Mardi Gras 2017

COME PARTY WITH US! Tickets for our 2017 Mardi Gras Party are selling faster than last year - and last year they sold out! If you haven't got yours already, get them quick. The current ticket price is only available until Midnight on Monday 27 February, after that the price increases. Book here at Ticketek! The Mardi Gras Party is one of the world's biggest LGBTQI celebrations. It's an amazing, inclusive and hedonistic experience like no other, and this year there's many surprises in store for our lucky partygoers. All the amazing DJs are confirmed for our huge dance spaces at the 2017 Mardi Gras Party! Here's the DJ set times so you can see who's playing at the Forecourt, Hordern, RHI and Max Watts. QUEER THINKING @ ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES The Art Gallery of NSW is set for a fabulously queer makeover this weekend as we roll out a bumper program of events and activities to spark creative discussion and celebrate equality. Queer Thinking is a program of extraordinary stories, compelling panels of special guests, amazing artistic talent and incredible experiences. 2017's Queer Thinking events kick off this weekend with Queer Warhol (Saturday 25th), the EqualiTEA Party (Sunday 26th) and Queer Art After Hours (Wednesday 1st March) - all presented at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in association with the exhibition Adman: Warhol before pop. Politics in the Pub is brought to you by the Equality Campaign at the Beresford Hotel. FIND OUT ALL ABOUT QUEER THINKING HERE! SEE YOU AT BREASTIVILLE! With close to 500 women now registered, Welcome to Breastiville is the biggest LBQ Women’s event this Mardi Gras. ACON is taking over Marrickville Town Hall for an amazing day-to-night festival this Saturday Feb 25 as part of the #TalkTouchTest campaign.   Get down during the day for creative workshops, market stalls, free mammograms and the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir, and by night be dazzled by burlesque performances from Lillian Starr and Rosie Rivette and dance to the sounds of Bluehouse and That Red Head. Welcome to Breastiville is 100% FREE to attend! Register here. MARDI GRAS AT QT SYDNEY QT Sydney couldn't be more excited for Mardi Gras, and are inviting you to stay with them this Mardi Gras weekend. Check into a beautifully designed QT Executive room and you'll get all the tickets you need for the weekend ahead. Top that with a round of Mardi Gras-themed cocktails waiting for you in Gilt Lounge before the parade. Lastly, to make things a little easier on Monday morning, they'll hook you up with a luxuriously late checkout of 2pm. BOOK FOR QT SYDNEY HERE STORIES OF ART AND IDENTITY Join with the hostess with the mostess Joyce Maynge as she gets talking with talented artists Deborah Kelly, Jiva Parthipan and Liam Benson. Bringing tales of their own individuality and their identity in context, each of these artists will shine a light on the Mardi Gras theme of Creating Equality. Get ready to participate in this evening of charismatic conversation. Wednesday 1 March, 7pm–8.30pm at Customs House Library. Tickets are free but limited. Book now to avoid disappointment! A MESSAGE FROM OUR NEW SPONSORS AT HOLDEN: "Here at Holden, we’re proud to be the first ever official automotive partner of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. "We know we’ve only just come out of the closet, so we want to know more about you, and how we can help create equality for all Australians.  That’s why we were thrilled to get about 250 completed Holden Equality Survey responses from our Astra Lux Lounge at Mardi Gras Fair Day.  If you missed us there, we were offering massages as well as make-up and hair touch-ups to keep everybody feeling and looking fab! "We’re pretty busy getting ready for the Mardi Gras Parade but following our debut, we’ll be trawling through your responses to see what drives this community, and learn what we can do in the future to support you.  Can’t wait for our first-ever Mardi Gras Parade, keep an eye out for us ­– though we’ll be pretty hard to miss!" 6 POST-MARDI GRAS HANGOVER TIPS

Couldn’t say no to that second rainbow cocktail? Soothe your party fever with these tips. It’s the night of nights, when an explosion of colour, sound and crazy costumes takes over the Sydney streets. There’s nothing quite like the Mardi Gras Parade for a night of dancing, celebration, pride and passion. It’s vibrant, electric, exhilarating. And then comes the morning after, when chances are, you’ll be feeling a little worse for wear. Of course, we don’t encourage or endorse excessive alcohol consumption. The best way to avoid a hangover – and look after yourself – is not to drink too much to begin with. But hey, we all know how easy it can be to get carried away when we’re celebrating special occasions. That’s when it pays to have a hangover plan in place to make the next day that little bit less painful. Here are our top tips for surviving the post-Mardi Gras comedown.

Matinee the island sydney

Matinee Mardi Gras Closing Party The world's biggest gay party is landing back in Sydney this Mardi Gras weekend. The Series subscribers can get exclusive discounted tickets - select 'friends of Matinee' ticket and enter code: Theisland Click for tickets

ARTIST ROSS WATSON'S EXHIBITION

 

A premier event in the 2017 Mardi Gras Festival, artist Ross Watson's exhibition opens this Thursday 23 February, presenting an exhibition of original paintings, photography and limited edition prints at Yellow House Sydney. Find out more here.

SYDNEY'S OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Sydney is the ultimate outdoor playground. One of the best ways to enjoy the city's stunning natural attractions is on a coastal trail or by picnicking in a harbourside park. Stroll through the Royal Botanic Gardens or jog along the promenade at Bondi Beach. Sydney Harbour itself is a gateway to a world of natural attractions where you can navigate your way around the inner-harbour islands by ferry, or hire a kayak and paddle your way to a secluded harbour beach where you can swim and snorkel.   DISCOVER SYDNEY'S NATURAL WONDERS HERE

EXTRA DIRTY - MARDI GRAS EDITION

 

Proudly born and bred in Sydney’s gay underground, Extra Dirty appeals to the leather/fetish/rubber crew - but all tribes are welcome. This year Extra Dirty hits Sydney’s ultra sexy venue, The Club in Kings Cross. The event spans two spaces and features a stellar line-up of both International and local DJs playing only the best tech and house sounds. Final release tickets are on sale for EXTRA DIRTY - Mardi Gras Edition 2017 on Sunday 5 March. Book here.

Girrlz with guitars

Beloved talent will unite for an amazing night Girrlz with Guitarz on Friday 3 March. Lesbian folk pop superstars Bluehouse line up with the incredible Hussy Hicks and an extraordinary guitarist, singer, songwriter from the USA Christie Lenee whose skills have to be seen to be believed. There will be tears, there will be laughter, there will be dancing and there may even be a supergroup by the end of it all! Everyone's welcome at Girrlz with Guitarz. Details and bookings here!

STYLE AGENDER THIS FRIDAY!

 

Fashion is less about his and hers and increasingly about ours. That's what Aurora's Mardi Gras Festival fashion show Style aGender is all about. This anticipated celebration of gender queer design features six fabulous labels showcased by a cast of recognisable community models and a star of the catwalk. This and a VIP lounge, Fashion Talks panel discussion and special guest appearances make it the hottest ticket in town. Do not miss out on securing yours.

BOOK STYLE AGENDER TICKETS HERE

THE PARTY OF THE YEAR!

 

HAPPY MARDI GRAS! Here's a quick ticketing update, as there's not long to go now until the huge Party and Parade night on Saturday 4 March. Our Parade viewing areas have now all SOLD OUT. Thanks to everyone who booked. 2017's Parade is going to be spectacular - you won't want to miss a moment of it! Tickets for the official Mardi Gras Party are selling much faster than last year's Party, which sold out - so make sure you grab yours while you can. Second Release tickets are on sale here. LANEWAY is our final event of this year's Mardi Gras. Happening on Sunday March 5, it's the perfect way to kiss goodbye to an amazing summer! Tickets on sale here.

DIVERSE LGBTQI COMMUNITIES

DIVERSE LGBTQI COMMUNITIES UNITE FOR
EQUALITY AT 2017 MARDI GRAS PARADE

2017’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade will be bursting at the seams with pride and passion, featuring 187 diverse entries each with their own unique take on the festival’s theme CREATING EQUALITY.

The 39^th annual Parade is at once a giant celebration, a wild and witty protest call to action, and a life-affirming adventure.

This year Mardi Gras have registered a grand total of 12,137 parade participants. The procession will be proudly led by First Nations people, who will work together with the original 1978 Mardi Gras marchers to begin the Parade.

One of the main Mardi Gras floats is titled EQUALITY and features 8 x 2.4 metre high 3-D equality letters on wheels that will span over 20 metres. A cross between a moving sculptural installation, Parade float and giant photographic exhibition, each letter features a different participant from the My People I My Tribe community photography project titled #barenakedtruth.  Accompanying the giant letters as they travel up Oxford Street will be 60 participants from LGBTQI communities that have participated in the My People My Tribe project.

Mardi Gras has a long and loud history as a protest action, and in 2017 there’ll be plenty of passion on show. Among the broad range of LGBTQI community concerns will be Australian Marriage Equality, Farmers Coming Out for the Environment, Keep Sydney Open, Socialists Alliance and the Uniting Church LGBTIQ Network who are marching to draw attention to the plight of LGBTQI refugees. Mardi Gras is proud to provide a platform for a diverse range of voices and views.

10 of the parade’s 187 float entries are Mardi Gras’ corporate partners, who are proudly demonstrating leadership in supporting the LGBTQI community within their own staff and the broader community.

In 2017 Mardi Gras has partnered with Google to increase their capacity to provide individuals and community groups with grants up to $5,000 each to support their parade entry. The grants program aims to provide grants to individuals, community groups and not-for-profit groups to help lift parade entries to a completely new artistic level. Grant recipients will be announced in the coming weeks

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras officially begins with the annual Rainbow Flag raising ceremony at Sydney Town Hall which unleashes the festival. Highlights of the Festival include the annual community Fair Day to be held on Sunday 19 February in new location Camperdown Memorial Rest Park.

There are over 90 events happening around Sydney through the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras season from 17 February to 5 March. Get all the details and tickets at mardigras.org.au.

 

EDITOR’S NOTES

ABOUT SYDNEY GAY AND LESBIAN MARDI GRAS

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is the non-for-profit member-based organisation that produces the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade and Festival as well as a number of other events throughout the year. SGLMG exists primarily to develop the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras for the benefit of Sydney’s LGBTQI community, the enjoyment of a wider audience and as a global beacon of diversity, acceptance and LGBTQI rights. 

Mardi Gras Fair Day

FAIR DAY CELEBRATES THE
FIRST WEEKEND OF MARDI GRAS

Fair Day, Sydney's most-loved LGBTQI community event, kicks off two weeks of Mardi Gras madness THIS Sunday 19 February, 10am to 7pm at Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, Newtown.
Join over 80,000 people as Fair Day presents a huge line up of live entertainment, community activations, food stalls as well as a special Fashions of The Fair competition, a chance to have your footwear glittered up to become a part of a float at this year’s Parade and the ever-popular Doggywood parade.
WHAT: Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Fair Day
WHERE:  Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, Newtown
WHEN: Sunday 19 February from 10am

Sydney Science Festival

THIS IS A VOICE HEADLINES
2017 SYDNEY SCIENCE FESTIVAL

 

The 2017 Sydney Science Festival will take visitors on an auditory journey inside the elusive nature of the human voice with the exhibition This is a Voice. This immersive experience will be part of a compelling program of exhibitions, talks and workshops taking place across Sydney during the Sydney Science Festival this August.

Now in its third year, the 2017 Sydney Science Festival will be produced by the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences and Australian Museum with founding partner Inspiring Australia. The festival brings together a diverse group of research institutions, museums, universities, industry, and community organisations across greater Sydney, to deliver a program for all ages during National Science Week.

Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences Director, Dolla Merrillees, said the festival will once again showcase a range of engaging activities.  

“The 2016 festival attracted over 60,000 participants, reflecting growing public interest in science. This year we are working with scientists and organisations from across Sydney to prepare a program which will intrigue, amuse, and satisfy the curiosity of our visitors of all ages.”

“We will be showcasing international and Australian experts, as well as bringing back some favourites including the Powerhouse Museum’s Family Day, Science in the Swamp, the Australian Museum Community Day and Winning Sky Photos at Sydney Observatory.” said Ms Merrillees.

Organisations or individuals interested in being a part of the 2017 festival program are invited to submit an expression of interest by 10 March 2017.

This is a Voice

Blending science, technology, theatre, video and sound and featuring daily ‘voicings’, live performances and demonstrations, a highlight of this year’s Sydney Science Festival program will be This is a Voice. The exhibition is presented in partnership with the Wellcome Collection, London, and explores how the voice is connected to human life and identify.

Visitors enter the exhibition through an anechoic chamber, a non-echoing corridor designed to absorb all sounds. Providing a moment of stillness, the chamber is an opportunity to shift attention from the visual to the aural before being enveloped in the soundscape of the exhibition. Experience the human voice by delving inside vocal tracts, restless minds and speech devices and contemplate the evolution of speech through the growing trend for speaking machines.

“This highly performative exhibition is full of haunting, strange and beautiful sounds that encourage visitors to challenge the way they think of both the physiology and psychology of the human voice,” said Ms Merrillees.

An action-packed 11 days of events, the Sydney Science Festival is a hands on science experience that delivers an array of powerful performances, daring demonstrations and wondrous workshops in venues across the city.

Sydney Science Festival
10-20 August 2017
Expressions of Interest close on 10 March 2017 www.sydneyscience.com.au/eoi/

Follow Sydney Science Festival on:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sydneysciencefestival
Twitter: @SydScienceFest
Website: www.sydneyscience.com.au

This is a Voice exhibition
12 August 2017 – 28 January 2018
Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street, Ultimo      
Admission: Free with general admission: $15 adult, $8 concession, kids under 16 years free

https://www.facebook.com/BangClothing/posts/1256214211127215:0