Got a queer idea? Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has opened submissions for its open-access program, Mardi Gras+, for the 2027 festival.
If you’ve got an idea for next year’s Mardi Gras+ Festival, it’s time to submit your event application and get planning!
Artists, venues, promoters, sporting clubs, community groups and more are invited to bring their creativity and passion to Australia’s biggest LGBTIQA+ celebration.
Oxtravaganza is a fringe festival to the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Photo: supplied.Mardi Gras+ is the open-access programme of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival, and will run from the 12th of February to the 7th of March 2027.
The parade will take place on the 6th of March.
The Festival hosts a range of events and activities, from community gatherings and parties to exhibitions, performances, inclusive sporting events and family-friendly activities, showcasing the breadth of LGBTIQA+ experiences.
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Register via the Mardi Gras+ App and Portal
Last year’s festival featured the Mardi Gras+ app for the first time, and now, Mardi Gras+ events will all run through the same system.
To register and manage your event, sign up on the new Mardi Gras+ Portal.
Details about registered events can be found on the Mardi Gras website (and app later in the year).
Applications are open to local, interstate and international organisers, and are assessed based on their relevance to LGBTQIA+ communities, contribution to the Festival and alignment with Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras’ ethical charter.
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Mardi Gras is making it completely free for First Nations and Trans and Gender Diverse organisers to register their events.
They hope this will help create more opportunities for diverse voices, and ensure accessibility for underrepresented communities.
Make sure you get in on time, applications close Friday, October. 30
Successful events will be included in the 2027 Mardi Gras+ programme, starting in February next year.
Countdown to Mardi Gras’ 50th anniversary
In 2028, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras will mark the event’s 50th anniversary.
“From the first 78ers who marched in defiance in 1978, to becoming the first Southern Hemisphere city to host WorldPride, to now looking towards fifty years of pride, joy and celebration, we’re calling on the world to share in this next chapter of our story,” CEO Jesse Matheson said in July.
“Because 50 years of Mardi Gras isn’t just an Australian milestone, it’s a milestone for the global Pride movement.”
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 1: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade on March 1, 2025For the latest LGBTQIA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, and community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Find us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
