Adelaide's beloved queer nightspot Marys Poppin turns 10

Adelaide queer nightspot Marys Poppin, dubbed “one of the most beautiful gay bars in the world,” is celebrating 10 unforgettable years tonight.

Owner Stephen Craddock set out to create his “dream queer venue” when he opened Marys Poppin in 2016, and says such a space is still so important for the LGBTQIA+ community.

“Ten years of Marys is incredibly emotional, because when I opened the venue, I wanted to create my own dream queer bar,” he said.

“Somewhere people could walk into and instantly feel like they belonged. What’s happened since then is bigger than I ever could have imagined.

“Marys has become part of people’s lives, their friendships, their wild nights, their milestones and their memories. To still be here a decade later, still full of life and still full of love, means everything to me.”

Craddock dedicates the 10-year milestone to every person who’s ever walked through the doors and “helped make Marys what it is.”

“I still absolutely love this place. Marys has gone from strength to strength because the community made it theirs,” he said.

On Saturday night (May 2), Marys has invited drag superstars from across the country to its huge 10th birthday bash.

Craddock says tonight will be “a huge love letter to the bar, the people who made it and the city that has danced with it for ten unforgettable years.”

‘The crowd gives the love right back to you’

When drag superstar Trixie Mattel strutted through Marys doors, she dubbed the Synagogue Place venue “one of the most beautiful gay bars in the world”.

Marys has also drawn stars such as Trixie’s RuPaul’s Drag Race sisters Jinkx Monsoon, Alaska, Courtney Act and dance diva Erika Jayne, who’ve all performed alongside the bar’s 11 resident performers.

One of the regulars is Adelaide drag queen Kane Enable, who was there for opening night at Marys 10 years ago.

This weekend, Kane will host on the main stage alongside a lineup of “honorary Marys divas” at the 10th birthday bash.

“For performers, Marys is so much more than a gig. It’s a stage where you grow, where you take risks, where you find your people and where the crowd gives that love right back to you,” Kane said.

“For so many of us, it has been a place of freedom. For so many people in the room, it has been the first place they’ve felt fully safe, where they can laugh loudly, dance badly, flirt outrageously and be exactly who they are.”

‘Staying open for a decade is something to be proud of’

Marys Poppin’s 10th birthday celebration comes after the closure of queer venue My Lover Cindi in 2024 and the closure of Mars Bar back in 2017.

Marys club manager Lily Jaksic has welcomed punters through the doors for the past five years and said the entire team is dedicated to keeping queer nightlife alive in Adelaide.

“Reaching ten years is a huge achievement, but it also comes with a real sense of responsibility,” Jaksic said.

“Spaces like this matter, and staying open, relevant and full of heart for a decade is something the whole community should be proud of.

“[Marys Poppin] is where friendships are formed, confidence is found, and people let go of whatever the outside world has put on them that week.

“I’ve been part of the team for five years now, half the venue’s life. There’s something really powerful about looking around on any given night and knowing what this place means to people.”

As part of the 10-year celebrations, Marys Poppin has also launched “Mary’s Confessional,” a community-led project collecting favourite memories, untold stories and secrets from patrons over the past decade.

Everyone can contribute their own piece of Marys history. The team will then share selected confessions, memories and secrets over the next year to form a “living archive of joy, chaos, tenderness and queer Adelaide history.”