Get ready to paint the town rainbow as the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival returns with all its fabulous flair from 14 February to 2 March 2025.
With its theme “FREE TO BE,” the festival is set to illuminate the city with a dazzling display of pride, culture, and community spirit, celebrating decades of progress while championing the individuality and resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Gil Beckwith, CEO of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, captures the essence of this year’s celebration: “Each year, Mardi Gras brings together people from across the globe for a vibrant celebration of community, visibility, and progress. The 2025 festival embodies this spirit, reflecting the resilience, creativity, and unity of our LGBTQIA+ communities. We are thrilled to welcome everyone to this year’s festivities.”
Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore AO echoes the excitement, noting, “Mardi Gras is one of my favourite times of the year. Sydney truly sparkles with diversity, inclusion, and love proudly on show. We’re delighted to welcome people from around the world to our wonderful city – a place that embraces and celebrates everyone, where you are truly Free to Be.”
With over 80 events on the agenda, this year’s festival promises a kaleidoscope of experiences, from the grand parade to intimate theatre performances. Signature events like the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade remain at the heart of the festival, with the newly revamped Taylor Square Takeover offering a fresh block party vibe for parade-goers.
After a brief hiatus, Fair Day returns to Victoria Park, bringing a bustling mix of over 200 food, retail, and community stalls, along with the fabulously fun Doggywood. New to Fair Day are the exciting Trans Camp and Karaoke Cave, adding even more flair to the festival’s grand opening.
The Mardi Gras Party is set to be a night to remember, featuring Grammy award-winning DJ Honey Dijon and UK artist Romy, who will perform live in an exclusive Sydney appearance. This eight-hour musical extravaganza across six venues promises to celebrate the diversity of our global community in a whirlwind of music and dance.
New and noteworthy this year is the collaboration with Qtopia Sydney, the world’s largest centre for queer history and culture. Highlights include “They Will Be Kings,” a bold fusion of drag king artistry, and “I Want It That Gay,” a comedic journey through pop culture nostalgia.
For theatre lovers, “Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible is Going to Happen” starring Samuel Barnett, offers a darkly comic take on modern anxieties at the Sydney Opera House. Meanwhile, the Mardi Gras + open-access programme showcases the creativity of LGBTQIA+ artists across the city, featuring events like the Solid Pink Disco with Trixie Mattel, and the wild antics of “The Kaye Hole.”
The festival also launches the Pride in Sport Festival, highlighting LGBTQIA+ inclusion in sports, with workshops and competitions aimed at inspiring athletes of all levels.
Tickets for the 2025 Sydney Mardi Gras go on sale at 10am AEDT, Friday 15 November. Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned festival-goer, this year’s Mardi Gras is set to be an unforgettable celebration of love, pride, and the freedom to be yourself. So grab your glitter, and join the revelry in Sydney’s most vibrant celebration yet!
Browse the full festival line-up at www.mardigras.org.au from midday AEDT 7 November.