The confetti and glitter are settling on another Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras after tens of thousands partied through the LGBTQI community’s night of nights.
More than 11,000 people marched, danced and rolled their way through inner Sydney for the 47th Mardi Gras Parade displaying Australia’s rich and diverse queer culture.
Groups representing rainbow families, transgender people, queer people with disability, those with Tourette’s and those with a deep love for deafening motorcycles were among more than 180 distinct communities and corporations adding to the colour of Saturday night.
“Everyone has come together to appreciate the community and show love and respect,” onlooker Christina Saroukos told AAP from parade centre point Taylor Square.
“All the detailed costumes, the dancers and their choreography —they’ve really put the effort in and it shows,” her sister Olivia said.
Political leaders including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore and federal independents Allegra Spender, Zali Steggall and Senator Lidia Thorpe were among those to march along the 1.3km route through Darlinghurst.
Underscoring the parade’s progressive undercurrent, hundreds in the parade adopted a second unofficial theme to “Free to Be”, holding signs demanding the community “protect trans kids”.
Gender Free Japanese used their space to call Tokyo to adopt marriage equality and Equality Australia pushed for a world free from hate.
More than 10,000 people were expected to party until dawn at the marque eight-hour Mardi Gras Party rave at Moore Park.
An official closing party, dubbed Laneway, will close out the wider 16-day Mardi Gras festival on Sunday.
-AAP
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