Top Ten Must See Events at This Year's Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

1. THE MARDI GRAS DISCO CLIMB

Talk about getting high on life. If God is a DJ then this rainbow themed dancefloor atop the Sydney Harbour Bridge is surely heaven. Can you think of a better way to herald in Mardi Gras season than combining disco with bridge climb? Thought not.

The climb has limited departures and is only available during Mardi Gras. Book early to avoid disappointment.

Disco Climb. Mardi Gras 2014. Source: Supplied

2. THE 36TH ANNUAL SYDNEY GAY AND LESBIAN MARDI GRAS PARADE

Sydney is home to the loudest, proudest, largest and most-loved celebrations of the LGBTQI community on Earth. Join hundreds of thousands of spectators lining the route along Oxford and Flinders streets on Saturday, March 1. Plant a smile on your face and simply enjoy the wild ride.

Rain, hail or shine, revellers gather along the route. Source: News Limited

3. FAIR DAY

If Parade is the party then Fair Day is the fete of Mardi Gras season. Get along to Victoria Park on City Rd, Chippendale on Sunday, February 9 for this all-day family-friendly picnic celebration. Enjoy roving drag performers, gourmet food, loads of market stalls and the Doggywood tent for pampered pooches.

Performers Mrs Vera, Dob Downe and Mr Tina pictured at Mardi Gras Fair Day. Source: News Limited

4. JOHN WATERS LIVE AND IN PERSON

American filmmaker John Waters, he of the pencil-thin moustache, appears for one night only at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday, March 9. The cult figure, who appears on Sunday, March 9, is responsible for Hollywood gems Hairspray and Cry-Baby and is notoriously candid about the downside of fame.

Filmmaker, playwright, comedian and man for all seasons John Waters appears for one night only at the Sydney Opera House. Source: Supplied

5. PAM ANN presents PLANE FILTHY

Pam Ann is the anything-goes air hostess alter-ego of Australian comedian Caroline Reid. Get set for some seriously funny observations on air travel through the golden age. Not to be missed. Reid performs over two nights, February 27 and 28, at the State Theatre. Punters will also be presented with a complimentary glass of sparkly and a Pam Ann compact and fridge magnet. All class!

Pam Ann A plane sitting on the tarmac at an airport. Very high resolution 3D render. Source:Supplied

6. KINGS & QUEENS of CABARET

Enjoy a stellar Mardi Gras cabaret season at the Slide Lounge, Darlinghurst all this month. Among the headliners will be Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham, who will debut his own show. The multi-talented Mitcham is joined by queen of country Beccy Cole and a host of other performers. Check out the full program at mardigras.org.au

To get you warmed up for the main event, here's a little gold medal entree from Mr Mitcham

MATTHEW MITCHAM GOLD MEDAL DIVE

7. COURTNEY ACT in BOYS LIKE ME

Following sold-out seasons in New York and Los Angeles, Australia's own Courtney Act performs hit cabaret show Boys Like Me for one night only, February 25, at the Sydney Theatre, Walsh Bay. Act is a bona fide homegrown superstar at the top of her game. Boys Like Me tackles masculinity, femininity and dirty laundry.

COURTNEY ACT IN BOYS LIKE ME

8. HARBOUR PARTY

Summer sun, an iconic harbour and big dance beats combine to make the Mardi Gras Harbour Party a hot ticket item this season. Gather at the Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquarie's Point on Saturday, February 22 from 3pm. Bring your dancing shoes. Already confirmed acts include British DJ Joey Negro and Paul Goodyear from the US.

Joey Negro plays the Harbour Party on February 22. Source: Supplied

9. RAINBOW RUN

Fitness freaks unite and show your support for equal love by taking part in the Rainbow Run. Held Saturday, February 8 in Sydney Park, St Peters participants should be at the start line of the 6km course by 10am. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Equal Love initiatives in Australia. A DJ set broadcasted throughout the circuit has been designed to keep participants motived.

Show your support for marriage equality by taking part in the Rainbow Run. Source: News Limited

10. THE VAUDEVILLIANS featuring JINKX MONSOON

Those well abreast of the reality television hit RuPaul's Drag Race will already be familiar with irrepressible narcoleptic drag queen Jinkx Monsoon. The Season 5 champion makes her Australian debut with co-star Major Scales at the Vanguard, Newtown from February 18 until March 2.

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A Gay Ole Time

Author:Deborah Erwin

Re-Posted From: Alternative Media Group of Australia

Posted:Tuesday, 27 September 2011

All walks of sexual nuance will be out en masse this weekend to celebrate, gyrate and drink at their favourite Oxford St venue.

Big Gay Weekend, a three-day party organised by New Mardi Gras (NMG), is a fundraiser for the city’s annual Mardi Gras Parade which celebrates sexual diversity and acceptance.

The producer for the weekend-long party James Bridge is a former manager at Midnight Shift and has been on Oxford Street’s “scene” for eight years.

“We’re aiming to fundraise about $40,000 this weekend,” he said.

The money will be spent on producing both community-based and NMG floats.

Mr Bridge said the organisation receives a lot of support from the City of Sydney and Events NSW, they rely heavily on donations. “Last year we lost over $30,000 running the parade,” he said. “But this year we managed to get all the party promoters to donate a portion of their ticket sales. This has never been done before so it’s very exciting.”

Chief executive of NMG Michael Rolik said the upcoming public holiday has been a fundraising tradition for the last 30 years.

“The main objectives of the weekend are to raise funds for the Parade and to support businesses on Oxford St,” he said.

The event involves dozens of restaurants, bars and entertainment venues and officially begins at 5pm Friday.

Part of the ticket sales for the parties on Oxford Street this weekend will go toward funding the annual parade.

“In recent years, due to a number of reasons which had to do with having different teams every year, it hasn’t been that successful. So we decided to park it and come up with the concept of the Big Gay Weekend,” Mr Rolik said.

Mr Bridge said an army of volunteers are integral to the parade’s whole operation.

“We rely on volunteers to do everything from bucket collecting (getting donations) to building websites. Even those on the Board are volunteers,” Mr Bridge said.

“The organisation wouldn’t run without them.” The Parade is more than an excuse to prance around in sequined costumes for most Sydneysiders, it is also a platform for raising awareness about social issues pertaining to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered individuals.

“The Parade started off as a march to get a point across in terms of equality,” Mr Bridge said. “Today marriage equality is at the forefront. To me, it seems like a no-brainer. Everyone should have the same rights. They should be able to marry whoever they want.”

Britney Spears - Femme Fatale Australia Tour Rumour

Two years after her controversy-filled visit Down Under, Britney Spears is rumoured to return to our shores. An official announcement is yet to be made but it's believed Spears, who has just announced a new South American leg of her Femme Fatale tour, will come to Australia in late November/early December. Spears is grinding through the American leg of her extensive 67-date World Tour and is set to trek to Europe in September before she does two shows in Brazil in early November.

Reported in 'The Herald Sun' August 01, 2011

Vengaboys 2012 Australian Tour

That's right party people the Vengabus is coming to Sydney in January 2012

It’s time to dust off that tatty old party pass because the Vengabus is due at any minute. And God forbid you miss it. 90s European chart toppers, the Vengaboys, are heading to Australia this summer with a brand new album, rather gloriously entitled ‘Rocket To Your Uranus’.

The new album marks a sparkling return to form for the party-centric foursome. Back after a brief hiatus with their tongues firmly in cheek and doing what they do best.

The Vengaboys are probably best remembered for a string of Euro- flavoured party anthems originally released back in the mid-1990s, most notably ‘Boom Boom Boom’ and ‘We’re Going To Ibiza’. They not only dominated the pop charts but permeated dance floors across the globe, from weddings to nightclubs and pretty much any social/embarrassing occasion you can think of.

The group are set to cause similar destruction this year, following up their album with a tasty XXX remix of ‘Parada de Tettas’ and a recent sell out show in Eindhoven. Fans of the Vengaboys can watch the fun unfold simply by taking a look at their rather entertaining twitter feed. The joys of the digital age.

Wed 11 Jan The Hi-Fi QLD
Thu 12 Jan The Corner Hotel VIC
Fri 13 Jan Selina's - Coogee Bay Hotel NSW
Sun 15 Jan Coolangatta Hotel QLD

Janet Jackson - Up Close & Personal

Last week it was announced that Janet Jackson would be coming to Australia to perform her current Number Ones World Tour in October and November 2011. Instead of performing this concert at Acer Arena or the Sydney Entertainment Centre, Janet Jackson has decided to do the concerts in Australia in a more personal atmosphere.

The tour which is now named in Australia as "Number Ones: Up Close & Personal" is a more fitting title being that she has chosen the Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall.

Tickets for the show go on sale on Wednesday 3rd August 2011. The list of concert dates are as follows for Australia;

DATE LOCATION

TUE 18 OCT	PERTH	BURSWOOD THEATRE
SAT 22 OCT	ADELAIDE	FESTIVAL CENTRE
WED 26 OCT	MELBOURNE	ARTS CENTRE, STATE THEATRE
THU 27 OCT	MELBOURNE	ARTS CENTRE, STATE THEATRE
WED 2 NOV	GOLD COAST	CONVENTION CENTRE
SAT 5 NOV	SYDNEY	OPERA HOUSE, CONCERT HALL
SUN 6 NOV	SYDNEY	OPERA HOUSE, CONCERT HALL

KYLIE

IT'S BEEN MORE THAN TWO DECADES SINCE KYLIE MINOGUE LEFT RAMSAY STREET TO TACKLE THE POP-MUSIC INDUSTRY. SINCE THEN, SHE HAS CRAFTED A CAREER IMPRESSIVE BOTH FOR ITS LONGEVITY AND RANGE. A VERY PUBLIC BATTHE WITH CANCER HAS PROVED HER PLUCK.

Clem Bastow - The Big Issue's Music Editor

It’s difficult to pinpoint precisely why people and critics hate Kylie Minogue. Maybe it was because the critics and mass population of Australia were trying to impress some knob-end rock snob who proudly boasted that they hadn’t listened to commercial radio for 15 years. Maybe it was just because they wanted to be contrary.

For a number of years the mass population of Australia and critics would roll their eyes at the mere mention of Australia’s ‘Singing Budgie’. The thing about the anti-Kylie brigade: membership to that club requires a subscription to the tiresome old mentality that pop-music is inherently empty-headed. These comments are all well and good, except that this stance requires a person to forget that many of the artists we now consider legends (Aretha Franklin and Frank Sinatra) rarely, if ever, wrote their own songs.

As the juggernaut that is her $25 million dollar Aphrodite Les Folies Tour prepares to roll into Australia and additional tour dates are being released it shows that Kylie should no longer be seen as the ‘Singing Budgie’ but as the ambassador for all Australians.

As Kylie once sung: We all have our cross to bear, But in the name of understanding now, Our problems should be shared. Kylie will be performing around Australia from the 3rd June 2011 to 22nd June 2011 in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

Excerpts taken from Clem Bastow's article from The Big Issue

http://www.bigissue.org.au

Click Here to purchase Kylie Tickets!

Are you looking for affordable, comfortable, safe and central hotel accommodation for Mardi Gras 2011?

Looking for affordable, comfortable, safe and central hotel accommodation for Mardi Gras 2011??

Then look no further than Metro Hotel on Pitt, Sydney. Located at 300 Pitt Street in the Sydney CBD, Metro Hotel on Pitt is only 120m from Hyde Park and the marshalling area for the Mardi Gras Parade.

To make your booking contact the hotel now.

Toll Free call - 1800 333 800 (for callers within Australia only)

Hotel Reception - +61 2 9283 8088
Reservations – resmhop@metrohg.com

Web site – www.metrohotelonpitt.com