Sydney Mardi Gras Unveils Massive 2015 Program

12 December 2014 | 4:29 pm | Staff Writer

The 2015 iteration of the colourful yearly shindig features the esteemed likes of David Morales and JD Samson

Sydney's annual street-conquering celebration, the Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, has announced its full program of performance, events, exhibitions and activities for 2015, with the music side of things led by international heavyweights such as David Morales and JD Samson.

Amid the near-two-week duration of the festival, punters will be treated to a sensual smorgasbord of free and ticketed attractions in line with the year's theme of "Passion", kicking off with returning favourite Queer Thinkingbilled as "a thought-provoking day of ideas, literature, academia and culture, exploring what it is to be LGBTQI in 2015". On the same day — Saturday 21 Feb — attendees will be able to celebrate and explore the lives of trans* pioneers in the Calpernia Addams-hosted Gender Trailblazers.

The family-friendly Fair Day is also back in 2015, on Sunday 22 Feb, featuring culinary treats, children's rides, market stalls, comedy, dancing and live music, plus the renowned DoggyWood dog show, all of which gives way to the free-entry After The Fair party once the sun sets. Women Say Something: Cirque Du Femme showcases a selection of particularly inspiring women such as Magda SzubanskiDr Kerryn Phelps and Dr Dorothy Mcrae-McMahon with discussion focusing on the achievements of women from all communities; that event goes down at Fairground Follies on Friday 27 Feb.

The following evening, on Saturday 28 Feb, the famed Harbour Party hits Sydney Harbour once more, headlined for 2015 by Canadian hit-maker Kiesza. This one is ticketed, so you'll want to move fast, but it's not the only event to take over Darling Harbour — Wow Me! It's Mardi Gras brings another family-friendly hub to proceedings with pop-up drag shows, kids' workshops, and the renowned Little Black Dress Run for charity on Sunday 1 Mar.

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The Mardi Gras season is stuffed full of events the whole way through to its final day on Sunday 8 Mar, when the party winds down with The Laneway event, which boasts live music, diva drop-ins, pop-up drag shows and DJ performances. There is, of course, the annual Parade, on Saturday 7 Mar, and the natural follow-up, the official Mardi Gras Party at Playbill Venues and Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park — that's where you'll be able to catch Morales and Samson, alongside Paul Mac and Sammy Jo — plus opportunities throughout the calendar to catch alterna-queer party event Bar Bitch Chew Art (Sunday 1 Mar), ex-Ru Paul's Drag Race contestant Bianca Del Rio (Friday 27 Feb), the Nick Coyle-helmed Blue Wizard (Thursday 19 Feb to Sunday 15 Mar), Mike Bartlett's COCK (Tuesday 3 Feb to Friday 6 Mar) and Helpmann Award-winner Dean Bryant's Gaybies (Friday 6 Feb to Sunday 8 Mar).

In addition, Mardi Gras pays homage to the best in visual arts, will stage the always-popular Mardi Gras Film Festival (Thursday 19 Feb to Thursday 5 Mar), and offer alluring events such as the Mardi Gras Disco Climb (Wednesday 25 Feb to Sunday 8 Mar) and Stargayzing (Friday 20 Feb). 

It's far too voluminous a program to fully detail here, but you can get across the full spread of activities, performances, events, sports, youth workshops and parties at Mardi Gras' official website.