Broken Heel Festival 2017Credit: Destination NSW
Glamourous hosts Philmah Bocks and Art Simone roll through Main Street, Broken Hill during the Broken Heel Street Parade.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
The annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras draws visitors from around Australia and overseas, but it’s not the only Pride party that takes place in New South Wales each year. Across the state, there’s a vibrant calendar of annual LGBTQI events to choose from, from outback parades to epic urban fiestas. Here are some fabulous NSW festival options to plan a trip around.
In Sydney
Mardi Gras is one of many LGBTQI celebrations on Sydney’s social calendar. Each August, the city’s rainbow family gets dressed up for the Aurora Ball, a glamorous evening that raises money for local queer charities. Keep an eye on the Facebook page of the Aurora Group charity for details of the ball.
A few weeks later in September, the Queer Screen Film Fest comes to life, brought to you by the same folk who organise the Mardi Gras Film Festival in February and March (the two events share the one online home). And every November, thousands of locals and visitors congregate in Parramatta in Western Sydney for the family-friendly Parramatta Pride Picnic, organised by NSW health organisation ACON. It’s a day full of music, drag shows, food events, sporting activities and more — see ACON’s Facebook page for updates on the event.
North of Sydney
In Newcastle, a two-hour drive north of Sydney, the Newcastle Pride festival is growing rapidly, featuring a parade, a picnic and a slew of special parties. It’s held over August and September each year to celebrate diversity in Newcastle, neighbouring Lake Macquarie and the wider Hunter region.
Soon after, in October, venues in Umina Beach, Woy Woy and Ettalong Beach on the Central Coast, around an 80-minute drive north of Sydney, host Coastal Twist, an arts and culture festival with a subversive edge. Over four fun days you’ll see cabaret and drag acts, music events and dog parades, culminating in the Coastie Carnie Fair Day at Umina Beach.
Northern NSW
Head to the welcoming town of Lismore in the lush Northern Rivers region of northern NSW, about a 50-minute drive inland from Byron Bay, for one of several events held throughout the year by local organisation Tropical Fruits. Established in 1988, this not-for-profit group is renowned for its fun and eclectic parties — many LGBTQI folk from Sydney consider it a rite of passage to attend a Tropical Fruits party. The biggest Tropical Fruits celebration of the year is the New Year’s Festival, but the Easter Party and the Queen’s Birthday Party in June also draw big crowds.
Newcastle Pride, Newcastle Credit: Blaket Aco
DJ Victoria Anthony at a Newcastle Pride party in Newcastle.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
Newcastle Pride, Newcastle Credit: Blaket Aco
DJ Victoria Anthony at a Newcastle Pride party in Newcastle.
Rainbow on the Plains Festival, Hay Credit: Margie McClelland
The inaugural Rainbow on the Plains Parade in Hay.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
Rainbow on the Plains Festival, Hay Credit: Margie McClelland
The inaugural Rainbow on the Plains Parade in Hay.
Outback NSW
Fans of the cult film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert shouldn’t miss the Broken Heel festival, which takes place each September in the movie’s spiritual hometown, Broken Hill in Outback NSW (a 3.25-hour flight from Sydney).
This five-day gala features non-stop comedy, cabaret, live music and social activities across three event stages, including at the Palace Hotel, where major scenes of the film were shot, and the Silverton Hotel in the nearby town of Silverton. The festival attracts a world-class line-up of drag queens, drag kings, showgirls and other fierce performers, and culminates in a street parade called the Main Drag in Drag, in Broken Hill Town Square, which brings together the entire town to celebrate Priscilla’s cinematic legacy.
The Riverina region
Traditionally known as NSW’s centre of wool production, the town of Hay in the Riverina region of southwest NSW (an eight-hour drive or a 90-minute flight from Sydney) has been attracting attention for Rainbow on the Plains. This Pride celebration takes place annually on the last weekend in March. What began in 2018 as a plan for members of the local LGBTQI community to gather and watch the 40th annual Sydney Mardi Gras parade on television soon evolved into a fully fledged independent three-day event.
The major Riverina town of Wagga Wagga (around a five-hour drive from Sydney, or a 75-minute flight) usually hosts Wagga Wagga Mardi Gras in March. While the 2021 event has been cancelled, the Wagga Wagga Mardi Gras will continue to attract rainbow revellers and their friends from across the region. In addition to a colourful parade, there are social events across the weekend, and many local businesses get involved by decorating their shopfronts and running Mardi Gras-themed promotions and competitions. In the native language of the local Wiradjuri Aboriginal people, Wagga Wagga means the place of many dances and celebrations, so it’s little wonder the town has become an inclusive hotspot.
Murrumbidgee River, Wagga Wagga Credit: Destination NSW
Go on an early morning row on the Murrumbidgee River.
#lovensw #newsouthwales
Murrumbidgee River, Wagga Wagga Credit: Destination NSW
Go on an early morning row on the Murrumbidgee River.
More Inspirational Stories
Art Gallery of New South Wales, SydneyCredit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying a visit the the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney.
#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney
Come alive with the possibilities as you delve into Sydney’s dynamic arts scene and cultural institutions. Feel moved as you immerse in striking contemporary artworks at public and private galleries, and take in cutting-edge performances and exhibitions across the city.
Be moved by must-see cultural landmarks
Marvel at the ‘sails’ of the Sydney Opera House as you approach this iconic performing arts venue, then join one of several fascinating tours on offer here. Discover the building’s unique history and construction on an Architectural Tour, or go behind the scenes on a Backstage Tour. See a show from an ever-changing program of theatre, dance and music in one of the venue’s many impressive performance spaces, then head to the Opera Bar to take in the front-of-house harbour view as you enjoy seasonal fare and a refreshing drink.
Appreciate the striking art deco façade and waterfront location of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), across the water from the Sydney Opera House at Explore the diversity of Australian modern art as you view highlights of a collection of more than 4,000 works, including a significant body of works by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. Take time out and digest the wonderful works you’ve just seen as you enjoy panoramic views across Sydney Harbour from the museum’s rooftop café.
Feel far away from the bustle of the city centre as you enter the Domain parklands next to the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and make your way to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the leading museum of art in the state. Step back in time to view colonial and 19th-century Australian works and European masters, as well as a dedicated gallery of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. Then explore Sydney Modern, the AGNSW’s dynamic new addition, to discover site-specific works by leading Australian and international artists.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoy a tour in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoy a tour in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, The Rocks Credit: Destination NSW
Friends arriving outside the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in The Rocks, Sydney...Artwork: Moon in a Dew Drop.Artist: Lindy Lee
#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, The Rocks Credit: Destination NSW
Friends arriving outside the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in The Rocks, Sydney...Artwork: Moon in a Dew Drop.Artist: Lindy Lee
Immerse in art in cutting-edge galleries
Lose track of time as you explore a myriad of inner-Sydney art galleries. Delight in a dip into one of the world’s most significant collections of Chinese contemporary art at the White Rabbit Gallery in Chippendale, on the fringe of the city centre. Be intrigued by the selection from philanthropist Judith Neilson’s collection of almost 3,000 works created in China since 2000 by around 750 artists, before taking in the tranquil vibe at the gallery’s Teahouse as you snack on handmade dumplings and fine Chinese and Taiwanese tea. (You can also plan ahead and enter the ballot for tickets to cutting-edge performances at Phoenix Central Park, Judith Neilson’s risk-taking cultural centre a short walk from White Rabbit Gallery.)
Lean into the grand scale of Carriageworks, a multi-arts centre housed in expansive former railway workshops in Eveleigh, a five-minute drive or around a 15-minute walk from White Rabbit Gallery. Keep an eye on Carriageworks’ events page for visual arts exhibitions and new performance works.
Take your time exploring the many art galleries dotted around the hip inner-city suburb of Surry Hills. Enter the fascinating world of significant Australian artist Brett Whiteley at Brett Whiteley Studio, tucked away in a side street off Crown Street, one of the main streets running through Surry Hills. Take in the singular atmosphere of the late artist’s former home and workplace, with its unfinished paintings, art equipment, books and graffiti wall of quotes and images, and view one of the changing exhibitions of the artist’s works.
Find yourself challenged and stimulated by the conceptual and design-driven art at independent Surry Hills gallery China Heights, then take the short walk under the train tracks to 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art in Haymarket. Learn about the Asian diaspora in Australia via contemporary art at this fascinating gallery run by the non-profit Asian Australian Artists’ Association Inc.
Thrill to a sense of discovery as you find leading commercial art galleries tucked away in the leafy streets of Paddington in Sydney’s inner east. Roam the side streets of this fashionable suburb to find the likes of Saint Cloche, where gallery director Kitty Clark fosters the city’s emerging artistic talents; Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, one of the most influential commercial art galleries in Australia; and Olsen, founded by Tim Olsen to represent the late John Olsen, one of the country’s greatest painters, and showcase contemporary Australian artists.
White Rabbit Gallery, Chippendale Credit: Destination NSW
Women walking through an exhibition at the White Rabbit Gallery, Chippendale.
#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney
White Rabbit Gallery, Chippendale Credit: Destination NSW
Women walking through an exhibition at the White Rabbit Gallery, Chippendale.
Brett Whiteley Studio, Surry Hills Credit: James Horan; Destination NSW
Brett Whiteley Studio in Surry Hills
#feelnewsydney #ilovesydney
Brett Whiteley Studio, Surry Hills Credit: James Horan; Destination NSW
Brett Whiteley Studio in Surry Hills