Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Has Revealed Its Powerful and Diverse 2020 Program
And Dua Lipa is headlining the huge post-parade party.
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is barrelling into the new decade with a bigger, bolder and brighter program than ever before, pinning its 2020 festivities to the theme of 'What Matters'.
A supersized lineup of music, theatre, performance, dance parties, workshops and more will descend on the city from Friday, February 14 till Sunday, March 1 next year. And, with the city recently named as the 2023 location for huge international LGBTQI+ celebration World Pride, you just know that Sydney will be out to show exactly how big it can go.
When it comes to the annual Mardi Gras Party — the post-Mardi Gras Parade celebration that'll descend on Hordern Pavilion for a multi-sensory extravaganza — the event is definitely going big. Headlining is Dua Lipa, with the Grammy Award-winning artist leading the all-night festivities from 10pm–8am on Saturday, February 29. She'll be joined by an array of other performers and DJs, with her pop sounds echoing through the party alongside techno and house beats.
Also scaling things up is the Seymour Centre, housing an expanded festival hub — and playing host to 15 of its own memorable events, as well as to the late-night Festival Club that'll be partying hard from Thursday to Sunday right through Mardi Gras. One of its grandest shindigs comes in the form of Gender Euphoria, a genre-bending main-stage event celebrating trans life with help from a huge cast of emerging performers and big-name acts. The venue will also host rollicking live song fest Homage, which'll see a roll call of acclaimed LGBTQI+ musicians give a big, sonic nod to defining queer artists and tunes from across the decades.
Expect a big injection of Eurovision talent, too, especially when 2014 winner Conchita Wurst joins Aussie cabaret star Trevor Ashley for Conchita Wurst and Trevor Ashley in Concert. The pair will play the State Theatre with a full orchestra in tow to deliver a night dedicated to their greatest hits.
And the chuckles will be flowing freely when Laugh Out Proud pulls together a sparkling lineup of homegrown and international acts into one side-splitting variety comedy event. Hosted by Nath Valvo, this one features appearances from the likes of Rhys Nicholson, Cassie Workman, Zoe Coombs Marr, Geraldine Hickey and Myra DuBois.
Sissy Ball, Ann-Marie Calilhanna
Of course, the program is also peppered with plenty of returning fan favourites, including sell-out vogue celebration that is the Sissy Ball, Ivy's sun-drenched, DJ-fuelled Pool Party and the family-friendly Fair Day.
While the Mardi Gras party schedule will still have to contend with Kings Cross' harsh lockout laws, the CBD is getting a reprieve, with its own lockout legislation set to be rolled back later this year. That could mean even more late-night Mardi Gras fun than Sydney's enjoyed in years.
The 2020 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras will take place from Friday, February 14 till Sunday, March 1, 2020. To check out the rest of the program, visit the Mardi Gras website.
Top images: Jeffrey Feng.
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