WorldPride has kicked off in Sydney, a once-in-a-lifetime 17-day mega celebration of queer acceptance and visibility.
It’s the first time the global pride event has been hosted in the Southern Hemisphere, and it will be the largest LGBTQIA+ festival that Australia has ever seen, running from February 17 to March 5, 2023.
The festival will incorporate Sydney’s annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras plus more than 300 events across arts, sport, theatre, concerts, parties, First Nations programming and a human rights conference.
It will also see Sydney transformed into a Rainbow City, with organisations across Greater Sydney installing rainbow monuments to celebrate the festival.
To mark the opening night of the festival, the sails of the Sydney Opera House will light up in the colours of the Progress Pride flag, with an opening concert hosted by Casey Donovan and Courtney Act and featuring Kylie Minogue, Charli XCX, Jessica Mauboy and more.
🌈 It’s HERE! 🌈 Time to don your best outfits and glam – @SydWorldPride has hit the streets of @sydney_sider. Kicking things off TONIGHT, the @SydOperaHouse will light up in the colours of the progress pride flag 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️#seeaustralia #comeandsaygday #sydneyworldpride pic.twitter.com/GzDYPWCg93
— Australia (@Australia) February 16, 2023
The closing concert on March 5 will see exclusive performances from Ava Max and Kim Petras, who will join an epic line-up of local and international artists.
Other major highlights of the festival include:
- A Human Rights Conference
- Pride March across the Sydney Harbour Bridge
- Bondi Beach Party
- First Nations Gala Concert
- A full arts and culture program
- WorldPride Sports
Sydney’s hosting of the event coincides with the 50th anniversary of the first Australian Gay Pride Week, the 45th anniversary of the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, and the fifth anniversary of Marriage Equality in Australia.
How to join the celebrations from afar
Online watch parties will be held for major events including the opening and closing concerts and the Pride March for those who can’t get to Sydney.
You can also tune in to KIIS with PRIDE, a live station accessible on iHeart, playing music from trending LGBTQIA+ icons and artists 24/7, including a number of to-be announced guest spots.
Every hour on the curated station, Kyle & Jackie O’s news reader Brooklyn Ross will update you on what’s happening each day at WorldPride during his Pride Guide feature.
Also, On Saturday February 25 from 6pm AEDT and following a Fab 50 countdown of the best pride anthems, Mitch Churi will host a live show from the 2023 Mardi Gras Parade.
KIIS with PRIDE is available to listen via the free iHeart app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Further information about the festival
- Sydney WorldPride website
- Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras website
- View a full list of events
- View the Festival Guide
