The legendary Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is gearing up for 2024, today announcing its “biggest and boldest program in years” for the festival’s return from February 16 to March 3. Of course, it will all climax with the globally recognised Mardi Gras Parade, which will sashay down its traditional route along Oxford Street, Flinders Street and Anzac Parade on Saturday, March 2, 2024.
“In 2024, we embrace our roots and look forward with eager anticipation to our future. Our mission is clear: to echo the voices of our communities, to champion progress and instigate impactful change,” said Gil Beckwith, the recently appointed Sydney Mardi Gras CEO.
The announcement for next year’s program and the theme struts in on the stiletto heels of Sydney Mardi Gras’ big 45th anniversary in 2023, which joined forces with the inaugural Sydney WorldPride Festival for a gargantuan 17-day-long festival with more than 300 events.
While the next LGBTQIA+-forward festival taking over the Harbour City is not going to be quite that big – it was the biggest event in town since the Sydney 2000 Olympics, to be fair – Mardi Gras is bringing a diverse program of more than 100 events in 2024, and it's bursting at the sequinned seams. There are a bunch of festival favourites from Mardi Gras' past, and hits from Sydney WorldPride making valiant returns, in addition to new events, a handful of which are tailored for overlooked and at-risk groups within LGBTQIA+ communities.
What is the theme for Sydney Mardi Gras in 2024?
The new theme for Sydney Mardi Gras is ‘Our Future…’ . Celebrating past achievements while illuminating the path to a dazzling future, the future-forward theme embodies a commitment to inclusivity, acceptance and optimism. This theme is expressed in an evocative creative campaign drawing on witchy, occult symbolism that reimagines iconic tarot cards to honour local LGBTQIA+ legends. We dig it.
“The future is ours, but we must have an active part in shaping that future. It's about ensuring that young, queer kids have a world to come into that feels safe,” said Gil Beckwith, speaking to Time Out Sydney’s Arts & Culture Editor Alannah Le Cross at the announcement.
“I think the trans and gender diverse community are really doing it tough, particularly in America. It's just appalling, and I don't think it's gonna get easier. And the fact that only two weeks ago, they were arguing in the Australian press about if you could take your same-sex partner to a formal – like, shit, really?” But ‘Our Future…’, basically it’s about taking things in our hands and manifesting, shaping and working together to do things that are better and more equitable for the world.”
Stand-out Mardi Gras parties and events coming up in 2024
On the party front, events joining the throng in 2024 include the beloved Mardi Gras Fair Day, Paradiso Pool Party, Kaftana Pool Party, Laugh Out Proud, Sissy Ball, Queer Art After Hours, and the official Mardi Gras Party that follows the Parade, which returns to Hordern Pavilion and five more venues in the Entertainment Quarter in 2024 – headliners TBC, but the 10,000 tickets will no doubt sell out fast.
The grand Bondi Beach Party will let loose by the sea again with 15,000 revellers, after a successful introduction for Sydney WorldPride headlined by Nicole Scherzinger of Pussycat Dolls fame and international DJs. Women-loving-women and their allies won’t want to miss the explosive comeback of Ultra Violet as a day-to-night party tailored for LGBTQIA+ women, set within the artistic walls of the National Art School and curated by luminaries Sveta Gilerman and Jess Hill (at the first Ultra Violet last year, Magda Suzbanski made an appearance as her netball-loving character Sharon Strzlecki during a set from ‘Fuck The Pain Away’ singer Peaches, so we’re expecting great sapphic things).
Meanwhile, brand new event Hot Trans Summer is set to be a celebration dedicated to the trans and gender diverse communities, boasting an all-trans takeover of floating luxury venue Glass Island. Musical theatre gays will also be delighted to hear that & Juliet is getting in on the rainbow action with a one-night-only Mardi Gras special performance of the smash-hit musical during the Sydney season. And along with all the glittery parties, you can also revel in insightful talks and ideas, with the Queer Futures program including conversations ranging from sport to the arts, politics and education.
New Sydney Mardi Gras CEO commits to inclusion and safety
With a commitment to furthering diversity and inclusion, Gil Beckwith is keen to harness the power of Mardi Gras for good. With a longstanding career in the arts, Beckwith joined Sydney Mardi Gras five years ago as the CFO, and says she never imagined that she’d step up as CEO (despite owning a wardrobe of incredible and quirky suits that don’t deserve to live behind a desk).
“I'm a sixty-year-old lesbian, and you don't normally see [people like] me anywhere that reflects our community. It's probably about time that our beautiful community members – which are very diverse – are seen. I think it's a really interesting time for Mardi Gras and I'm really excited to be involved,” Beckwith told us.
“Look, I've been around the block quite a few times. I've seen a lot and I’m bloody resilient these days, there's not much you can do or say to me that hasn't been done before. But I also remember what it was like. My family didn't really support me when I was young, I used to get crucified on the street every day. So I want to make sure that that doesn't happen to any queer kid today.”
“I think whilst there are so many more opportunities [for young LGBTQIA+ people] to connect, the loneliness and isolation can still be absolutely horrific. There’s a whole lot of stuff there that's even more than they can unpick on their own. They just want to know that you come to Mardi Gras and you can feel safe, and loved, and validated.”
The massive Sydney Mardi Gras program goes on sale at 10am on Monday, November 20. Mardi Gras Members will get early access to tickets from 10am on Wednesday, Nov 15, and American Express cardholders will have early access to tickets from 10am Thursday, Nov 16. Both Mardi Gras Members and American Express cardholders will be able to access the presale until 9am AEDT Monday, Nov 20, or until allocations are exhausted – whichever comes first. You can browse all the events online now at mardigras.org.au.