The Sydney Cricket Ground was awash in a vibrant display of pride and self-expression on Saturday night as the iconic Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade united LGBTQIA+ communities from all over Australia.
A stadium crowd of 40,000 spectators cheered on as 5,800 marchers, from over 160 parade entries, marched onto the field to show their pride, celebrate diversity.
This year marked the second year that the Parade was staged at the SCG due to the continuing pandemic. The stadium spectacular featured a superstar line-up of performances from the likes of Darren Hayes, Vanessa Amorosi, The Wiggles, Mo’Ju, Wafia, Timothy Springs, Prinnie Stevens, and local DJ’s KILIMI, Charlie Villas, Division 4.
The theme for the 2022 Parade was United we Shine, signifying that LGBTQIA+ communities shine brighter together and by standing up against hate and inequality as a collective, the message of love and inclusion is heard louder.
This year’s Parade entries incorporated the theme into their final concepts that covered a range of important issues from trans rights and climate change, to celebrating uniqueness and community pride.
Mardi Gras CEO Albert Kruger said this year’s Mardi Gras Parade proved why it’s such an important event.
“The Parade gives LGBTQIA+ people a global platform to celebrate the community, but to also draw attention to really important issues,” Kruger said.
“If the last few months have shown us anything, it’s that there is still a long way to go before equality is achieved. There are LGBTQIA+ people in Ukraine fighting for their freedoms, there are still countries around the world where LGBTQIA+ people are being killed because they are different.
“Visibility is a key stepping-stone to acceptance. That is why Mardi Gras is still so important.”
Although only 40,000 people could see the parade live compared with nearly 250,000 on Oxford Street Kruger believes the 2023 event will it back to the spiritual home in preparation for World Pride 2023.
“2023 will be a very important year. We will host a truly global LGBTQIA+ pride festival when Sydney World Pride comes to Australia, the very first time World Pride has been held in the Southern Hemisphere.”
“Sydney WorldPride will feature 17 jam-packed days of events, draw in thousands of international tourists and introduce the world to our amazing First Nations and Asia Pacific LGBTQIA+ communities.”
“2023 will also mark Australia’s 50th anniversary of Gay Pride Week, the 45th anniversary of the first Mardi Gras Parade, and 5-year anniversary of Australian marriage equality. So we can promise that the celebrations we’re planning are going to be like nothing ever seen before,” said Kruger.
See some photographic highlights of the night below.
(Supplied by Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras)
Last Updated on Mar 6, 2022
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