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With more than 170 floats and 10,000 marchers, the 48th Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras celebration was an explosion of colour.
Dykes on bikes kick off the parade, which travels along Oxford Street to Anzac Parade at Moore Park. The rain held off until the end of the parade this year – a welcome relief given the more than 100mm that Sydney experienced just a few days before. As well as the parade, the festival hosts weeks of community events, parties and performances.
Many politicians have participated in the Mardi Gras parade and this year was no different. The lord mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, and the independent politician Alex Greenwich travelled along the route in a blue convertible while waving at the crowd; also spotted was the NSW education minister, Prue Car.
Extra security was deployed for Mardi Gras this year in what was described by NSW police as a highly visible presence to ensure the safety of the thousands of attenders.
Following on from Sydney WorldPride, which was held in 2023, the annual Mardi Gras festival has continued to grow in size. Businesses, bars and venues have been granted extended operating hours during the evening of the event.
