Month by Month - Sydney - page 95

PARTY TIME
Ain't no denying it, Sydney puts on a good party. By good, we mean big, lavish and flashy. Some party animals
treat it like a professional sport, spending months preparing for the big fixtures, which can resemble endurance
events.
While Mardi Gras is the city's main Gay Pride festival, Darlinghurst's Stonewall Hotel organises a mini festiv-
al around the traditional Stonewall commemorations in late June. Catering to more niche tastes, Harbour City
Bears ( www.harbourcitybears.com.au ) runs Bear Pride Week in late August, while Leather Pride
Week ( www.sydneyleatherpride.org ) is a moveable feast, but is usually held in winter.
Mardi Gras Today
Sydney's famous Mardi Gras ( www.mardigras.org.au ) is now the biggest annual tourist-at-
tracting date on the Australian calendar. While the straights focus on the parade, the gay
and lesbian community throws itself wholeheartedly into the entire festival, including the
blitzkrieg of partying that surrounds it. There's no better time for the gay traveller to visit
Sydney than the three-week lead-up to the parade and party, held on the first Saturday in
March.
On the big night itself, the parade kicks off around sunset, preceded by the throbbing
engines of hundreds of Dykes on Bikes. Heading up Oxford St from Hyde Park, it veers
right into Flinders St, hooking into Moore Park Rd and culminating outside the party site
in Driver Ave. The whole thing takes about 90 minutes to trundle through, and attracts up
to half a million spectators ogling from the sidelines.
For the best views, make friends with someone who has an apartment above the street.
If you're forced to stand on the street with all the plebs, bring a milk crate (oh so suddenly
scarce) to get a better view. The gayest section of the crowd is between Crown St and the
first part of Flinders St. If you're running late, the crowd thins out considerably near the
end - although by this stage the participants' enthusiasm is on the wane. Another fun op-
tion is to volunteer as a marshal: you'll need to attend a few meetings and arrive hideously
early on the day, but you'll get the best view and a discounted party ticket for your efforts.
You can also buy a ticket for the Glamstand, positioned at the end of the route. Not only
is this a handy option if you're heading to the party, but you'll also have toilets and bars at
your disposal and entertainment while you wait.