Mardi Gras in Australia: How to Enjoy it with Your Ladyboy Date

Each year, the LGBTQ+ community gathers to celebrate Mardi Gras in Australia. This festive occasion fills street bazaars with a kaleidoscope of colors. It also highlights an exciting line-up of events attracting thousands of tourists annually. 

Without a doubt, a great soaking up of the eccentric atmosphere will make this year’s Mardi Gras exciting. But, celebrating Mardi Gras in Australia with your ladyboy date will surely be top-notch.

As such, we listed some famous date spots you should visit and some on-the-side itineraries you could do with your Australian ladyboy partner. Get fresh ideas on how to experience a more exciting and memorable date during the Mardi Gras in Australia. Enjoy!

How it all started

Mardi Gras (a French term meaning Fat Tuesday) is originally a Catholic event that refers to the festivities that begin on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany and culminate on the day before Ash Wednesday. 

The Carnival is essentially a festival about gluttony as it is a custom of using all the fats in the home before Lent. Typically, Catholics participate in confession, absolution, and fasting during Lent. To be prepared for the six-week celebration, people ‘fatten up’ or shove as much food in their stomachs. 

The celebration goes way back to medieval Europe, passing through  Venice and Rome to the French House of the Bourbons.

How Mardi Gras came to Australia

On June 24, 1978, a small mass of gay and lesbian Australians operating as the Gay Solidarity Group orchestrated historical events in Sydney. They marched to protest the criminalization of homosexuality in Australia and the rejection of equal rights to the LGBTQ+ community. It was also a way of support for the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York.

However, this march was unlike any other brutal protest. Due to many rallies concerning gay rights culminating in brutality, the community redesigned the way they protest. Ron Austin, fondly known as the ‘Godfather of Mardi Gras,’ suggested a more peaceful political activism.

Austin initially proposed having a grand, moving nighttime street party. Fortuitously, his recommendation of a street party turned from a Pride parade into Mardi Gras. It eventually paved the way for the annual Mardi Gras in Australia parade.

Mardi Gras Events in 2022

With the theme ‘United We Shine’—embodying beauty in unity—Mardi Gras in Australia this year will undoubtedly be another iconic event.

Watch out for the following events if you wish to celebrate Mardi Gras in Australia with your ladyboy date. We arranged them according to schedules, so you don’t have to.

1. Aesop Queer Library

Australian luxury beauty and skincare brand, Aesop, is temporarily transforming into a queer library. The management will clear out its floor stock at its Paddington unit to highlight and make space for thousands of books by LGBTQIA+ authors and allies.

If you’re anywhere near the area, drag your ladyboy partner and grab a book of your choice—as everything’s for free. And, be sure to go today as the library closes on March 1.

2. Mardi Gras Film Festival

Queer Screen Limited invites the LGBTQ+ community on a mission to the Queer Frontier for a yet spectacular film festival. This year, the organization will host an extensive mix of nostalgic films and documentaries, everything reminiscent of gay old timelessness.

The event has opened on February 17 and will end on March 3.

3. Priscilla-themed parties

Starting March 1, the Imperial Hotel will open its doors to drag dinners and shows. A panegyric to the classic movie filmed at the hotel, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, this year’s celebration will recreate the magic of the movie. 

A battalion of drag superstars like Philmah Bocks, Philmah Bocks, and Jemima Handful is also coming to help the Imperial celebrate Queer Christmas. The Don Julio tequila brand will also come aboard with margaritas in six different rainbow colors.

There will easily be a hoot of lip-synching, sashaying, put-downs, and partying involved! The show ends on March 6, so be sure to get your tickets and visit the Imperial before now.

4. Queer Art After Hours

The exciting Queer Art After Hours is making a comeback after a year (or two) of staying at home. They’re welcoming the rainbow community to celebrate Australia’s talented artists this time. If you’re interested, be sure to go to the Art Gallery of New South Wales on March 2, at five in the afternoon!

Sip on wine while catching the colorful artistry of innovative pop-up performances and exploring queer collection stories. Bring your A-game for this party as this year’s going to be especially fun, with a lively line-up of celebrities and influential personalities in the queer community!

5. Mardi Gras Parade

Health and safety are a top priority with the pandemic still looming around. While Mardi Gras is still a bit different this year—as it was last year—the spirit of the celebration will kick on.

Many influential personalities will show up to keep the ideal gay old time going. Darren Hayes, former Savage Garden frontman, is coming home to headline the march. That is alongside another Australian legend, Vanessa Amorosi.

The 78ers, Dykes on Bikes, First Nations, and more will also come together for a spectacular Mardi Gras night-of-nights. Nevertheless, Mardi Gras this year will happen at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Moore Park on March 5. Be sure to get your tickets if the Mardi Gras Parade is at the top of your bucket list.

More!

Other Mardi Gras events you should watch out for are the Oxtravaganza, The Roast, Big Thick Energy, and many more. Come with your ladyboy date and favorite clique to experience a Mardi Gras to remember!

Celebrating Mardi Gras in Australia

This year’s Mardi Gras in Australia will be entertaining despite the pandemic. If you’re in Australia hoping to see the extravaganza in all its glory, coming with your ladyboy date is essential.

Moreover, there are many things to enjoy during Mardi Gras in Australia. You can always join the organized events laid out for all queens in Australia or choose your own sparkling adventure!