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Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
A festival organised by and for the gay community. It includes sports, cultural and arts events that run throughout February, culminating in the Mardi Gras parade in Darlinghurst on the first Saturday of March each year. The festival began in 1978 as a street protest when homosexuality was illegal, and participants were violently arrested and shamed. Since then, it has grown into a huge celebration with large crowds, corporate and government sponsorship - the Police now march with everyone else - yet still tries to hold on to its origins in protest against inequality and promotes progressive politics.
Listing from Wikivoyage: Sydney, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.