Media release from Sydney Mardi Gras:
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has unveiled HYPERBLOOM, its 2027 festival season, inviting LGBTQIA+SB communities and allies to come together for a celebration of queer joy across Sydney from 12 February to 7 March 2027.
Spanning 24 days in 2027, the 49th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival will bring together returning favourites, exciting new events and an expanded program of cultural collaborations.
From Fair Day’s opening festivities to the spectacular Parade and a new home for the iconic Mardi Gras Party at Allianz Stadium, the 2027 Festival will bring Sydney to life under the theme HYPERBLOOM, inviting communities from across Sydney, Australia and beyond to celebrate All that we are. Out in full colour.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras CEO Jesse Matheson said: “HYPERBLOOM is a celebration of everything that makes our communities extraordinary. It’s about coming together and taking up space to flourish.
“From the colour and joy of Fair Day to the spectacle of the Parade and dancing through the night (and into the morning!) at the iconic Mardi Gras Party, HYPERBLOOM is about celebrating in all our glorious diversity. We’re bringing back the events our communities love, creating exciting new experiences and filling Sydney with queer creativity, connection and celebration. Above all, we want everyone to feel they belong, to take up space and to shine in their own way.”
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Co-Chairs Kathy Pavlich and Mits Delisle said: “Mardi Gras has always been more than a celebration. It is a powerful expression of visibility, pride and the determination of our communities to be seen, heard and celebrated. Our history is one of courage, resilience and progress, and that spirit continues to shape who we are today.
“HYPERBLOOM celebrates the extraordinary strength of our communities. The Festival brings us together to celebrate how far we've come, while recognising that the fight for equality and inclusion continues. As we look towards our historic 50th Anniversary in 2028, we do so with immense pride in our legacy and excitement for what lies ahead. Mardi Gras belongs to our communities, and together we will ensure it continues to grow for generations to come.”
Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said: “Sydney Mardi Gras is the pride of NSW’s major events calendar and a symbol of our city’s creativity, diversity and inclusiveness. The NSW Government is proud to support Mardi Gras, which has grown from a grassroots protest to one of the world’s great festivals and continues to inspire pride and progress, while also delivering huge cultural and economic benefits to NSW. Next year’s Mardi Gras program will once again unite communities and showcase our vibrant global city at its very best.”
Minister for Transport, Arts, Music and the Night Time Economy John Graham said: “For 24 days, Mardi Gras turns Sydney into one of the world’s great Pride celebrations. Born as a grassroots protest for human rights, it is now a cornerstone of our city’s cultural calendar and a powerful statement about who we are as a state. Mardi Gras brings artists, performers and audiences together in venues and on streets across Sydney, giving our night-time economy and creative sector a huge boost. The NSW Government is proud to
support the festival through Create NSW, Destination NSW and Transport for NSW, helping open up our streets so more people can be part of the celebration.”
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said: “Events like Mardi Gras are part of the fabric of Sydney and a major feature of our events calendar every year bringing people together in our streets and venues to celebrate.”
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore AO said: “No matter who you love or how you identify, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival is for you. Now in its 49th year, it has blossomed into one of Sydney’s largest, most spectacular and inclusive festivals transforming Oxford Street and the whole city with colour, music, joy and love. The City of Sydney is an enthusiastic partner of the Mardi Gras Festival. We have committed $1.6 million and other in-kind support for the Mardi Gras Festival between 2024 and 2027. I love the theme for 2027: Hyperbloom. Hyperbloom promises more, more, more… More parties, more pride, more living – no matter where you’re at.”
MARDI GRAS PARTY MAKES A SPECTACULAR RETURN AT A BRAND NEW VENUE
The iconic Mardi Gras PARTY makes its highly anticipated return on Saturday 6 March 2027, moving underground to a never-before seen venue in the Tunnels underneath Allianz Stadium, right where the parade ends from 10pm to 6am for an extraordinary night of dancing, DJs and queer celebration.
Lose yourself in a music-led space of pure self-expression - for 2027, the reimagined PARTY goes deeper, drawing on the underground dance scene and queer club culture that built it.
The lineup and ticket information will be announced on Tuesday 10 November. Mardi Gras members will have access to purchase tickets on Monday 9 November from 11am before lineup is announced.
Presented in partnership with Kicks Entertainment and Bizarro, with exciting collaborations from local producers that centre queer Sydney culture, Mardi Gras PARTY will transform the underground spaces of the stadium into a spectacular playground of sound, light and performance. Thousands of revellers will come together for one of the world’s most celebrated LGBTQIA+SB dance parties.
Kicks Entertainment & Bizarro Director Ryan Sabet said: “For so many in the queer community, the Mardi Gras Party is where they found their people. Carrying it into its next chapter, without forgetting where it came from, is an honour we take seriously. This year we’re going somewhere no one has partied before, into the tunnels under Allianz Stadium, right where the Parade ends”.
THE 49TH ANNUAL SYDNEY GAY AND LESBIAN MARDI GRAS PARADE
The 49th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade returns on Saturday 6 March 2027, bringing thousands of marchers, floats and performers to Oxford Street, Flinders Street and Anzac Parade. Accessible Viewing Areas return along Flinders Street, with Glitter Club at Taylor Square offering an up-close viewing experience with a new tiered viewing deck.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras CEO Jesse Matheson said: “This year, we're turning up the colour, creativity and spectacle for HYPERBLOOM. Expect a Parade bursting with imagination, larger-than-life moments and a few surprises along the way. It's our chance to show the world what Sydney does best, and we can't wait to see Oxford Street in full bloom.”
