It’s time to start planning for one of the best days of the year because the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is taking place on Saturday 5 March 2022 and it is going to be spectacular.
A dazzling display of pride and self-expression will descend on the Sydney Cricket Ground once more as the Mardi Gras Festival makes a grand return with a packed program of events spanning theatre, visual arts, parties, community gatherings, panel discussions and more. The full festival program will feature a host of beloved events as well as some new surprises to be announced in November.
All at once a powerful protest and glittering celebration of diversity, the Parade is the centrepiece of the Mardi Gras season. The iconic event brings together LGBTQIA+ people from all over to share their passion, champion equal rights and show their pride to the world.
The theme for 2022 is United We Shine, a reminder that LGBTQIA+ communities shine brighter together and that by standing up against hate and inequality as a collective, the message of love and inclusion is heard louder.
The Parade will see thousands of spectators cheer on as marchers take to the SCG field in a display of colour, community and love with a live broadcast to accompany the event so audiences from across the country can tune in to be a part of the celebrations.
Organisers have decided that returning to Sydney Cricket Ground in 2022 provides the best chance for the Parade to proceed, no matter what the COVID situation determines, early next year. Unlike operating a traditional Mardi Gras Parade on Oxford Street – which attracts around 250,000 spectators – the SCG allows room to scale the Parade up or down to ensure it takes place in the case that Sydney does experience further restrictions (but here’s hoping it doesn’t!).
However, the plan is to bring the Parade back to Oxford Street for its 45th anniversary in 2023 as a feature of Sydney WorldPride, the first WorldPride held in the southern hemisphere.
Mardi Gras CEO Albert Kruger said, “Our theme this year is a reminder of all that we can achieve when our communities rise as one. It is a call to stand united against the inequalities LGBTQI+ people continue to face and empowers us with the strength that our history shows: that we have the power to create a more equitable society.
“For over 40 years we have fought for equality, allowing us to live openly and authentically, free from stigma. A lot has changed for the better and the new generation of LGBTQI+ Australians are growing up in a more accepting time.
“The time to use our voices and rally together has never been more important than it is now. We need to be stronger together so that we can fight discrimination and move closer to a future of equality.”
Tickets for the 2022 Mardi Gras Parade go on sale Monday 15 November. Join the waitlist at www.mardigras.org.au to receive notifications when tickets go on sale.
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