Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has signalled its desire to move away from producing all of its events in-house, announcing it is inviting external promoters, community partners and creatives to co-produce “signature” celebrations while it focuses its energy on producing “hallmark” events alone.
The announcement on Saturday afternoon marks a major shift for the organisation, which has in recent years run most of its events in-house, including the parade on Oxford Street, Fair Day at Victoria Park, the Mardi Gras Party at Hordern Pavillion, and the Paradiso and Kaftana pool parties at the Ivy Pool Club.
While Mardi Gras said it would continue to produce “hallmark events” alone, it did not clarify which “signature” events would be open for collaboration with external parties.
Mardi Gras’ annual parade is widely considered a hallmark event, and its Mardi Gras Party midnight show is listed on its website as a “hallmark” performance too.
But in a media release issued by Destination NSW earlier this year, both the official Mardi Gras Party and Fair Day were listed as “signature” events, leaving the door open to both events being co-produced.
Other events that could be considered “signature” include its Paradiso and Kaftana pool parties, Sissy Ball vogue ball, and queer comedy night Laugh Out Proud.
Mardi Gras explains decision
Mardi Gras told members via email on Saturday the move came “after two bold seasons of learning and with fresh leadership in place”.
“We are excited to chart a path that ensures our festival is sustainable, resilient, and bursting with creativity for years to come,” it said.
“Over the past two months, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has taken time to reflect, refresh, and imagine what’s next. This pause has not been about slowing down – it’s about future-proofing and making thoughtful choices.”
Mardi Gras said “one key insight” from its two-month reflection was that “the best way to honour our legacy is to embrace new ways of working”.
“To keep our festival strong in an uncertain environment, we will focus our energy on producing our hallmark events while also opening new doors for collaboration.”
“Looking ahead to our 50th anniversary in 2028, our priority is creating a future that honours our history while sparking fresh ideas.
“That means inviting community partners, promoters and creatives to co-produce signature events, stage new celebrations, and dream up unforgettable moments together.”
It said that for some events, this work was already under way, “and we’re thrilled to be able to share details very soon”.
“For others, we are opening the doors wide [by] inviting expressions of interest so these iconic events can grow and thrive in exciting new ways.
“We know this approach may feel different to the past two years, but it builds on ways Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has worked successfully in the past.
“What hasn’t changed is our role as curator and guardian of the program. Collaborations will always be shaped by our values, ensuring community benefit, cultural safety and long-term sustainability.”
Official Mardi Gras Party
The Sydney Mardi Gras Party is a 10,000-capacity event held after the parade ends that has traditionally been hosted at the Hordern Pavilion, located within the Entertainment Quarter precinct at Moore Park.
But its crowds have been dwindling in recent years amid a significant rise in the cost to attend (final release tickets were $239 + booking fee this year) and following the closure of Moore Park’s Royal Hall of Industries event space in 2019, which has now become the new HQ for the Sydney Swans AFL team.
Cheaper events put on by other promoters on parade night – including by Heaps Gay, Poof Doof and GAYM Entertainment – are also driving partygoers elsewhere amid a cost-of-living crunch.
At last year’s Mardi Gras annual general meeting, former Mardi Gras chief executive Gil Beckwith conceded that “the party is not the cash cow that it used to be”.
Change in direction
Mardi Gras’ shift in direction to outsource some production of signature events comes amid financial struggles at the non-profit organisation, a change in CEO to Jesse Matheson, sudden board resignations, and a recent exodus of one-third of its staff.
It also comes after an anonymous person contacted Gay Sydney News more than two weeks ago, on August 14, claiming that Mardi Gras was going to “outsource the after party to an external promoter” and would “no longer be producing [the official] party internally due to their financial troubles”.
Mardi Gras declined to comment at the time and Gay Sydney News held off reporting on the move until Saturday’s confirmation due to being unable to independently verify the information.
The anonymous source, whose identity is not known to Gay Sydney News, speculated that the official party would now “most likely” be produced with “a promoter like Fuzzy, Live Nation or Untitled”.
Earlier this year, festival producer Fuzzy beat Mardi Gras in a confidential Waverley Council-run tender process for the right to host the Bondi Beach Party for up to five years.
Fuzzy is behind festivals including Listen Out, Field Day and Harbourlife – and it recently hired Mardi Gras’ head of festival marketing and communications, Jake Troncone, to become its head of marketing, according to LinkedIn.
The Bondi Beach Party was added to the pride season line-up in 2023 during Sydney WorldPride and held again in 2024 as part of Mardi Gras. However, it was confirmed in November last year that it would not be held in 2025. This came after a low attendance rate in 2024 and Mardi Gras facing financial difficulties.
Major promoters respond
When contacted by Gay Sydney News about two weeks ago, Fuzzy declined to comment on the record when asked whether it had been approached by Mardi Gras to run the official party.
A spokesperson for Untilled, also contacted about the same time, said they loved Mardi Gras but it wasn’t factual to report that it had been approached or was in discussions to host the official Mardi Gras Party.
Live Nation Australia also said it was not involved in producing the 2026 Mardi Gras Party.
But with Mardi Gras now officially announcing it is open to new partners, that could all be about to change.
Mardi Gras invited people interested in co-producing signature events to email reception@mardigrasarts.org.au.
Editor’s note: This article was written by Ben Grubb, who pays $50 annually for Mardi Gras membership to access discounts, including at retail stores and bars, but doesn’t use the membership’s voting rights.
Ben Grubb is the founder and editor of Gay Sydney News, an independent publication covering LGBTQIA+ news. A journalist with more than 15 years' experience, he has reported and edited for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, WAToday, Brisbane Times, The Australian Financial Review, News.com.au, ZDNet, TelecomTimes and iTnews, primarily on the topic of technology. He previously hosted The Informer, a queer current affairs program on Melbourne’s JOY 94.9 radio station, and contributes to LGBTQIA+ media including Stun Magazine. Ben has also appeared as a technology commentator on Channel Ten's The Project, ABC RN’s Download This Show and commercial radio stations 2UE, 2GB and 6PR. Contact Ben: ben.grubb@gaysydneynews.com.au
