to end all gay parties, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras after party, then showing skin almost feels like a prerequisite. Of course, it’s not; but you’d be kidding yourself if you thought you’d go without gawking at a few finely tuned torsos and their hangers-on as your prowl the grounds of Hordern Pavillion in the dead of night. The good thing about the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is, though, that regardless of who you are, what you look like and what you like to do with who, you’re welcome; and if keeping up with the Joneses if your thing, then we’ve done some of the hard work for you. Bulk Nutrients are Australia’s own, and the people to go to for your protein and health nutrition and supplements and this Mardi Gras, we’re talking all thing fat burners and protein to aid you in your quest to shred that last little layer of love to look at your optimum prime. We spoke to Brodie West, marketing manager and pro-LGBTIQ-er himself about bods, burners and how to do both, best. When it comes to the big Mardi Gras after party night, there’s a lot of perceived pressure to look good, but as Brodie says, it’s not all about what you look like. “I think there is an element of perceived pressure to look good for Mardi Gras,… Read More
Being a gay man in 2019 really is a revelation. In 30-or-so years, gay men and women have gone from the ostracised outcasts of abnormality, to something few people bat an eyelid to. But it’s the underlying tone of masculinity and what exactly that is, and the questioning of it, that has been the most rocking of qualities of the homosexual existence since it first came into common parlance in the mid 20th century. Fast forward to today, when we’re looking at KING, a dance production choreographed by Shaun Parker and musically backed by Ivo Dimchev and you have a culmination of the story of males that could only be done in collaboration with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival 2019. KING is a dance production of 10 male dancers and Dimchev himself, a Bulgarian choreographer, visual artist, singer-songwriter that explores Parker’s (choreographer) trademark highly physical choreography in an articulate interrogation of male power, control and group dynamic, expertly exposing the brutality of macho ritual and the human toll of toxic masculinity. In short: KING is the Queen of Mardi Gras in 2019 that is a visually striking, musically intoxicating and artistically rousing performance that makes you three things: proud to be gay, proud to be around gays and proud to be in an age where the concept of masculinity can be picked apart, dissected and danced away as a farce, open to artistic interpretation and playfulness, welcoming of all. And then, of course, there’s the striking vocals of Dimchev who’s obviously a… Read More
