Historic ex-PM cameo at Mardi Gras, World Pride party continues

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The Mardi Gras parade was proud, loud and a hit with the crowd. A Strange Attempt by Senator Lydia Thorpe To disrupt the Oxford Street parade.

Street sweepers have descended on Oxford Street ready to clean up the glittering wreckage of Sydney’s Mardi Gras parade in 2023.

After Sydney’s Mardi Gras woke up Oxford Street for the first time since 2020 on Saturday night, tens of thousands of revelers wreaked havoc on the spiritual home of the queer community like a rainbow.

Mardi Gras included a historic appearance by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as the event returned to the heritage-listed route for the first time in two years due to the pandemic.

Albanese became the first sitting Prime Minister to march at Mardi Gras, leading a float of rainbow workers alongside Environment Minister Tanya Privasek and NSW opposition leader Chris Mins.

Tweet from @AlboMP

“It’s disappointing that I’m the first (prime minister to march), but this is a celebration of modern Australia. We’re a diverse and inclusive Australia, and that’s a good thing,” he told ABC.

A Gather, Dream, Amplify themed celebration was joined by Mardi Gras veterans and newcomers to entertain the crowd.

Led by Dykes on Bikes and their male counterparts, they filled the streets with diesel exhaust and queer joy to the delight of the parade viewers.

Other Mardi Gras hits included Surf Life Saving with Budgerigar Smugglers and Beach Towels and DIY Rainbow’s We Love Britney Spears Float with Baby One More Time blasting out of the back speakers. rice field.

About 12,500 marchers on 200 floats danced, sang and celebrated the parade’s homecoming, the spiritual home of Sydney’s LGBTQI community.

Tweet from @sydneyswans

And for many parade enthusiasts, things are just getting started, with thousands traveling to the Entertainment Quarter’s Mardi Gras party.

The all-night extravaganza, scheduled to run until 8am, features a program of DJs and performers dancing to party music ranging from house to nu-disco.

Tweet from @marywardy

Forever party-goers can head to the Mardi Gras laneways at 2pm.
A “kick-on epitome,” the event started with a portable speaker in a milk crate. It has since expanded into a multi-hi dance floor party with a bandstand that holds 10,000 ticket holders until 1am on Mondays.

WorldPride continues for another week, ending with a historic march across the Sydney Harbor Bridge.

On Sunday morning, 50,000 people dressed in their brightest colors will march past the iconic landmark to call for equality in the world.

WorldPride has been called Sydney’s biggest event since the 2000 Olympics, with over 500,000 people expected to attend some 300 events.