Sydney Mardi Gras 2023 LIVE updates: City lights up for parade amid WorldPride celebrations

2023-02-25

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Mardi Gras through the ages

With the parade just a few hours away, let’s take a look back at Mardi Gras through the ages. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age’s fantastic video teams have put this together:

From Tamworth to Taylor Square, Australia shows off its pride to the world

Twelve thousand people are set to walk, dance and ride down Oxford Street on Saturday night as Sydney – and Australia – shows itself off to the world.

William Weller (left), Dianne Harris (centre) and Leoni Alwell will take part in Tamworth’s first Sydney Mardi Gras float on Saturday night.Credit:Andrew Pearson

Some have travelled further than others to be a part of the 2023 Sydney Mardi Gras. Last week, William Weller drove the 400 kilometres from Tamworth to begin preparations for the regional city’s first appearance in the parade.

A handful of the 32 Tamworth Pride marchers have taken part with other floats before, but for the vast majority who live in Tamworth and surrounding towns, it will be their first time in the event.

“Basically we are trying to combat isolation in the Tamworth LGBT community,” said Weller, who has organised the town’s float, titled “Riding the Rainbow of Our Dreams to the Golden Guitar”.

Read more here.

Road closures, train and bus changes for the Sydney Mardi Gras

Happy Mardi Gras, one and all. My name is Laura Chung and I’ll be with you in the lead-up to the historic Mardi Gras parade. My colleague Angus Thomson will take you through this evening’s excitement and through to the after-party.

Roads have already begun closing in and around the CBD and Oxford Street, while train and bus times have been altered to help an expected half a million people get to and from the parade.

Here’s a summary of all the road closures from my colleague, Mary Ward:

From 2pm to 1am: sections of College Street, Wentworth Avenue and surrounding local streets
From 3pm to 3am: sections of Bourke Street, Campbell Street and surrounding local streets
From 4pm to 4am: Flinders Street between Oxford Street and Moore Park Road, and southbound Anzac Parade from Moore Park Road to Lang Road, including the Eastern Distributor Randwick Anzac Parade off-ramp (Bondi exit remains open). Anzac Parade closes northbound from 5pm
From 4.30pm to 1am: Liverpool Street between Elizabeth Street and College Street, and local streets in Surry Hills between Elizabeth Street and Riley Street
From 4.30pm to 2am: Oxford Street between College Street and Darlinghurst Road, sections of Crown Street, sections of South Dowling Street between Oxford Street and Fitzroy Street, and local streets off Oxford Street
From 6.30pm to 2am: sections of Moore Park Road and Driver Avenue (until 10am Sunday)
From 9pm to 1am: sections of Elizabeth Street, Castlereagh Street and Pitt Street between Market and Goulburn streets

Trains: Transport for NSW recommends people wanting to access the northern side of the parade (Darlinghurst) use Town Hall, St James, Martin Place or Kings Cross stations. Spectators watching from the Surry Hills side of Oxford Street should walk up from Central Station. Museum station will be closed from 5pm.

Buses: Buses between the city and the inner west and eastern suburbs will be diverting around the parade route or terminating early – at Central rather than Circular Quay – between 4pm and 2am. Check the Transport for NSW website for the exact diversions.

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