Our ‘cool things’ to see and do in Sydney for WorldPride.

With over 300 events and 1,700 performances, Sydney Worldpride is set to bring the heat to the city.

Tom Ryan & Liam Sharma share their guide of essential things to do in Sydney from the 18th of February to the 5th of March to celebrate Pride in perfect flamboyant style.

Stay saucey
x

Mardi Gras Parade

The iconic Mardi Gras Parade returns to Oxford Street in celebration of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras’ 45th anniversary. A dazzling display of LGBTQIA+ excellence, the parade showcases the beauty and strength in pride and self-expression – continuing the fight for equality.

As the biggest event of the Sydney WorldPride festival, all eyes will be on 12,500 marchers as 200+ floats adorn Oxford Street for the first time since 2020. Expect all your Parade favourites, from the famous rumble of the Dykes on Bikes to the quintessentially Australian Lifesavers With Pride, along with brands including W Hotels.

The parade is free to attend and you can watch this year’s theme Gather, Dream, Amplify come to life on Saturday, 25th Feb from 6pm.

Aesop Queer Library

Aesop Queer Library will be returning this year – taking over Aesop Pitt St from 22 February to 1st March.

Aesop’s Queer Library is a global initiative, which gave away over 34,000 books in 2022, and seeks to champion historically marginalised voices by highlighting a selection of 45 titles which explore BIPOC, trans and gender-non-conforming perspectives.

During the week-long event, Aesop will be removing all products from their shelves and replacing them with selected books purchased from queer, independent and local bookstores, with all visitors to the stores gifted a complimentary book of their choice. This year's book curation includes over 40 titles, including authors Deni Todorovic, Brooke Blurton, Chloe Hayden and Hannah Gadsby.

Rainbow Republic

As 17 days of Sydney WorldPride come to an end, get ready to celebrate at a super energetic closing party, featuring performances by Kim Petras, MUNA, Keiynan Lonsdale, G Flip, Peach PRC, Alter Boy, BVT, Vetta Borne and more.

Seven hours of live music, DJs and performances await you at The Domain, for a queer megamix of international and local acts. With food outlets and bars on site, dance the day into night as we come together for one last time, handing the baton to the next WorldPride hosts.

Tickets available here.

Cafe Fredas

Located along the Mardi Gras Parade route at Taylor Square, Cafe Fredas have fast cemented themselves as a friendly and inclusive gathering space since opening back in 2020.

During Sydney WorldPride, Cafe Fredas are gearing up to host a special Mardi Gras party with a curation of local DJs jumping behind the decks to serve the vibes while you enjoy a selection of natural wines, sexy cocktails and seasonal small bites.

Cafe del Mardi Gras will take place from 3pm - late on Saturday, 25th Feb, though you can also head down to Cafe Fredas anytime throughout Sydney WorldPride and are bound to have a damn good time with a great group of people.

Bondi Beach Party

For one day only, the jewel of Sydney will become the city’s hottest club for 12,000 people. Set at the edge of Bondi Beach, starring pop sensation Nicole Scherzinger, and featuring an all-Australian DJ line-up including dameeeela, Jarred Baker, Jacqui Cunningham, DJ Charlie Villas and DJ Dan Murphy.

As you dance from day through to dusk and night, feel the sea breeze on your face as the beach stage transforms from camp pop fun, to fire and house through to heaving electro unity. As the beat travels out into the South Pacific, keep your eyes peeled as special pop-up performances surround you.

Bring your whole self to the sea – all colours of the rainbow are welcome at the beach. Tickets are available from Moshtix’s official resale platform here.

Mardi Gras Sissy Ball

Witness the regal, the ravishing and the revolutionary battle it out at Sissy Ball. Who will take their 10s and who will get the chop? All will be unveiled as legendary houses from across the globe compete in Australia’s biggest vogue ball.

Sissy Ball was formed in 2019, to unite the scenes with Aotearoa and celebrate their survival by forging new realities with joy, embodiment and of course, fantasy.

Register for waitlist tickets here.

Words: Liam Sharma & Tom Ryan

Sauce Shares: Sydney city guide – WorldPride special edition