GLITTER, RAINBOWS, LEATHER, and pride: these are what generally comes to mind when you think of Sydney’s Mardi Gras. Now a weeks-long event, the pièce de résistance remains the Sydney Gay and Today, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is one of Australia’s most famous and well-loved events, bringing thousands of visitors to Sydney to join in the celebrations. It captures the imagination of Australia’s LGBTQI and mainstream communities, taking over the city for weeks on end, culminating in the world-famous Parade: a colourful and The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras or Sydney Mardi Gras is an event in Sydney, New South Wales attended by hundreds of thousands of people from around Australia and overseas. One of the largest LGBT festivals in the world , Mardi Gras is the largest Pride event in Oceania . Why Mardi Gras is named Mardi Gras Cool fact: In French, 'Mardi Gras' means 'Fat Tuesdays'. Scenes of Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Celebration on March 2, 2013 in Sydney Australia. The theme of this year's Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is Free to Be. The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is a 17-day celebration of Australia's . What does Mardi Gras mean? History of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. The first Mardi Gras occurred on 24th June 1978, as an event to celebrate gay and lesbian culture and to protest the discrimination they faced every day. However, the march down Oxford Street ended with police arrests and violence against the protestors. The political impact of the Mardi Gras parades was also evident in the achievement in 1985 by the Gay & Lesbian Immigration Task Force of recognition of same sex “inter-dependent” relationships for Australian immigration, ahead of almost all other countries. Mardi Gras – a celebration borrowed from Catholic celebrations around lent – are now often synonymous with lavish costumes, floats and sensuality on display. “I think 1978 was Australia’s time to stand up and say, ‘no more – we’re not going to be treated this way anymore’,” says Michele Bauer, CEO of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras organisers are preparing for a "leaner" parade this year after last year's event saw a drop in attendance from an expected 250,000 to a reported 120,000. a weak Australian dollar The Mardi Gras Parade. So, on to the main event. A lot of people come to Mardi Gras in Sydney just for the Parade, which is fair enough. Weaving along Oxford Street as a cacophony of joyful noise and bright colours, this takes place on the final Saturday of the festival (the first Saturday in March). The Mardi Gras Indians symbolize a unique connection between African and Indigenous heritage in the Crescent City. Mardi Gras is a festive day celebrated in France on Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday), which marks the close of the pre-Lenten season. The French name Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday, from the custom of using all the fats in the home before Lent. History and Meaning of Mardi Gras Traditionally, rich foods such as eggs, meat, oils and butter were strictly prohibited during the 40 days of Lent. It thus became customary to eat all that remained of these foods in the house and enjoy one last feast on the day before the 40-day fast. Sydney Mardi Gras 2025 is here! Free to party, free to celebrate, free to laugh, free to be Festival-favourites, revamped returns and new queens on the block join the line-up for Sydney Mardi Gras 2025! Five thousand people took part in the second Gay Mardi Gras on a bitterly cold Saturday night of 30th June 1979 – and there were no arrests. Without the police attack on the first Mardi Gras, there may not have been a second one. The second Mardi Gras in 1979 was accompanied by a fair, film festival and street march. In February’s sunny Sydney, it means Mardi Gras is fast approaching! Instagram/sydneymardigras. For those who don’t know, Mardi Gras is Sydney’s internationally renowned Gay Pride Celebration. The hype and the turnout for Sydney’s annual Mardi Gras gives San Francisco’s Gay Pride a run for its money. Mardi Gras masks are more than just festive accessories—they carry a rich history and cultural significance. Every detail, Mardi Gras color and design tells a story, and the artists who craft Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (SGLMG) is an LGBTQIA+ not-for-profit member-based organisation that produces the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade and Festival and several other events and supportive initiatives throughout the year. Mardi Gras Fair Day is the biggest and best-loved free community event of the season, attracting over 80,000 people each summer in Victoria Park, Camperdown. Fair Day is filled with live entertainment, a variety of food and drink outlets, and over 200 community and merchandise stalls. Click on the Mardi Gras krewes below for further information about the krewe and to see their usual route for each parade. Please note: Events and activities are subject to change without notice. Stay tuned to the site for further info.
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