Sydney Mardi Gras said it is anticipating about 250,000 spectators and 10,000 marchers across 180 floats this year. Mardi Gras is held each year from mid-February to the first week of March The Festival will wrap with the world famous Sydney Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday 1 March 2025. Festival theme: Free to be The 2025 Festival theme Free to be is a celebration of the strides toward true LGBTQIA+ equality while also acting as a global reminder that our fight is far from over, and that we are not truly free until we are all free The official dates for the Sydney Mardi Gras 2025 festival season will be February 14, 2025, to Sunday, March 2, 2025 The Mardi Gras season kicks off with Fair Day, which will be held on Sunday, February 16. The parade and official after-party are confirmed to be on Saturday, March 1. The theme of this year's Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is Free to Be. The 47th annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade is set to attract huge crowds on 1 March. Credit: AAP. When is the 2025 Sydney Mardi Gras? The festival is being held from February 14 to March 2, with this year’s theme, “free to be”, inspiring events, floats and revellers throughout the fortnight. One of Sydney’s most colourful nights will be in full swing this weekend as thousands are expected to descend on the streets to celebrate the 47th annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade. Despite its name, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is not held on Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday) or indeed, on a Tuesday at all. [90] In recent years, the Mardi Gras Parade has been on the first Saturday of March, with a festival of events going for approximately three weeks preceding it. In short: Crowds lined Oxford Street, Flinders Parade and Anzac Parade on Saturday night for this Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade. NSW Police officers were allowed to march, despite 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! Stick around for the Mardi Gras CEO and Co-Chairs catch-up (12:20 pm), where you’ll get the latest on the organisation’s vision and future. From there, pay a visit to the Dykes on Bikes stall to meet the legends who kick off every Mardi Gras Parade, and head to Trans Summer Camp, a welcoming space for transgender and gender-diverse The Mardi Gras Parade, which takes place on Saturday, March 1, is part of the broader Sydney Mardi Gras Festival, running from February 14 to March 2. Now in its 47th year, the festival spans 17 days of international performances, parties, theatre, community events, and more, celebrating LGBTQIA+ pride and visibility. Today, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras stands as a symbol of progress and pride, attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees from across the globe. What to Expect at Sydney Mardi Gras 2025. With a program packed full of parades, performances, parties, and cultural events, the 2025 Sydney Mardi Gras is set to be bigger and better than Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is upon us – having officially kicked off on Valentine's Day and culminating this Saturday 2 March for the 47th annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade. But aside from the parade, there are plenty of events popping up around town from a variety of queer groups, brands and people who know how to party. The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2025 will take place from February 14 to March 2, 2025, with the main Parade happening on Saturday, March 1, 2025.This iconic event celebrates LGBTQIA+ pride and culture with a wide range of activities, including parades, parties, and performances throughout the festival period. Fork out extra for VIP tickets and you’ll get access to a private area with an open bar, loads of pizza and a prime viewing spot of the Sydney Mardi Gras Gay & Lesbian Parade. Grab your spot for the Sydney Mardi Gras parade (photo: Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras). 6 PM: Make sure your set for the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Limited Level 2, 81-83 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Australia ABN 87 102 451 785 T + 61 2 9383 0900 | W: mardigras.org.au For any enquiries regarding your parade application or these conditions, please contact parade@mardigrasarts.org.au 2025 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade One of the most anticipated Sydney Mardi Gras 2025 events is the welcome return of Fair Day. the long-held tradition for Mardi Gras took a year off last year due to the discovery of asbestos in Victoria Park’s Mulch. The first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras was a bold demonstration held on 24 June 1978 that ended in police attacks and arrests. The winter 1978 protest campaign that followed helped make gay and lesbian rights a broader political issue and led to changes in NSW legislation. The streets of Sydney burst into a kaleidoscope of colour on Saturday, 1 March 2025, as the 47th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade took over. With the theme Free To Be, this year’s event was a dazzling celebration of self-expression and progress. Over 200,000 spectators lined Oxford Street, Flinders Street, and Anzac Parade [] The 2025 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival promises to be a vibrant celebration of pride, inclusivity, and resilience, scheduled from 14 February to 2 March. This year, the festival returns with a focus on the heart of Mardi Gras—joyful self-expression, unity, and unapologetic celebration of LGBTQIA+ identities.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | |
![]() | ![]() |