Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has confirmed its official 2026 after-party will take place at Moore Park’s Entertainment Quarter, but says it is postponing further announcements in light of the Bondi terrorist attack.
The organisation confirmed the venue and date in an Instagram post on Wednesday afternoon, but said it would not announce further details at present, noting the city had been "deeply shaken by a tragic act of violence at Bondi Beach".
"Our hearts are with everyone impacted, and especially with the Jewish community, the families and loved ones grieving, and all those who are carrying fear or hurt in the wake of this attack," the post said.
Mardi Gras acknowledged that many people had been seeking information about next year's party, particularly those planning travel, but said it did not feel appropriate to proceed with promotional announcements so soon after the attack.
"We were planning to share more information this week, but given what has happened, it doesn't feel right to move forward with announcements at this time," the post said.
While holding back full details, Mardi Gras confirmed the event would take place on Saturday, February 28, 2026, and would involve a significant shift in how the party is staged.
"What we can share for now is simply this: Mardi Gras Party will take place … in a reimagined format and new home utilising more of Moore Park's Entertainment Quarter than ever before," the organisation said.
The post added that a full announcement, including the line-up, would be made early next year. "We'll return in early January with full details and the lineup, when the moment feels more appropriate."
The Mardi Gras Party is one of the festival's largest events and regularly attracts thousands of attendees from across Australia and overseas. Mardi Gras did not elaborate on what the "reimagined format" would involve or how the expanded use of the Entertainment Quarter would change the event.
The decision to delay the party announcement comes amid ongoing community grief following the deadly attack at Bondi. It also follows Fuzzy – the event producer behind the LGBTQIA+ music festival Mighty Hoopla, which is being held during Mardi Gras 2026 – cancelling its New Year's Eve event at Bondi Beach.
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: [email protected]
