The 2026 Sydney Mardi Gras Festival is lining up to be a colourful explosion of events, tied together by a wild, proud and utterly unstoppable energy.
The 48th year will be titled ECSTATICA and is “an act of euphoric rebellion… a collision of glamour, grit, and raw joy that burns brighter when we stand together.” But even a year’s supply of glitter can fade with a diary this full, so we’ve added the sexiest, sweat-busting secrets to keep you standing till the end, sequins and all, baby!
Kicking up heels from February 16 until March 3, 2026, these two loud and proud weeks will transform Sydney into a pulsating party scene to suit every pleasure and desire. enjoy!
1. The Normal Heart
Ease yourself into the festival of fabulous with a cultural evening of gay theatre under the one and only Opera House roof. This is your chance to wear the heels in, eye out the crowd, get your girlfriends excited, and warm up for the main events.
The Mardi Gras culture kicks off on February 9 when The Normal Heart premieres at The Drama Theatre at the Sydney Opera House. This Sydney Theatre Company production by Larry Kramer debuted in 1989 to roaring standing ovations, highlighting the terrifying reality of the AIDS crisis. Almost 40 years later, the production is set to mesmerise audiences again.
Survival Tip: We all love a bit of drama, darlings, so be sure to pay attention to the inner details of Kramer’s subtle plotlines throughout the production. This will make for some titillating conversations at the next events when you spy that hot stranger across the room.
Where: The Sydney Opera House
When: February 9 to March 21
Price: from $68
More info here
2. Progress Pride Flag Raising
Get the party started with the Progress Pride Flag Raising at Sydney Town Hall, where the Progress Pride Flag flies high– a vibrant, signal that the festival has officially begun. The flag will fly proudly from 13 February to 1 March 2026.
Survival Tip: You’re going to want to be as in-the-moment as possible for the remainder of the festival weeks, and not focusing on your camera, so this flag-raising ceremony is 100% your chance to get your best selfie, pop it through the beauty filter and post it to get the party started. Grab your fellow selfie hags and hit the Town Hall well before the 5 pm start time so you can score the best selfie spot right in front of the hall and the colourful flag. Blue steel here we come!!
Where: Sydney Town Hall, 483 George Street, Sydney
When: February 13, 5pm til 6pm
Cost: Free event
More info here
3. Ultra Violet
Now it’s game on! Ultra Violet at City Recital Hall is the kick off of fabulous feminine energy and unstoppable beats. Ultra Violet is more than a dance party — it’s a warm-up event to set the tone for entire festival. Created by long-time co-conspirators Sveta Gilerman and Jess Hill (DJ Estee Louder), Ultra Violet will dominate Angel Place, transforming the auditorium of City Recital Hall into a moist mosh-pit of movement and sound.
The music and performance will be wildly decadent, including burlesque, ritualistic performance art, provocateur cabaret, visual seduction, and some dandy drag kings. The musical mood will be an ECSTATICA collision of house, electro-pop, club, hip-hop, and disco, all dished out by a list of the sexiest DJ stars of 2026 including DJ Gemma, Yolanda Frost, Jacqui Cunningham, Jo Christy, Kate Doherty, DJ Sveta and Tanzer.
Survival Tip: Just like the first day on the slopes, you’ve possibly used some muscles on the dancefloor that are screaming now. Be sure to stock up on magnesium tablets for sore muscles, and book yourself a recovery session at the Slow House at Bondi Beach for the hydrotherapy hangover cure.
Where: City Recital Hall
When: February 13, 6pm til 11:59pm
Cost: From $79
More info here
4. Black Cherry
Pop your mardi gras cherry when Black Cherry enters the arena. Get trans fantastic with this event steeped in themes of redemption and transformation. It’s described as revisiting a time when taking risks meant growth, and youth offered both safety and freedom. Black Cherry, is performed by Mother Kianna Louboutin Oricci, who explores ideas of mistakes, and learning without heavy consequence. Deep.
Survival Tip: This is when you’re going to want to pace yourself, at the beginning of the festival. Don’t go too hard too early.
- Grab a pre-event drink at local Darlinghurst hotspot Eau de Vie at the Kirketon Hotel.
- Then book your tribe a fabulous nourishing dinner before the even. We suggest cheap n cheerful Dimitri’s Pizzeria
- Lick to your heart’s content with a mouthwatering cone of Messina ice cream after the event from the flagship store.
Where: National Art School, 156 Forbes St, Darlinghurst
When: February 14, 5pm-11pm
Cost: $55
More info here
5. Fair Day
Fair Day is the community heart — dogs, drag, lovers, legends, and laughter filling Victoria Park with all shades of fabulous. Fair Day returns to Victoria Park for 2026—bigger, bolder, and bursting with community pride. It’s the day Sydney stops, gathers, and glows together in full colour: a celebration of culture, community, and creativity at the beating heart of Mardi Gras.
Start your day at the First Nations Circle, where a powerful Smoking Ceremony and the mesmerising Buuja Buuja Butterfly Dancers honour Country and set the spirit for the day. Then follow the sounds of laughter to Doggywood—the oldest and most adored Fair Day tradition—where pups strut, preen, and paw their way through the campest canine pageant in the country.
Wander further and you’ll find Trans Camp, returning for its second year—a proudly trans-run zone filled with community organisations, market stalls, and creatives turning visibility into celebration. Nearby, the Karaoke Cave: Disco Divas! is back by popular demand, serving decades of pride anthems and unapologetic vocal chaos.
On the main stage, the Drag King Games bring back their mix of muscle, mischief, and mayhem—quickly becoming a Fair Day legend. And as the sun dips low, the Queer Fashion Runway takes over, showcasing the brilliance of local designers redefining queer style for the next generation.
From first light to golden hour, Fair Day 2026 is a living portrait of our community—playful, powerful, and free. This is where Mardi Gras truly begins: in the open air, surrounded by love, and alive with Ecstatica energy.
Survivial Tip: How to stand out in a crowd like this we ask? For a start, you need to focus on your furr-baby fashion! Girl aint gonna win that Doggywood fashion parade in rags. Head no further than Pupnpussy for your parade essentials in Darlinghurst.
Where: Victoria Park, Corner of Parramatta and City Road
When: Saturday February 15, 10am to 9pm
Cost: Free event
More info here
6. Kaftana Pool Party
It’s a kaftan caravan! When the sun starts to dip, slip into something floaty and frilly for the Kaftana Pool Party! Kaftana returns to the ultimate Sydney swim destination, the rooftop of the IVY complex, in the heart of Sydney’s entertainment precinct. Get wet to the slippery beats of your favourite DJs poolside while you splish and splash the night away. The event kicks off at 4pm with special guest singers, dancers & drag artists.
Survival Tip: Dress up, or dress down, but for God’s sake, make sure you dress to impress! There will be fierce competition for Best Dressed Awards and it’s not always less is best. As mama always says, “If you’ve got it, flaunt it. But if you’ve gotta flaunt it, you ain’t got it!” Our tip is to embrace Aussie swim design with a pair of Budgy Smuggler bathers and fly that Aussie swimwear flag loud and proud. We also recommend you protect that baby-smoothe complexion you’ve worked so hard to achieve all year with some Aussie sunscreen products from We Are Feel Good. The zinc with bb cream makes for excellent water proof coverage and dewy glow! No-one needs a pink nose for a parade babe!
Where: Jimmy’s Rooftop, 320 George Street, Sydney
When: Wednesday, February 18, 4 pm to 11 pm
Cost: First release tickets from $49
More info here
7. Laugh Out Proud
Get your best one-liners ready sweatpeas! Laugh Out Proud is where the comedy’ has a sharp tongue, the crowd gets boisterous, and there’s no such thing as a taboo topic. The Enmore Theatre will be a hoot on Friday 20 February celebrating the biggest names in comedy for one spectacular night. With six years of sell-out crowds under its belt, this iconic event serves a lineup of old-timers, newbies, and back-by-popular-demanders.
Survival Tip: Enmore is bursting with excellent dining options, but we suggest you grab a table early at Teddy’s Enmore cocktail bar for a fabulous feast before the festivities. Everything is funner on a full tummy!
Where: Enmore Theatre, Enmore Road
When: February 20. 7:30 pm til 10 pm
Cost: From $65
More info here
8. Paradiso Pool Party
Wholly floating flamingo! Paradiso Pool Party is a flow on from the Kaftana kick starter. In case you haven’t had enough fun in the shallows, you can take a deep dive into the frivolities here where you can dance the day & night away to the best music from the hottest DJs all over again. You’ll hear the best vocal house music from your favourite DJs and float under the setting sun with a host of hot new friends.
Survival Tip: The pool floaties will be in hot demand, so we suggest coming armed with your own inflatable fun. Stock up on some serious Sunny Life merch with a giant striped heart or a pink flamingo. Pool rings and floating hammocks have gone next level for summer this year and there’s no better conversation starter than “hey there, wanna lie on my giant blow-up?”
Where: Jimmy’s Rooftop, 320 George Street,
When: February 22
Cost: $49
More info here
9. Mardi Gras Ball
Get thee to the ball!! This years’ theme is the Mardi Gala Ball: Taste the Love — bienvenue to Sydney’s most glamorous dinner party, the chandeliers cannot mask the frivolity. Taste the Love will come alive in 2026 with a giant feast of flavours, fashion and passion celebrating all things queer.
This is more than a meal. It’s connection across a table that stretches across the city, where everyone takes a seat and unites in a feast of the senses. Coles Group is partnering Taste the Love with a powerful idea: ‘Everyone is Welcome at our Table’. Together, they’ll serve courses that honour Coles’ local producers and creators. Throughout the evening, a program of performance and storytelling will encourage cabaret, conversation, and musical chairs. A beloved queer host will guide the evening.
Survival Tip: Following on from a feast such as this, you’re going to want to watch those hips darling… we’ve got a parade outfit to squeeze into! We suggest a morning after sweaty session to get you back in your fittest form, with One Hot Yoga in Surry Hills. Join a drop in session with your new besties followed by a fat-free breakfast option at Bare Naked Bowls also in Surry Hills. The Aphrodisiac Bowl (not kidding) will do you wonders for $25.80… as if you even need the boost!
Where: A table that stretches across the city
When: February 24th, from 7pm
Cost: from $350
More info here
10. Queer Art After Hours
It’s hump day, so unleash your inner Picasso at this special LGBTQIA+ community event. A platform for artists, performers and storytellers, the annual Queer Art After Hours at the Art Gallery of New South Wales is a vibrant pastiche of all things arty and vibrant on the queer art scene. The Art Gallery’s two buildings, Naala Nura and Naala Badu will host the event with live performances, DJ sets, installations and more.
Survival Tip: We are officially over the half way mark of the two-week festivities. You’re going to want to boost those energy and hydration levels in time for the upcoming parade. Hit up the Surry Hills Colon Care Centre and Hydration Centre and book in the deluxe treatment of infra red sauna, colonic, hydration detox and gut boost. Still needing some extra attention, head to the QVB (where all the Queens go) and book in a Multi-Hands Massage at Queen Spa. Now we are ready for the ball darling!
Where: Art Gallery of NSW, North Building, Art Gallery Road
When: Wednesday February 26, 5pm til 10pm
Cost: The event is free, as in previous years, but this year you’ll need a ticket for entry.
More info here
11. The Parade
The 48th anniversary of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade starts as a subtle heartbeat… and builds slowly with salsa drums, a flurry of feathers, a flap of wings, a burst of glitter and roar of dikes on bike engines and a crescendo of stillettos, eyelashes and push up bras higher than Sydney’s tallest tower!
Setting Oxford Street on fire, along with Flinders Street, and Anzac Parade on Saturday 28 February 2026, there will be over 200 floats and 12,000 marchers, led proudly by the 78ers, First Nations LGBTQIA+SB communities, and a rainbow of famous icons. Hundreds of thousands of spectators and participants will flock from Hyde Park to Moore Park as the Parade heats up the February summer night.
Survival Tip: Whether you’re a parade participant or a voyeur, you’re going to want to get a great view of the action. There are free viewing areas and premium grandstands and accessible viewing zones with inclusive amenities and shuttle transfers. Plan your night early with all your logistics here.
We also strongly recommend you plan your wardrobe essentials with a
- Waterfproof travel poncho by Mac in a Sac … it always rains in Sydney in late February!
- Some unisex disposable slippers for when those heels become unbearable.
- A waterproof mascara (blame it on the tears, or the rain, or some rogue glitter… but never the raw emotions darling!). Mecca stocks the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara that flies off the shelves.
- An instax Polaroid Camera to immortalise the memories and share them with your new friends IRL
Where: Oxford Street, Flinders Street & Anzac Parade, Darlinghurst and Surry Hills, Sydney
When: Saturday February 28, 6pm til 11pm
Cost: Free event
More info here
Plan ahead with Sydney Travel Guide’s round-up of the best viewing areas and the parade route.
12. Glitter Club
Roll yourself in glitter and get your sparkly self to the Glitter Club, the brand new level of Sydney Mardi Gras’ most coveted Parade experience. Louboutin-distance from Taylor Square, this is the insider’s hottest ticket in town after the parade, where the party keeps on giving.
It’s coveted grandstand viewing for first-in guests, plus dedicated bars, and a five-hour program of DJs, hosts, and live entertainment. Glitter Club is more than a ticket — it’s ringside entertainment where you’re guaranteed to get covered in glitter, sweat, tears and more. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
Survivor’s Tip: Book your tickets early and then plan to arrive in time to grab those grandstand seats before the lovely dikes on bikes roll in! Remember, this is a first-in-best-dressed situation, unlike most other Queer events where best dressed is always best dressed baby!
Where: Taylor Square, Darlinghurst, Sydney
When: Saturday February 28, 6:30pm til 11pm
Cost: From $149
More info here
13. The Party
The 2026 PARTY is clearly so fabulous, it is yet to be announced! But one thing’s for sure, it will be wild, it will be exclusive and it will be louder than ever.
Survival Tip: Confirmed to return to Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras on Saturday 28 February with more love, rhythm and energy than you can handle, we strongly recommend you keep a close eye on the website to book your tickets as soon as they are released. The Sydney Travel Guide will also be your go-to for all the top tips and event announcements as they’re released.
In the meantime, you’re going to want tickets to the after-party-after-party. This is why you’re going to want to book your tickets early for Laneway, the post-parade street party. See everything you need to know below.
Where: to be announced
When: Saturday February 28,
Cost: Stay tuned for ticket info
More info here
14. Laneway
This is the ultimate test between men and boys, queens and princesses, if you’re still standing then you’d be nowhere else but Laneway! This is the street party that makes the parade look like the canapé event. It’s the final, sweaty send off on Sunday 1 March, as The Beresford and Hill Street transforms into one orgasmic sandpit of love and connection. Feel the heady mix of house, disco, and pure chaos and secure your spot (they go fast!) with your tickets from just $109.
Survival Tip: For the true royalty, snap up the VIP tickets ($129) for early access to Beresford Upstairs, faster entry, and fewer queues for your final round.
Where: The Beresford and Hill Street, 354 Bourke Street, Surry Hills
When: March 1st, 2pm til 10pm
Cost: From $109
More info here
Click here for all the info you need on public transport options and getting around.
Why you should trust this list?
The Sydney Travel Guide takes a matter-of-fact approach to event round ups and lists such as this list of Sydney’s best Mardi Gras events. We’ve scoured the internet, worked with venue reps and taken a wide-reaching approach to put together what we feel is the most comprehensive scope of Mardi Gras events in Sydney for 2026. None of these inclusions have been paid for and we have listed them in order of date for your convenience. Keep this one in your back pocket throughout Mardi Gras as we’ll be updating this list as we become aware of more events, from Drag Bingo to the satellite parties during the world-famous Mardi Gras parade.
