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Mardi Gras Fair Day 2026
2026-02-15 10:00 - 21:00 (Australia/Sydney) | Victoria Park, 1001 City Rd, Camperdown, New South Wales, 2050, Australia
Ecstatica Takes Centre Stage
Fair Day returns to Victoria Park for 2026—bigger, bolder, and bursting with community pride. It’s the day Sydney stops, gathers, and glows together in full colour: a celebration of culture, community, and creativity at the beating heart of Mardi Gras.
Start your day at the First Nations Circle, where a powerful Smoking Ceremony and the mesmerising Buuja Buuja Butterfly Dancers honour Country and set the spirit for the day. Then follow the sounds of laughter to Doggywood—the oldest and most adored Fair Day tradition—where pups strut, preen, and paw their way through the campest canine pageant in the country.
Wander further and you’ll find Trans Camp, returning for its second year—a proudly trans-run zone filled with community organisations, market stalls, and creatives turning visibility into celebration. Nearby, the Karaoke Cave: Disco Divas! is back by popular demand, serving decades of pride anthems and unapologetic vocal chaos.
On the main stage, the Drag King Games bring back their mix of muscle, mischief, and mayhem—quickly becoming a Fair Day legend. And as the sun dips low, the Queer Fashion Runway takes over, showcasing the brilliance of local designers redefining queer style for the next generation.
From first light to golden hour, Fair Day 2026 is a living portrait of our community—playful, powerful, and free. This is where Mardi Gras truly begins: in the open air, surrounded by love, and alive with Ecstatica energy.
Please note: due to the uneven terrain of some parts of Victoria Park, some areas may not be accessible to all patrons.

PICNICS, POP AND PRIDE: FAIR DAY RETURNS FOR 2026
Janice Robinson, Blusher and Courtney Act headline Sydney’s biggest
all-ages LGBTQIA+ celebration
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Fair Day returns to Victoria Park on Sunday 15 February 2026, bringing together music, performance, community and pure daytime euphoria as the Festival’s largest free, all-ages event under the 2026 theme ECSTATICA.
Music Line-up
Leading the celebrations is international house music icon Janice Robinson of Livin’ Joy (Miami, USA), making her Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras debut with an exclusive Fair Day performance. A defining voice of 90s house, Robinson will deliver sun-soaked dancefloor energy with iconic anthems including Dreamer, Don’t Stop Moving and There Must Be Love featuring David Morales, tracks woven deep into queer dance culture and collective joy.
“I am super excited to be coming to Australia to perform for Mardi Gras,” said Robinson. “I am a dreamer who continues to live her dreams, and Australia is a country I love deeply. This moment means more to me than words can express.”
Joining Robinson is Blusher (VIC), one of Australia’s most exciting pop acts to watch, arriving fresh from supporting Rebecca Black and performing at Laneway Festival the week prior. They are joined by genre-blurring pop artist Go-Jo, bringing bold, feel-good energy, and drag icon Courtney Act delivering unmistakable star power and Mardi Gras flair.
Also appearing across the day are dance music icon Zoe Badwi (VIC) serving up classic house vocals, DJ James Alexandr taking the stage with Nada Leigh for a club-ready set, Kath Ebbs bringing queer country tunes for a boot-stomping round of line dancing, and IVANA (VIC) in her Mardi Gras debut live show, will electrify the Main Stage with her euro-dance hits including ‘Liar Liar‘, ‘Need Your Love‘ and ‘Burning’.
Beyond the Main Stage, international acts Mila Jam (Los Angeles, USA) and Arisce (New York City, USA) join local stars Felicia Foxx, Aunty Tamara, Atomic Kiss, Jackel Doll, Tiddalicious, DJ Nate and more across Fair Day stages and activations, rounding up a full day of pop, dance, drag and party from first light through to golden hour.
Across the Park
Fair Day transforms Victoria Park into a vibrant playground of culture, creativity and connection. The day begins at the First Nations Circle with a Smoking Ceremony and performances by the Buuja Buuja Butterfly Dancers, honouring Country and grounding the celebrations.
Beloved Fair Day favourites return, including Doggywood, the country’s most adored canine pageant, Trans Camp, back for its second year as a proudly trans-run community zone, Karaoke Cave: Disco and Divas hosted by Vybe, serving unapologetic sing-along chaos and the Drag King Games with their signature mix of muscle, mischief and mayhem.
Also strutting back on stage is the Queer Fashion Runway, showcasing works from 10 local designers in a fast, fabulous 50-minute show. EOIs are open until Friday, 30 January 2026 via fairday@mardigrasarts.org.au
More than 200 community stalls, food trucks, pop-up bars and picnic spots fill the park, creating a relaxed, joy-fuelled day of wandering, grazing and gathering with friends, family and chosen family.

SYDNEY CANDLELIGHT MEMORIAL 2025
2025-05-18 14:30 - 18:00 | Sydney Conservatorium of Music, 1 Conservatorium Road, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia
SYDNEY CANDLELIGHT MEMORIAL 2025
Join us at the annual Sydney Candlelight Memorial as we remember our loved ones, friends and family who have passed from HIV/AIDS.
SUNDAY 18 MAY
Service 3pm-4pm (doors open 2:30pm)
Refreshments 4-4:45pm
NEW VENUE FOR 2025:
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
Music Workshop
1 Conservatorium Road, Sydney CBD 2000
PLEASE RSVP
RSVPs are essential for catering purposes
To RSVP and/or add names to the Remembrance list, contact Positive Life NSW:
contact@positivelife.org.au
(02) 8357 8316
1800 245 677

Big Gay Day 2025
2025-05-03 12:00 - 23:00 | Wickham Hotel, 308 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley, QLD, 4006, Australia
Big Gay Day is Brisbane’s biggest and best rainbow festival, featuring musical acts, drag extravaganzas and so much more. The iconic festival has been running for over 20 years, raising thousands of dollars for local LGBTQIA+ charities.
Dust off your flip phones, load up your MSN statuses, and get ready to serve full-throttle early 2000s realness! We’re talking bedazzled everything, low-rise chaos, frosted tips, and don’t forget those butterfly clips
#BigGayDay #BGD25

Trans Day of Visibility
2024-03-31 | New South Wales
International Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual event occurring on March 31 dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, as well as a celebration of their contributions to society.

Trans Day of Visibility 2023
2023-03-31 | New South Wales

Closing Ceremony Sydney World Pride 2023
2023-03-05 | The Domain, Domain, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia
Immediately following the Pride March, everyone will descend into the Domain for the Closing Ceremony concert.
Leading music acts will bring us to our feet. There will be fun for the whole family and a truly inclusive program of events for all of the LGBTQIA+ communities and their friends.
We’ve gathered. We’ve dreamt. We’ve amplified.
We’ve danced. We’ve debated. We’ve shared stories.
We’ve marched.
We have honoured the past. We have lived in the present. We now look to the future. In a program that has been imagined and creatively directed by young LGBTQIA+ people, there will be powerful and passionate orations that will challenge and inspire. Propel us forward. Charged.
The Closing Ceremony will capture the zeitgeist and boldly celebrate queer excellence providing moments for reflection, rage, connection and humanity. Fearlessness and fervour.
At this event we officially handover WorldPride to the next host city. We did it Sydney! And what a time it was.
Tickets: Free

World Pride / Mardi Gras Fair Day 2023
2023-02-19 | Victoria Park, 1001 City Rd, Camperdown, New South Wales, 2050, Australia
Join over 80,000 people in Victoria Park for a free, fun-filled celebration of our communities with delicious food, rides, market stalls, comedy, dance, and live music to boot.

Whether you are in the mood for a picnic or a party, whether you’re eight or 85, Fair Day offers something for everyone, kicking off the fortnight to come.

Photo: Deepfield Photography / Mark Dickson

Kick off the start of Sydney WorldPride in true Mardi Gras style at Fair Day presented by American Express! Bring along your furry friend, grandma, neighbours and mates to Victoria Park on Sunday 19 February for an all-day, colourful extravaganza filled with music, arts, culture and community.
Fair Day has something for everyone. With over 300 retail, food and community stalls, live entertainment and family-friendly picnic areas, this day-long event is one of the community’s favourites. Enjoy musical acts and vibe to the beats on multiple stages and dance floors. Recharge with refreshing drinks and delicious food at boutique bars, plus check out the Doggywood pageant at the new and improved Optus Arena. And before you go, don’t miss the mini-Vogue Ball that promises to leave you excited for the festival to come.
Multiple entertainment stages, bars and dance floors dot the park, inviting audiences in to explore and connect with our communities.
The First Nations Circle
presented in partnership with BLAQ Aboriginal Corporation
Returning bigger and better for its second year, the First Nations Circle aims to create an environment which celebrates LGBTQIA+SB Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and will once again come to life in partnership with BLAQ Aboriginal Corporation. Settle in for some profound poetry performances, live music, DJs and an appearance from drag prince Bee Dazzled Shanks. Gather for the smoking ceremony at 11am, and explore First Nations-owned businesses and services at the new and improved hub.
American Express Main Stage
Hosted by ABC News Breakfast’s Nate Byrne and Faustina Agolley, expect ten hours of top-notch entertainment including the inaugural Drag King Games, hosted by Sexy Galexy and Donny Piccolo. The Main Stage fun features a range of fantastic community programming including a Sissy Ball vogue showcase, the Molly Poppinz Drag Show, plus performances by Nana Miss Koori, Penelope, Jamaica Moana, Seann Miley Moore, The Buoys, Beks, Carla Wehbe and Toni Pearan. Sit back and listen to an array of ABC talent, or get up and boogie to DJs Mama de Leche and Estee Louder as the sun begins to set over the parklands. Expect a finale performance from Eurovision Champion, Conchita Wurst, brought to the American Express Main Stage by Booking.com, major partner and exclusive digital travel provider of Sydney WorldPride.
Optus Arena
Get ready for the return of the paw-some Doggywood Parade and Pageant, with submissions now open for the Pageant’s esteemed categories Reach For The Stars, Eleganza Extravaganza, Best Dressed and The Gold Dogie – hosted by Milo Hartill. Meet internet personalities in a TikTok star panel hosted by Tomi Drag Queen, and hear from some of Australia’s top athletes at the Sporting Dreams panel featuring Ian Thorpe and Taylor Ling. Catch a live recording of ABC’s ‘The Party Room’ for all things politics, and then Beauty School is in session with Sydney Mardi Gras Official Makeup Partner MECCA MAX hosting free festival looks sessions run by industry icon Max May and MECCA MAX’s artistry team, with all attendees walking away with a complimentary beauty pack. Battery running low? You can also charge your phone at the Optus charging stations, all day long.
Wonderful, Proud & Free Stage
brought to you by Deloitte
The perfect destination for families to celebrate Fair Day, revel in the energy of Charisma Belle and Annie Mation as they present Drag Storytime, or cheer on the participants of Junior Drag. Kate Monroe leads the Kiddo Disco, where the dancing continues with musical performances by Nic Pes and Ray Isaac. Closing off the evening is DJ extraordinaire, Latifa Tee.
The Absolut Dancefloor
Absolut’s party kicks off from midday, where you can groove to the beats of DJs Boogie Witch, Fabian Brimfield, Kate Munro and Alex Taylor.
Six speciality bars will return to quench the search for your favourite refreshments, all while offering unique experiences for each respective watering hole.
Whiskey enthusiasts rejoice in this year’s newest addition of the Johnnie Walker Bar. Plus visit The American Express Lounge, which is back again and open to all. It’s a place to relax, enjoy a drink and connect with others, while providing an amazing vantage point of the American Express Main Stage.
The Absolut Bar will feature a delectable variety of cocktails to enjoy, or try some gin cocktails from the Archie Rose Bar and then wine-down at the Squealing Pig Wine Bar. If you’re looking for something a little more up-beat, make your way to Little Creatures Garden Bar for an all-day DJ extravaganza.
The Details:
What: Mardi Gras Fair Day
When: Sunday 19 February 2023. 10am-9pm
Where: Gadigal Land, Victoria Park, Cnr Parramatta Road and City Road, Broadway
Entry: FREE
More info: sydneyworldpride.com

Parramatta Pride Picnic 2022
2022-10-22 10:00 - 19:00 | Parramatta River Foreshore, River Foreshore Reserve, Parramatta, NSW, 2150, Australia
The Parramatta Pride Picnic is back in 2022!

Join us by the river in Parramatta on Saturday 22 October for the biggest pride festival in Western Sydney.

Parramatta Pride Picnic is organised by the Parramatta Queer Forum.
PQF is a group consisting of local residents and service providers seeking to build capacity, increase visibility and run events for LGBTQIA+ people in the Parramatta local government area.
The PQF meets once every two months, and delivers the annual Parramatta Pride Picnic – the largest LGBTQ pride picnic in Greater Western Sydney.
Everyone who has an interest to improving the wellbeing of Parramatta’s LGBTQIA+ community is welcome to join.
Phone: 02 9206 2114
Email: gprendergast@acon.org.au if you would like to be involved in this year’s picnic.

International Drag Day 2022
2022-07-16 | New South Wales
WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL DRAG DAY?
International Drag Day is celebrated every year, all around the world, to honour the art of drag. From all those fierce queens right through to the butch kings. Stick Saturday July 16, 2022 in your calendar and get ready to GAG ON DRAG!

Darwin Pride 2022
2022-06-23 - 2022-06-26 | New South Wales
In 1985, a group of passionate Darwinites came together to create the very first Darwin Pride Festival – promoting diversity, equality and celebrating LGBTQIA+ communities. These brave individuals shined the spotlight on issues that needed to change and celebrated what already made us shine. Over three decades on, we’re continuing what they began.
In 2019, Darwin Pride became an incorporated association for the purposes of:

program and facilitate events throughout the year which meet the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community liaise with government, community groups and members of the public to understand and meet the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community and the broader community as appropriate
fundraise and utilise available grants to provide the above services
donate to causes and events which we believe supports the ethos, objects and purposes of the Association

Top End Pride is run by volunteers who are passionate about equality, and diversity. We meet on a regular basis to plan and coordinate events and to work closely with local Government bodies to ensure we have our voices heard for future generations.
It is our mission to continue to raise awareness within our community and campaign for freedoms that will allow our people to live their lives on a genuinely equal footing.
Darwin Pride (NT) Inc, rebrand to Top End Pride (NT) Inc.
At the 2020 Annual General Meeting, the members of Darwin Pride (NT) Incorporated discussed and agreed to rename and rebrand the organisation to Top End Pride (NT) Incorporated. The new logo was launched in 2021.
The Committee chose this design for the following reasons:
*The first notable piece of the art work is the outline of the Northern Territory as it identifies us being from this great land.
*The colours of Pride are diverse and we decided to include such colours which also represent our spectacular sunsets seen here in the Northern Territory.
*As the Brolga can often be seen in the stunning parks of Northern Territory, we decided to have this great crane as a feature of our logo.

Trans Day Of Visibility 2022
2022-03-31 | New South Wales
