International DJs Honey Dijon and Romy will headline the 2025 Mardi Gras After Party and Fair Day will make a return but the Bondi Beach Party has been dropped in a slimmed-down version of Sydney’s annual LGBTQIA+ festival.
Sydney's annual Mardi Gras festival returns to the harbour city on February 14 in what has previously been foreshadowed as a leaner festival by organisers after a perfect storm of factors placed it in a vulnerable financial position with a forecast $1 million deficit. Next year's festival theme is "Free to Be".
"There was a very real possibility that I would be standing here before you today just to announce the parade for our program and nothing else," said Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras CEO Gil Beckwith on Thursday morning.
Beckwith acknowledged the challenges of 2024, which included the unexpected loss of Fair Day, economic challenges, and the tragic loss of Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies.
"Their memory stays with us as we move forward. And we continue to honour their presence in all that we do," she said. "It's in their honour – and in honour of every person that we've lost that has come before – that we continue our work with renewed purpose in 2025," she said.
Beckwith used Thursday's announcement to reveal the return of Fair Day, which will debut Trans Camp and the Karaoke Cave and bring together more than 200 stalls.
The headliners for the Mardi Gras After Party, American DJ and producer Honey Dijon and English musician Romy, were also announced, along with other new events for the festival.
There will be more than eight hours of music organised across the six venues at the Entertainment Quarter for the Mardi Gras After Party, with Romy's performance being exclusive to Sydney.
"I do promise there are more fabulous announcements to come," Beckwith said.
Bondi Beach Party has been dropped following this year's lacklustre attendance numbers. It was attended by 6000 people despite having a capacity of 15,000.
However, there will still be more than 80 events across the three weeks of Mardi Gras 2025, including Sissy Ball; Laneway; Hot Trans Summer; Blak & Deadly: The First Nations Gala Concert; and of course the Mardi Gras parade.
Launching next year will be two new collaborations for the organisation, including one with queer museum and cultural institution Qtopia that will feature a range of exhibitions and experiences across the festival.
The other is the Pride in Sport Festival – a series of activities and events across the calendar designed to promote and encourage participation in sports across Australia.
The parade will conclude the festival on March 1, with the paid Diamond Club area revamped into a "new block party experience" without the grandstand at Taylor Square.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, a staunch defender of Mardi Gras, said that the festival was one of her favourite times of the year.
"It's a highlight of my calendar. While it's easy for some, we know there are many Australians and people around the world who cannot be themselves and Mardi Gras 2025 'Free To Be' is also for you."
"No one is free until we are all free to be," Moore said.
NSW Arts Minister John Graham said that the state government was proud to work with Mardi Gras through the challenges of 2024, and would continue to do so.
The NSW government this year delivered the organisation a $1.1 million rescue package and brought forward grant agreements to keep it afloat. The City of Sydney paid the NSW government $550,000 of this.
"We're committed to working really closely to support this organisation, this parade, this moment, because it is very important," he said.
Graham said not every city could have an event such as Mardi Gras and that it was of vital importance to Sydney.
"It really represents the best parts of Sydney, what Sydney is as a city; a diverse, welcoming, tolerant, accepting city," said Graham.
Tickets will go on sale next Friday, November 15, with Mardi Gras members offered first access to tickets next Monday.
Editor’s note: Eliot Hastie pays a $50 annual Mardi Gras membership for discount purposes only.
Correction: When referencing the Bondi Beach Party, we incorrectly said last year's event had lacklustre attendance numbers when we meant this year.
Eliot Hastie is a senior news producer at Channel Ten, reporting on a range of general stories, specialising in foreign affairs and LGBTQ+ stories. He’s also a reporter for Gay Sydney News, where he covers LGBTQIA+ culture, politics and nightlife. He previously helped to build and launch ausbiz, Australia's only live streaming finance news channel, where he was also an executive producer and host. He has previously worked as a finance and business journalist for publications including Fintech Business, Real Estate Business and other Momentum Media titles. Eliot holds a journalism degree from the University of Westminster and brings experience in both broadcast and digital reporting. Contact Eliot: [email protected]
