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Itβs the same time every year, but Mardi Gras never feels like it eases in. Itβs always, 'wow I can't wait for Mardi Gras this year' then BAM, it's here! Whoβs flying in? Whoβs crashing on your couch? Friends you see once a year, lovers you forgot you missed β or an ex you perhaps shouldn't drunk text (be strong, folks).
Long before the parade, calendars start filling with dinners, pre-drinks, recovery brunches and those inevitable βare you alive?β messages sent to friends lost along the way. One thingβs for sure, though β Sydney always goes big big BIG before going home, and it's big-hearted and full of community love, as always. Especially during moments like watching Sydneyβs greatest civic building topped by a rainbow.
The Progress Pride flag is soaring above Town Hall, Fair Day has come and gone, and Mardi Gras 2026 is officially in motion! Its vibrant and colourful program stretches from glittering Parade floats to trans-centred showcases, highbrow debates to sweaty late nights.Β
Get ready for a good time! Sydneyβs about to remind us she's a bit of a messy queen, but more than that β how thrilled she is to be a shining beacon of pride.
TOP STORY
Mardi Gras 2026 Officially Begins As Progress Pride Flag Raised At Sydney Town Hall
Mardi Gras season is officially underway after the official raising of the Progress Pride Flag on Valentineβs Day. Lord Mayor Clover Moore AO was joined by Independent MP Alex Greenwich and representatives of the community for the joy-filled ceremony.
βFor the last 16 years, we have raised a flag above Sydney Town Hall as a symbol of our support,β the Lord Mayor said. And beyond Town Hall, the Cityβs built Pride into its streetscape β from Prince Alfred Parkβs walkway to Oxford Street banners and Taylor Square crossings.
The Cityβs gone well beyond symbolism, though. Read on to learn about their extravagant collaboration with trans artist Jamaica Moana on this yearβs City of Sydney floatβ¦
by Michael James
PRESENTED BY BOHM
NURSE BLAKE
Nurse Blake is back with his hilarious new comedy tour with all new content, diving into the wildest things patients and their families say and do. From self-diagnosing Stage 8 Cancer with WebMD to hitting the call light like they are on a game show, nothing is off limits!
MARDI GRAS
Thereβs No Better Viewing Spot For The Iconic Mardi Gras Parade Than Glitter Club
Ready for an evening that promises an absolutely unforgettable experience? Look no further than Glitter Club, the ultimate viewing experience for the 2026 Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade.Β Unfiltered and exceptional, youβll be left absolutely awestruck and dancing well into the night.
by Lydia Jupp
MARDI GRAS
What Have We Lost With 2026βs Mardi Gras Parade After Party Cancellation?
For decades, the Mardi Gras After Party closed the night with a bang. Now itβs gone, LGBTQIA+ historian Leigh Boucher is here to remind you why its dance floor truly, truly mattered β and always will.
Boucher's richly layered love letter draws from interviews with queer partiers, and also includes plenty of content from the Star Observer archives, too (which you should also check out, if you havenβt already!).
by Leigh Boucher
PRESENTED BY LIFEBLOOD
BLOOD DONATION EQUALITY
More people can now donate plasma, including gay men, transgender people, and PrEP users.
MARDI GRAS
Is Heterosexuality A Cult? Mardi Grasβ Big 2026 Debate Tackles The Ultimate Queer Query
Boy meets girl. Boy marries girl. A labrador. Two kids. White picket fence. While some call this the perfect life, others reckon this is heteronormative nightmare fuel. But no matter which side youβre on, you donβt want to miss this fiery battle of wits.
by Michael James
SYDNEY PRIDE GUIDE
2026 FESTIVAL EDITION
Your go-to companion for the 2026 Pride season across NSW. Theatre, dance, comedy, ballroom events, art exhibitions, history walks, galas, fairs and markets - and that's just touching the surface.Β Happy Pride season, Sydney!
An intimate space, where you can relax in a cosy booth surrounded by an oasis of colourful kitsch.
MARDI GRAS
Mardi Gras Spotlights The Power & Joy of Australiaβs Trans Community
The βHot Trans Mardi Grasβ program is promising to fire up Mardi Gras like never before. Just a few years old, the program has been significantly broadened in 2026 in order to spotlight the joy and boundless power of the transgender and gender diverse community, despite living in a political landscape that tries to take these things away.
PRIDE SEASON 2026
EXPLORE ALL OUR PRIDE SEASON PICKS IN ONE PLACE
Pride Season isnβt a single vibe. Itβs a menu. Let us be your North Star β follow our lead to pick what fits, skip what doesnβt and come back for seconds.
