Guide to the Big Gay Weekend

Sydney’s Big Gay Weekend (BGW) is here and, after one look at the program of events, you can be sure long weekends will never be the same again. After its debut in 2011, the event which supports the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade Community Grants Scheme will also be sharing the fundraising love with the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, Queer Screen and Harbour City Bears this year. Check out our guide to the BGW festivities below.

INFO: www.biggayweekend.com.au

Big Gay Weekend Launch
Friday, September 28
Have a celebratory drink at Kinselas on Friday night, as the venue officially kicks off the BGW festivities. Hosted by Joyce Maynge and featuring a special performance by the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir, there will also be tunes courtesy of the fabulous DJ Kitty Glitter. Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras co-chairs Pete Urmson and Siri Kommedahl will also be unveiling the season theme for the 2013 Sydney Mardi Gras Festival. Friday 28th September, 7pm-9pm, Kinselas (Ground Floor).

Big Gay Friday
Friday, September 28
Reclaim the Oxford St strip on Friday night by buying a $10 wristband to gain entry into all of the supporting venues along the golden mile. All proceeds raised will be split between the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, Sydney Mardi Gras Parade Community Grants Scheme and the participating venues. From Slide’s Just George Dinner and Dance Party to Stonewall’s three floors of non stop partying, there’s no way you’ll be calling it an early night. Joining us in the Big Gay Friday fun will be the Stonewall Hotel, The Colombian Hotel, Bitch at The Standard, Kinselas, Polo Lounge, The Supper Club, and Slide.

Big Ideas Day
Saturday, September 29
Got a burning idea for a float but don’t know how to make it a reality? How do you want to use the parade to make a difference? The Beresford Upstairs will host Big Ideas Day on Saturday, September 29 from 12-3pm. Help develop and brainstorm ideas for next year’s Sydney Mardi Gras Parade, with 2013 parade creative consultants Ignatius Jones, Garry Leeson and Jane Becker, and members of the parade production and creative teams. This is a free public event for parade veterans, newbies, creatives and those who merely have a desire to share their ideas or spectate.

We Love Saturday
Saturday, September 29
With a packed lineup of top-tier DJs and performers across all four levels of the Oxford, We Love Saturday will see all profits going straight back to Harbour City Bears, Queer Screen and the Mardi Gras Parade Community Grants Scheme. It will feature GI Jode, Alex Taylor, Greg Boladian, Jake Kilby, Luke Leal, Matt Vaughan, Avra Cybele, Lovertits, Kam Shafaati, Frankie Shin and Colin Gaff, with more to be announced.

OFFICIAL BIG GAY WEEKEND PARTIES

Action – Midnight Shift
Saturday, September 29
Action returns to BGQ after a two year hiatus. This event will be produced in a similar vein to their legendary ArtHouse Hotel parties where there was cutting edge dance music pumped out of the speakers to a predominantly male crowd.
The DJ lineup is headed by Action stalwart Alan Thompson, supported by the beautiful Sveta, along with Garry Todd and John Devecchis.
Eyebyte Visuals will be employed for the evening to shake up the feel of the venue.
INFO: actionsydney.com

Glitter Ball – The Metro
Saturday, September 29
After jaunts in Singapore and Shanghai blowing minds, the Glitter Ball returns to its spiritual home, The Metro. Produced by Rhys Bobridge with fabulous drag performances, the theme, Fashion Freaks, is meant to inspire visions of Vera Wang with an actual wang. Ralph Laurentboy and Christian Roll Over And Dior. DJs Kitty Glitter, Alex Taylor, Scott Tanner, Stephen C and The Swagger DJs will be on hand to provide some devastating tunes.
INFO: inthedark.com.au

Rezerection – Basement Club, Imperial
Saturday, September 29
KX76 Productions and Bang Clothing present the original and infamous sellout men-only underwear and swimwear dance party RezErection: Sleaze Edition 2012 for the first time on the Saturday night of a long weekend. Featuring hot local and visiting guys, gogo boys and a 360-degree visual and viewing new venue experience, it’ll play host to DJs Johnny Blue Boy, Adam Cox, Chip and Brett Austin.
INFO: greentix.com.au

Apollo – The Hi-Fi, Entertainment Quarter
Sunday, September 30
Kicking off on the Sunday afternoon of BGW with an over-the-top production promising those butterflies-in-your-stomach kind of moments, Apollo is a special celebration featuring a laser-filled spectacular matched with soaring sounds. The Apollo Arena will feature Ruby and Matt Bachl and the Satellite Bar has Kate Monroe and Mark Alsop.
INFO: apollotheparty.com.au or buy in person at Bang Clothing or Daly Male.

DILF – Rooftop, Home Nightclub
Sunday, September 30
Whether you’re looking for a daddy or just out to hang out with some hot guys, get on down to the beautiful rooftop of Home, waterside at Cockle Bay Wharf, for DILF. Featuring two rooms of music with gorgeous outdoor decks. Your maestros for the night are DJ Alex Taylor, Chip, Stephen C, Murray Hood, Dom De Sousa, Jayson Forbes and Dan Slater
INFO: inthedark.com.au


Diva Fever – Upstairs Beresford
Sunday, September 30
Diva Fever is back for one ripper of a party with 100 percent diva anthems from the ‘90s to today. The top level of The Beresford in Surry Hills has a cranking sound system and a cloak room which is 100 percent free for this party. There are two massive bars, two smoking balconies, a huge stage and it’s all less than a year old – so it’s still nice and fresh. It will feature a performance from resident diva Paulini, drag starlet Amelia Airhead, a diva tribute show by Natasha Tyra Knowles and dancers, as well as DJs Sean Manley and Dan Murphy.
INFO: daisytickets.com

Extra Dirty -Midnight Shift
Sunday, September 30
Featuring a stellar line-up of Australia’s best DJs and an exclusive headlining international DJ/producer, tickets to Extra Dirty have become heavily sought after. With a music policy that is deep and dirty this is indisputably Sydney’s hottest dance-floor. Sunday sees the return of Extra Dirty’s most popular international, super-hot Parisian DJ Leomeo. Leomeo will jet in exclusively to play Extra Dirty, a party he describes as one of his favourite gigs to play on the international gay club scene. With support from Baby Bear, Juan Velasco and Feisty, you can expect one hot party.

Gay marriage in 'a matter of months'‏

Australian Marriage Equality convenor Rodney Croome has said he expects to see gay marriage legalised somewhere in Australia within a matter of months.
Speaking to the Star Observer today after Tasmania’s Upper House narrowly voted down same sex marriage legislation by eight votes to six last night, Croome said legalised marriage for the LGBTI community would occur before the year was out.
“Tasmania has brought us closer to marriage equality than we have ever been before in Australia,” Croome said.
“The fact that the bill was only narrowly defeated, the fact that we have a majority of Tasmanians on our side and the fact that upper house members opposed to the bill were chiefly concerned about constitutional issues shows that this bill has a very good chance when it’s reintroduced.”
Croome said that although the bill failed to gain enough support, the closeness of the vote showed how far the campaign for equal rights had come.
“I think the other states that are considering this issue will be encouraged by what has happened in Tasmania because we have come within just a couple of votes of success and they will be encouraged,” he said.
“I expect to see same-sex couples marrying somewhere in Australia within a matter of months.”
Yesterday a cross-party group of MPs working on legalising same-sex marriage in NSW expressed disappointment at the rejection of a marriage bill by the Tasmanian Legislative Council, but said the group remained committed to passing same-sex marriage legislation in NSW.
“The right to be treated equally before the law and to marry the person you love is an unstoppable force that our parliaments will have to continue to deal with until this discrimination is removed,” the statement read.
“The working group will be reviewing all contributions and issues raised in the Tasmanian debate and will take those into account in its deliberations and the drafting of a NSW bill.”
The group includes Liberal MP Bruce Notley-Smith, Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann, Labor MLC Penny Sharpe and National Party MLC Trevor Khan.
The group said it was in the process of consulting with groups in favour of legalising gay marriage in NSW and would take into account the Tasmanian experience.
It’s expected the NSW legislation will be voted on by the end of the year.
There are currently marriage equality bills before half the state and territory parliaments, including South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia and the ACT.