Sydney With Pride 2023

AndThe Pride 2023 celebration is an annual event that commemorates the LGBTQ+ community’s progress in achieving equality and acceptance. This celebration typically takes place during the month of June, which is recognized as Pride Month in many countries.

Pride events usually include parades, rallies, parties, and other activities. They aim to promote visibility, awareness, and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community.

When was the First Pride Celebration?

First Pride celebration is widely considered to have occurred on June 28, 1970, in New York City, to commemorate the Stonewall riots. These were a series of demonstrations by members of the LGBTQ+ community against a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village.

These riots marked a pivotal moment in the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. And are considered to be the catalyst for the modern-day Pride movement.

Since then, Pride celebrations have grown to become a global phenomenon, with events taking place in cities around the world.  Pride celebration is an important way for LGBTQ+ people and their allies to come together.  Celebrate their identities, and advocate for the rights of all members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Australian Pride 2023 Celebrations 

Sydney, Australia has one of the largest and most iconic Pride celebrations in the world.  Known as the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Sydney Mardi Gras is typically held in late February or early March and attracts hundreds of thousands of people. Including LGBTQ+ individuals and allies, from around the world.  This celebration includes a colorful parade with floats, costumes, and music, as well as various parties, cultural events, and performances.

What makes the Sydney Mardi Gras unique is its history and cultural significance and as one of the top gay destinations. This event began in 1978 as a protest march for LGBTQ+ rights.  It has since evolved into a celebration of diversity and inclusion.

This parade is a showcase of LGBTQ+ identity and culture.  It is also an opportunity to raise awareness of issues facing the LGBTQ+ community, including discrimination and inequality.  Sydney Mardi Gras has become an important platform for LGBTQ+ rights, activism and advocacy in Australia and beyond.

World Pride Celebrations Sydney 2023

WorldPride is an international LGBTQ+ event that takes place every few years in a different city around the world.  WorldPride is a celebration of the global LGBTQ+ community.  It is typically a larger and more comprehensive event than a regular Pride celebration.

The last WorldPride took place in New York City in 2019, marking the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.  Next WorldPride is scheduled to take place in Sydney, Australia in 2023. It will be the first time WorldPride is held in the Southern Hemisphere.

This WorldPride celebration in Sydney brought tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ people and allies from around the world together.  Featuring a wide range of events, including a parade, cultural festivals, performances, and conferences. This event will provide a platform to showcase LGBTQ+ culture, promote visibility and awareness. And advocate for equality and acceptance for all members of the community.

World Pride Ends in Australia with a Historic Sydney Harbour Walk

A historic moment happened today.  50,000 people crossed the Sydney Harbor Bridge in a beautiful display of unity and solidarity for the LGBTQ+ community as WorldPride drew to a close.

Bridges and many roads were closed for a few hours today as people started walking as early as 7am and reopened around midday. The 78ers proudly celebrated the march on March 1st, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Secretary Penny Wong joining the march.

Other politicians who made the 4km walk included independent MP Alex Greenwich and Sydney city councilor Linda Scott.  “It’s great, it’s great to see everyone come out early and cross the bridge. Everyone is happy and there are good vibes”.

Pride March is a Milestone

Having volunteered for three of the main events of WorldPride and Mardi Gras, such as demonstrations and human rights conferences, Li hopes that today’s march can see a return to future events.  “The Pride march is truly a milestone. The march is awesome, the event is awesome, but we are here to make a statement and we are here to demonstrate and protest.

We all need to accept young couple Morgan Simon and Grace Mitchell are excited to walk for vision, equality and unity for the LGBTQ+ community. “We have a little bit of equality but we all need to accept that we don’t have to do this to feel accepted in our community,” Simon told the Star Observer.

“There are still a lot of people in this world who don’t believe in the rights of men and women,” Mitchell said.  While they enjoy WorldPride and other Mardi Gras events, the couple is also grateful for Australia’s acceptance and support from the LGBTQ+ community compared to other countries.

Comments of Walkers in the March 

“We’re lucky to live in a very accepting community and I know that not everyone has the opportunity to love everyone they want,” Simon said.  “I really don’t think anyone should know about other people’s lives and what they’re doing.  Because it has nothing to do with them, and I don’t understand why they have such a problem,” Mitchell said.

“Wonderful to see Together for 10 years”, John Baird and Nathan Taylor walked for confirmation and celebrated their love and “the fact that we can hold hands”.

“It’s amazing to walk across the bridge,” Baird said.  Trains and buses passing in front of the procession sent their support and trumpets as the marchers danced, cheered and carried banners and flags.

Top 30 LGBTQIA Nightclubbing Venues & Dating Apps

I have been working at Adultsmart for just over a year now and I cannot tell you how many of my LGBTQIA customers have asked me where they should go out to meet people in Sydney.

So today I am going to give you all the information I know about what events are on and when and where they are.  All the good pubs and clubs and some of the most popular dating apps.  I am a lesbian so I know more about the lesbian events than all the gay events. But I will try to mix it up as much as I can with.  There are loads of queer venues in Australia but I’ll deal with Sydney.

Events in Sydney

EMPIRE

This is a new monthly event that has been happening for about 4 months now at the Hudson Ballroom in the city.  Organisers of this event have a bunch of promoters that are really helpful to the people who don’t know other people in the LGBTQIA community.

If you don’t go out much or have anyone to go with the promotors organise a gathering before the event.  This is so that everyone has people to party with all night.  From my experiences going to this event everyone in there is super friendly and ready to mingle so it is really easy to make lots of new friends there.

Check it out on the Socials

They have a Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat that are all very active and a lot of people meet just through those alone. There’s a group chat for people to meet.  And a group called Empire Girls Gang where everyone discusses community issues or even personal issues.  Everyone is super helpful and supportive.

There are two rooms so there is plenty of space for everyone, tables and seats for people to sit down and relax as well.  They have a trustworthy cloakroom in the venue for you to leave your jacket and any other belongings you don’t want to carry around all night.

You can purchase tickets for this event online or you can purchase tickets at the door – $20 Entry.  If you keep an eye on their Facebook page they sometimes have competitions so that you can win free tickets to their events.

YTG

The YTG has the same organisers as Empire. YTG is run weekly as a Thursday night event at Monkey Magic in Kings Cross. This event offers free entry.  There is a Nintendo 64 that you can sit down and play if you don’t feel like dancing, $1 dumplings and other food available till late.

There is no lockout for this event.

GIRLTHING

This once a month event has been happening for 9 years now.  It was the first club I went to when I first turned 18 and I am now 23. You’ll have to click on the link to their Facebook to find out locations, once you like the page they’ll invite you to events.

Thing I love most about this one is they have themes every couple of months and different types of parties e.g. Mardi Gras, jelly wrestling, body painting, Halloween etc. They are even a check-in point on the app Winkd so it’s easier for you to find the single ladies dancing around you. The weekend after the Sydney event they now have one in Melbourne as well.

You can either purchase tickets before the event or at the door on the night depending on which event it is.  I.e. Mardi Gras parties usually sell out really fast so best to purchase your tickets as soon as they come out onlin.

Entry price is always different depending on the event.

BOYTHING

Same people who run Girlthing also run Boything which is also a monthly event.  Exact same concept just more for gay men and transgender men. There are no rules though, men and women are allowed at both events.

Give the Boything page a like as well if you’d like to be updated on when and where this one is.

BIRDCAGE

Again the same people who run Girlthing and Boything. This one is a weekly event held at the Sly Fox in Enmore on a Wednesday night. It offers free entry and cheap drinks before 11 pm. Usually, they even have $5 wet pussy shots all night.

Give the page a like for this one as well if you want to keep in the loop with all the different themed nights. There is no lockout at this venue and plenty of couches to sit down and relax.

HEAPS GAY

Heaps gay is a monthly event held at The Lady Hampshire in Camperdown. This event is filled with a mixture of people from the LGBTQIA community.  The venue is pretty big and usually full so there are plenty of new people for you to meet at this one.

Most of the time it is free entry unless they have a special event which you can purchase tickets online or at the door.

UNICORNS

Unicorns occurs every few months, usually themed and always sells out at The Red Rattler Theatre. Again you’ll find a mixture of LGBTQIA folks at this event and every single one of them is very friendly.

This event usually has a lot of shows for you to watch as well as partying.  They also run competitions during the night with awesome prizes (including sex toys!). Everyone is always dressed up in wild clothing and all up it is just really fun and has a great vibe.

They also have a monthly event in Melbourne.

Make sure to purchase your tickets early for this one otherwise you might miss out.

CLUB LIST

• ARQ Sydney – Darlinghurst
• Stonewall – Oxford Street
• Goodbar – Oxford Street
• Midnight Shift – Oxford Street
• Oxford Art Factory – Oxford Street
• Palms on Oxford – Oxford Street
• Nevermind – Oxford Street
• Cliff Dive – Oxford Street
• Colombian Hotel – Oxford Street
• Marlborough Hotel – King Street, Newtown
• Tokyo Sing Song – downstairs of Malborough hotel
• Websters Bar – King Street, Newtown
• Midnight Special – Enmore road, Enmore
• The Bank – King Street, Newtown
• Newtown Hotel – King Street, Newtown
• Courthouse Hotel – Australia Street, Newtown
• The Imperial Hotel – Erskineville Road, Erskineville
• Sly Fox – Enmore Road, Enmore

Just to name a few…

APPS

• Grindr
• Her
• Winkd
• OkCupid
• Tinder
• Dattch
• Hornet

If you would like to find out more information or support, there are many LGBTQI services that are available nation wide.

About the author: Elliana is a consultant from Oh Zone Adult Lifestyle Centres