Have you ever wanted to be a card-carrying LGBT+ community member?
You may be surprised to know that the organisation behind Sydney’s Mardi Gras parade – the not-for-profit Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras – has a membership program that offers discounts at more than 30 businesses across Sydney’s nightlife, retail, health & fitness, entertainment and travel industries.
The benefits include cheaper meals, alcohol, coffee, clothing, protein powder and books; discounted skydiving packages; gym memberships and tennis lessons; and a free orthodontic consultation, among other deals.
Membership includes a physical card. In addition to discounts, it also allows members the ability to skip the queue at the Sydney venue Club 77 and at the bars of some public Mardi Gras events like Fair Day.
A year’s membership to Mardi Gras is $50 or $40 for concession cardholders.
So what do you get for signing up and paying the annual fee?
Members get a say in how Mardi Gras is governed; they can put forward and vote on motions at its annual general meeting, and be nominated to be a candidate on its board. Membership also gives you priority access to tickets when the biggest Mardi Gras events go on sale.
“Members are the first to access tickets when our biggest events go on sale, and will be able to purchase tickets at substantially reduced prices for a limited time. You’ll also get special offers and discounts,” Mardi Gras says on its sign-up web page.
But there are also other benefits, such as discounts at several businesses across Sydney via the physical Mardi Gras card. Members are also invited to Mardi Gras-run VIP parties, including its annual launch.
The discounts available to Mardi Gras members are listed on its membership portal. We’ve listed them below to give you a taste of what was available for members as of June 12, 2024.
Note that we have listed a couple of deals that are still listed on the Mardi Gras but which have expired. We’ve kept these below so that you can see the type of discounts Mardi Gras has set up in the past and may renew in 2025.
Nightlife
Abercrombie Hotel
$15 margaritas all day Sundays.
Bank Hotel
Free bottle of Big Ears. Applies to bookings of 5 or more people. At least one person must be a member of Mardi Gras.
Bernie’s Bar Newcastle
Free birthday drink. Free fairy bread.10% discount on ticketed events*.
*One birthday drink per person. One fairy bread per person per day. Maximum of two tickets per event per person. Can be used for multiple events.
Club 77
Access to Club 77 digital discount card; 49% Off Food and Drinks 6 pm – 10 pm daily. Plus 25% Off food and drinks 10 pm – 4 am Sunday – Thursday. Skip the line privileges every night of the week.
Darlo Bar Darlinghurst
$15 margaritas Sunday to Thursday.
Kings Cross Hotel
$15 margaritas all day Sundays.
Milpa Collective
Free margarita any day of the week. *1 per guest and not redeemable for any other drink. Available only for online or phone bookings. Requisite of $50 per person minimum spend. Redeemable from the following venues: Taqiza, Carbon, Sonora, La Palma, Calita, Casa Merida, Londres 126, Santa Cataria.
Stonewall Hotel
Free Stonewall VIP Card. 5% off drinks & merchandise for cardholders*. Free room hire** and discount on ticketed events & invitations to VIP parties.
*Excludes happy hour.
**Room hire for a minimum of 50 people
The Courthouse Hotel
$7.50 Bombay gin & tonic all day Sundays.
The Oxford Hotel
Discounted Mondays. All Starters $10. All Main Meals $15* Complimentary house beer, wine or spirit with any main meal purchased. *Excludes steak and pork belly. Available from 5 pm – 8 pm, 7 days a week.
Universal Hotel
Discounted Mondays. $10 Starters & $15 Mains. Between 6 pm – 10 pm
Discounted Thursdays. 2-for-1 meal*. Complimentary gouse beer, wine or spirit with a meal purchased.
*Exclude pork belly & steak.
Retail
Arte Moda
20% discount on all sunglasses & accessories. Cannot be used with any other offers.
ASN Darlinghurst
10% discount at Darlinghurst store. Discount applies to full-priced items only and excludes snacks, bar, drinks. bundles, and existing deal.
Bar Positano
20% off any hot drinks
Daly Male
10% Off storewide. all year round. Excludes sale items.
Gali Swimwear (expired)
15% off storewide. Limited to one use per person. Offer expires at 11.59 pm Sunday December 31, 2023. Excludes any sale items.
My Kiki Shop
Unleash your waffle cravings: Buy one, get one free. Offer applies to any waffles available on the day. Free waffle applies to the cheapest of both waffles. Offer applies to the Sydney and Melbourne store. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers or discounts.
Sock Drawer Heroes
15% discount store wide. Instore or online. Exclude gift cards and sale items. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers or discounts.
The Book Shop Darlinghurst
10% discount store wide. Discount on online orders will be refunded after proof of membership is verified. Bookshop loyalty points will not accrue on this discounted transaction.
Health & fitness
Bikram Yoga Darlinghurst
20% off 1-month unlimited pass. Offer only valid for in-house purchase with proof of membership.
City Gym
25% discount on the following memberships:
- 12 months subscription*
- Flexi DD memberships*
And 20% off all premium services at Kinesis by City Gym.
*Membership must be paid in full (12 months).
Inner West Roller Derby League
20% discount tickets to Inner West Roller Derby League hosted events. 15% discount for Inner West Roller Derby League skating programs. 48-hour early access to register to: Queer skate nights and other skating programs. 15% discount on merchandise.
*Discounted tickets to games will be through-door sales only. Discounts for skating programs will be applied upon registration with an email address confirmation of membership. Inner West Roller Derby League merchandise will be available for purchase at the locations where Inner West Roller Derby League’s games and events are held (no online store available).
Ortho Boutique
Free comprehensive consultation plus $500 off full comprehensive orthodontic treatment.
*To receive the $500 discount treatment must commence within 30 days of initial consultation. The discount offer is one per customer & not available in conjunction with any other offer including but not limited to the pay-in-full discount offer. The $500 discount is for eligible products only, “fully comprehensive orthodontic treatment”. Comprehensive orthodontic treatment includes: consultation with a specialist, X-ray records, photographic records, personalised treatment plan & 3D simulation.
Sydney Beach Tennis School
Free social play and racket hire.
$5 off drop-in class.
$10 off committed pack.
$10 off flexible pack*
10% off couples pack*
*Free social play and racket hire: Must attend within operating hours.
*$5 off drop-in class: Can participate in a class with up to 6 students per court per coach and enjoy complimentary social play and racket usage.
$10 off committed pack: entitles 10 group class credits and 12 weeks to complete from day of purchase.
$10 off flexible pack: pack allows 6 months to complete 10 sessions with no weekly commitment.
10% off couples pack: pack allows 12 weeks to complete 15 sessions. Can be shared with one other person.
Entertainment
Belvoir St Theatre
20% off tickets to preview performances and 1st week of every production*
PLUS
10% off drinks at the Hal Bar in the Foyer. *20% discount can only be applied to “preview” and “full price” tickets for preview and first week of performances for productions in Belvoir’s annual season (excluding Robyn Archer: An Australian Songbook).
Bridgeclimb Sydney (expired)
15% off day climbs. Sale period till June 30, 2023. Travel period June 2023.
Mys Dix
15% Off tarot card reading session one-on-one online booking and 10% off tarot card readings for events or private gatherings. Can be used multiple times.
Palace Cinemas
10% discount at all Palace Cinemas. Locations: Sydney. Excludes special events, film festivals, alternate content, and discount days/offers. Excludes Saturdays & Sundays post 12pm.
Scenic World
10% discount on Scenic World unlimited discovery pass. Cannot be used with any other offer.
Skydive Australia (expires 30/6/2024)
10% Off 15,000ft Tandem Skydives. Sale date ends: 31/1/2024 and can be used up until 30/6/2024. Weight surcharges may apply. Cannot be used with any other offer. Exclusions: Go Low heights – 8,000ft and 10,000ft Surfers Paradise, Whitehaven, Perth City. Photo and/or Videos will require purchase.
Art Gallery Society of NSW (expired)
10%* off on Art Gallery of New South Wales membership. Discount offer only available on joining for new Inspire and Champion memberships (excluding concession) until December 31, 2023.
Travel
Turtle Cove Beach Resort
20% off accommodation or stay 5 nights, pay 4. Excludes: food, drinks, transport, Christmas, New Years, Easter break, and all public holidays. Cannot be used with any other offers and/or events.
Planetdwellers (partially expired)
10% Off twin share and single rate Broken Heel Bus tour September 2023* Plus a further 10% off for NIB health fund Members.
25% Off domestic or international travel insurance with NIB.
*Deposit of $500.00 per person is required at the time of booking. Remaining balance due on August 15, 2023. Bus out of Sydney or Brisbane.
Editor’s note: The author of this article, Ben Grubb, is a paying Mardi Gras member for discount purposes only. He derives no benefit from Mardi Gras for this article.
Gay Sydney News editor