Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade returns to Oxford Street for 45th anniversary

The world-renowned Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade returns to Oxford Street on Saturday 25th February 2023, in celebration of the 45th anniversary of the first Mardi Gras march.

This iconic event unites individuals across the LGBTQIA+ communities to showcase their pride, advocate for equal rights and express their passion.

As the centrepiece of the epic Sydney WorldPride Festival, all eyes will be focused on 12,500 marchers as over 200 floats grace Oxford Street for the first time since 2020. Expect to see all of your Parade favourites, with First Nations, 78ers and the legendary rumble of the Dykes on Bikes leading the Parade as well as the quintessentially Australian Lifesavers With Pride and the many colourful, political, satirical and outlandish floats that has made the Parade famous over the last four decades.

This year's Festival theme, "Gather, Dream, Amplify," comes to life as bigger floats adorn the entirely revamped route. With lighting and firework shows elevating the spectacle of the Parade, from Hyde Park to Moore Park, including a new Parade route milestone Drivers Triangle located by recently-announced Viewing Area Ruby Road.

Sydney Mardi Gras Chief Executive, Albert Kruger notes “After two years delivering the world-class Parade through the Pandemic we couldn’t be more excited to see the community unite once more on Oxford Street. With over 200 floats representing every corner of our communities, it is the perfect celebration as the world descends on Sydney for the first WorldPride in the Southern Hemisphere and we commemorate the 45th anniversary of the first Sydney Mardi Gras.”

NSW Minister for Tourism and the Arts Ben Franklin said the NSW Government had long supported the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras as the event underscored its commitment to make NSW a welcoming destination for all visitors.

“The Mardi Gras is important to Australia’s cultural identity, empowering people to come together and celebrate diversity in a safe and inclusive way,” Minister Franklin said

“With the Parade returning to Oxford Street, thousands of participants and tens of thousands of supporters will line the streets celebrating NSW’s pride and inclusion, making this a major highlight of Sydney WorldPride 2023.”

Some highlight entries in this year’s Parade:

Animal Instincts
Animal Instincts’ float highlights the natural occurrence of same-sex relationships in the animal kingdom. They use matching black and white animal costumes to represent a stylish and wild world where diverse queerdom is natural and celebrated, as well as the ongoing threat of the climate crisis for the species’ natural habitats.

Architects with Pride
Architects with Pride is a group of LGBTQIA+ designers and architects who celebrate the contributions of LGBTQIA+ individuals to the built environment and work to create safe, inclusive spaces. Their float design features layered sheer flag arches activated by lighting with marchers dressed in coordinated outfits carrying scaled-up versions of their tools of the trade.

Bi+ Pride
Bi+ Pride promotes visibility for multi-gender-attracted people through events like the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade. Their float design features bi and pan colour-themed DIY superhero costumes, flowy flags and upbeat music about self-love.

Chinese Pride Float
The Chinese Pride Float is a group that advocates for love, freedom and equality for the LGBTQIA+ community and serves as a cultural bridge between the East and the West through their participation in the Mardi Gras Parade. Their float design is inspired by the lotus flower, which represents purity and spiritual awakening in Chinese culture.

Deaf Rainbow NSW
Deaf Rainbow NSW represents the diversity of LGBTQIA+ communities and honours Deaf Gay and Lesbian history in NSW by incorporating the symbol of the Waratah. Their float  will feature  Deaf LGBTQIA+ elders, with the remaining participants clad in teal. Aiming to amplify the diverse voices within the community, including by collaborating with Deaf LGBTQIA+ First Nations people.

DIY Rainbow
DIY Rainbow's float at the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade will feature 80 participants dressed in various Britney Spears looks and a flatbed truck decorated with drag artists Britneys, witha large Britney Spears with a moving yellow snake to commemorate the iconic ‘00s moment at the MTV Music Video Awards.

Drag Kings Unite
The Drag Kings Unite float at Sydney Mardi Gras Parade will feature a crown made of strip lighting, a DJ on an elevated platform and participants in royal colours to represent the Drag King community's strength and desire for more representation in the LGBTQIA+ community. The float aims to showcase the diversity of Drag Kings and set a world record for the largest Drag King performance.

Forever Xanadu
Returning Judges Choice Award Winners, Forever Xanadu is a group of LGBTQIA+ friends and family members planning a glittering tribute to Olivia Newton John featuring an inflatable Lotus flower, neon shards and a float with LED strip lighting, inflatable unicorns and horses, as well as participants in disco drag on roller skates.

Free Gay and Happy
Free Gay and Happy is a social group that holds events around the country to promote mental health, safe partying and celebrating what makes you unique. Their theme for Parade 2023 is Mad Max-inspired with a float featuring flag carriers, a Mad Max-inspired truck with guitar players and dancers.

Selamat Datang Indonesian Community
Selamat Datang Indonesian Community is a group that supports the LGBTQIA+ communities in Indonesia. For the 2023 Mardi Gras Parade, the group will adopt the colours of the pride flag in Balinese style with marchers in Indonesian-inspired costumes and a large group of marchers in Balinese sarongs and udeng dancing to choreography.

Tamworth Pride Inc.
Tamworth Pride is a voluntary organization that supports LGBTQIA+ people, especially those who feel isolated, by creating social opportunities and promoting inclusivity under the rainbow flag. Their Mardi Gras float will feature a country theme of cowboys/cowgirls and the Golden Guitar with rainbows and colour galore.

The Itty Bitty Titty Committee
The Itty Bitty Titty Committee is a group of mostly lesbian friends who celebrate and raise lesbian visibility through fun and sparkly parade entries that feature a choreographed dance routine and costumes as LEGO characters with "LESO" logos.

Trans Pride Australia
Trans Pride Australia is a group of trans and gender diverse people who advocate for and empower their community through social networks and education. The group’s Parade entry will feature a kaleidoscope-themed float that amplifies and celebrates their silver and gold costumes and creates a joyful, fractal-filled space through its mirrors and movements.

For those who can't join the action in Sydney, Parade Broadcast partner ABC will be broadcasting the Parade live so audiences around Australia can watch from home.

TICKETS TO FINAL PARADE VIEWING AREA ON SALE NOW

For those looking to elevate their 2023 Parade viewing experience, tickets are still available to the brand-new Parade Viewing Area, Ruby Road. Located at the Moore Park end of the iconic route, the general admission all-ages area pairs uninterrupted views of the Parade with access to food trucks, bars, entertainment and live screen relays throughout the park. With all other Parade Viewing Areas sold out, this is the last chance to witness the Parade’s return to Oxford Street from a premium viewing space.

Tickets: $60 + BF

The 2023 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival is  supported by Principal Partner American Express, Government Partner of the Mardi Gras Festival, the City of Sydney, and Strategic Sponsor the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.