Charli XCX
Jessica Mauboy
Kylie Minogue
huge
, and pop royalty , and gracing us with live performances at the Live and Proud: Sydney WorldPride Opening Concert.
Yep,. But it’s more than just a guaranteed good time, or a one-up on Melbourne, it’s a huge win for all LGBTQIA+ Aussies.
Let’s delve into why…
WorldPride was first celebrated in Rome in 2000 and has been hosted by the likes of Madrid, Toronto and London, every two or three years since then.
Next year, it won’t only be Australia’s first go at hosting the pride festival, but Sydney is the first city in the entire Southern Hemisphere to do it. So, during the three-day , we’ll be able to share the spotlight with our smaller neighbours in the Asia-Pacific.
Back on the 24th of June, 1978, a small group of gay and lesbian folks gathered in Sydney to mark ‘International Gay Solidarity Day’. The plan was to encourage activism against the discrimination they faced with a march in the morning, public meeting in the day and then a street parade at night. The police response on Oxford Street was awful — violence and ensuing arrests grabbed national attention. That night became Sydney’s first Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. In 2023, it will be a monumental 45 years.
Outside of Sydney, 2023 will also mark the 50th anniversary of the first Gay Pride Week in Australia and five years of Australian marriage equality.
Any Sydneysider that remembers the Olympic Games in 2000 will chew your ear off about it chance they get. Now, this is set to be one of the city’s biggest events since with more than half a million attendees, including . Basically, it’s gonna be one yuge party after the pandemic threw a wet blanket over years’ of Mardi Gras plans!
Part of the fun of WorldPride is how it engages global audiences (see, like the Olympics). Given Sydney is Australia’s first shot at hosting, queer First Nations folks will celebrated on a worldwide stage.
There will be a First Nations Gathering Space, Marri Madung Butbut (many brave hearts), showcasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIA+SB creativity. Over six days, drag, theatre, food and exhibits will take over Carriageworks.
So, clearly, it’s a big bloody deal. Sydney WorldPride is taking Mardi Gras up a notch with a bunch of one-off events in iconic spots across the city. For nine days, areas will be closed off to traffic to make room for stages and stalls, will transform into a club with seven hours of music and room for 12,000 punters, and 50,000 folks will walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge for a .
All events are now on sale, plus final tickets to major events get released 7 Dec so make sure you’re on the .
The first WorldPride Down Under
Sydney WorldPride Human Rights ConferenceA milestone year for Australia’s queer community
It’s like the Olympics…but better
any 75,000 visitorsA focus on First Nations art and culture
justaround Oxford Street Bondi Beach Pride March Sydney WorldPride newsletter
Sydney WorldPride kicks off on the 17th of February 2023. Find out more, here.
The post Here’s A ‘Lil Explainer On Why It’s So Damn Significant Sydney Is Hosting WorldPride appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
