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| Sydney Mardi Gras |
Over the last 35 years Sydney's iconic Mardi Gras parade
has evolved from a march down Oxford Street, to one of Australia's largest
festivals - a three-week long celebration across the city featuring epic
parties, community events and of course, the world famous street parade which
now features some 10,000 marchers.
2013 is the 35th anniversary of the original march and
marks an important milestone for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer
and intersex (GLBTQI) people of Australia. As well as a thrilling lineup of
music and performing arts, Sydney Mardi Gras 2013 sees the launch of a Sydney
Mardi Gras Museum on the corner of Oxford and Palmer Streets, detailing
characters and controversies of the Parade through rare archival material.
For the people who march, or cheer from the sidelines, or
simply believe in the power of this community event – the party is only just
getting started. Here are just a few highlights of Mardi Gras 2013.
Facts
- Sydney Mardi Gras is a stand out event on the NSW Events Calendar, attracting hundreds and thousands of people and more than 20,000 overseas and interstate visitors who come specifically for the event, injecting around $30 million in new money to NSW.
- Sydney Mardi Gras reaches huge media audiences of more than 70 million people from interstate and key international tourism markets via press coverage and social media feeds about the event.
The Essentials
Make sure you don’t miss the best that Sydney Mardi Gras
has to offer with these headline events:
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| Harbour Party |
Harbour Party
For some, the main beginning of the Sydney Mardi Gras is marked by Harbour Party ’13, 23 February in the Royal Botanic Gardens. The sun sets over the Bridge and Sydney Opera House, as thousands of gleeful partygoers dance the evening away to the likes of David Morales and Ricki-Lee Coulter.Mardi Gras Drag Races
Bondi Beach, Friday 1
March, 5pm. Everybody knows Bondi, but not like this. Conceived by beloved drag
icon Vanessa Wagner, with Victoria Harbutt and Megan Donnelly, the Drag Races
turn Bondi Beach into a raucous spectacle. Think clutchbag discus, three-heeled
races, ‘beached’ volleyball, and, of course, competitive feminine posing. While
we’re on the topic of Bondi, consider taking in a round of world-class surfing
with Let’s Go Surfing at a special Mardi Gras class just before the races kick
off (3pm).
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| Mardi Gras Parade |
Mardi Gras Parade
Oxford Street, Saturday 2
March, 7.45pm. The Mardi Gras Parade remains one of the most spectacular events
on the city’s calendar, with nearly 10,000 costumed revellers marching along
Oxford and Flinders Street to the ecstatic encouragement of onlookers.
Mardigrasland (Mardi Gras Party)
Entertainment Quarter, Saturday 2 March, 10pm-8am. Last year saw Kylie Minogue
bring the house down before nearly 17,000 partygoers, and this anniversary promises
to be just as big. With seven uniquely themed spaces and a lineup including
Delta Goodrem, The Presets, DJ Crystal Pepsi (aka Jake Shears from the Scissor
Sisters), Bimbo Jones and Dan Murphy, Mardigrasland is the hottest ticket in
town.
The Laneway (Recovery Party)
Hill Street
Laneway, Sunday 3 March, 12-10pm. Every Australian knows that the best recovery
to a big night out is a relaxing afternoon with friends, and the official
Sydney Mardi Gras closing event takes the same philosophy. Sandwiched between
The Beresford Hotel and The Flinders, the Laneway party features pop-up
performances, DJ appearances, and an atmosphere perfect for seeing out another
festival and making plans for the next one.
Sydney Mardi Gras Museum
Cnr Oxford &
Palmer Streets, 30 January–3 March, 11am-7pm. This brand new attraction draws
on a rich history of controversy, costumes and colour to offer an unparalleled
glimpse into the timeline of this remarkable Sydney institution. A series of
special talks, ‘Nights at the Museum,’ see the likes of Julie McCrossin and
William Yang offer their take on the evolving Mardi Gras.
For more information go to www.Sydney.com
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