Overview
When the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras arrives each year, picking your parties becomes everyone's new pastime as the LGBTQIA+ celebrations take over the city. Is going all out both at the parade and afterwards your kind of shindig? Do you want to hit up a vogue ball? Enjoy a pool soirée? Dance on a beach? Get glittery in a laneway? They're all options — including from Friday, February 16–Sunday, March 3 in 2024.
Who you'd like to listen to as you get into the Mardi Gras spirit inspires another set of questions — and the answers for this year, aka the event's full lineup, have just been announced. Adam Lambert, Ultra Naté, CeCe Peniston and Slayyyter all feature, as do Cub Sport, MAY-A, Keiynan Lonsdale, Melissa Tkautz and the cast of & Juliet. In total, more than 150 performers are on the bill across 100-plus events.
Joseph Sinclair
Lambert is at the top of the list for the ten-hour, 10,000-capacity Mardi Gras Party, taking to the stage at Hordern Pavilion. That's where Ultra Naté will also bust out 1997 anthem 'Free', on a roster that also spans ONYX, Brett Austin, Patrick Mason, DJ Monki and Mark Alsop.
The same event will feature Peniston giving an Australian-exclusive performance that will have everyone singing along to 'Finally', but in The Forecourt. Also on the bill: Lonsdale, Miss Katalyna, Shigeki and Bobby Blanco, as well as SGT Slick and Ebstar.
Elsewhere, Mardi Gras Party lineup's includes DJ Naian, Lisa May and AK Sports among the talents at Liberty Hall, which will be going for a boiler room-style vibe; a roster featuring DADSMAYO, Charlie Villas, Mary Kiani and more at The Big Top; Diva Cups, Mama de Leche, Dyan Tai, Drag Kings and others at Watson's; and Mary's EQ and The Entertainment Quarter hosting food trucks and bars.
If revelling on the sand at Sydney WorldPride's Bondi Beach Party was one of your 2023 highlights, it might earn the same status again this year. While Sydney WorldPride was a once-off, its surfside shenanigans are returning. This time, the event will welcome in 15,000 attendees to see Slayyyter in an Aussie-exclusive performance — plus Jay Jay Revlon, Lagoon Femshaymer, Corey Craig, Josh Harrison, Tyoow, Mama de Leche and Beth Yen.
Mardi Gras 2024 is similarly giving Sydney WorldPride's Ultra Violet a second run, celebrating LGBTQIA+ women in an event that takes place as day turns to night at the National Art School. MAY-A will headline, with Estée Louder, DJ Sveta, Gemma, Kinky D (UK), BVT, Jacqui Cunningham, Mirasia and Kilimi on the bill as well.
The free Fair Day is where Tkautz will break out 'Read My Lips'; stage talents riffing on Shakespeare will perform; and LION, Paul Capsis, Royston Noell and DJ Nate will also be take to the stage. The doggywood pageant, karaoke cave, drag king games and First Nations circle are all also on the agenda.
Gender-diverse celebration Hot Trans Summer on floating venue Glass Island will feature DJs Neesha Alexander, Yvngcweed, and Victoria Anthony, plus Fetu Taku, Bluberry Bakla and Willow Ick performing. Paradiso Pool Party's lineup at the ivy Pool Bar is bringing together Beth Yen, Enn, DJ Dolly Llama, Haylee Maree, DJ Sveta, Axl Rod, Rocky Stallone and more. And at the other excuse for a splash, the Kaftana Pool Party, Texas Gold, Miss Rosie Rivette, Sideboob DJ Hamo are among the DJs.
Cub Sport lead the charge at Laneway at The Beresford to wrap up the fest, with Atomic Kiss, Amanda Louise, Dan Azzo and Jesse Boyd for company. Before then, DJ Colin Gaff, GI Jode, Kevininthecity, Faustina Agolley, John Glover and Rosie Piper are among the folks who'll be helping set the mood at the parade's viewing areas.
The full 2024 Mardi Gras rundown also sees Zoë Coombs Marr host Laugh Out Proud at the Enmore Theatre, where St Clair, Wandi Cao, Steven Oliver, Michelle Braiser, Eli Matthewson, Bob Downe and AJ Lamarque will pick up the microphone. At the Sissy Ball, Jack Mizrahi will be commentating, while Legendary Tamiyah 007, Joel Bueno, Steva 007 and Daniielle Juicy Gorgeous Gucci are judging.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2024 runs from Friday, February 16–Sunday, March 3, 2024. For more information, or for tickets, head to the event's website.
Select images: Jeffrey Feng Photography, Lexy Potts.