With celebrations for the 30th anniversary of the Sydney Gay
and Lesbian Mardi Gras just weeks away, considerable debate has been stirred up
by a suggestion that the world famous but very costly parade should revert to a
community march.
The possibility of downgrading the parade was made by Mardi
Gras president Marcus Bourget, who suggested that GLBT Sydney consider
redirecting its efforts to community events such as the annual Fairday.
Mr Bourget told GAYinWA this week that the volunteer nature
of Mardi Gras and the massive cost and effort required to stage the parade
meant that either the State government must provide some financial support it
or the nature of the event will have to change.
“Let’s face it, the parade plays an incredibly important
role in attracting tourism and focusing worldwide attention on Sydney; it needs
to be recognised and actively supported by the State government for what it
is,” he said.
“Mardi Gras is one of five major festivals held in Sydney
throughout the year and is Sydney’s largest tourist attraction. It contributes
an estimated $45 million to the NSW economy, but receives not a cent in funding
from the State Government.”
Mr Bourget said that the City of Sydney offered considerable
support, while the State only offered in-kind support such as reduced charges
on user-pays fees.
“The Sydney Festival, which I love, received $4 million from
the State this year and an extra million for a street party,” he said.
“Well if the parade isn’t a huge street party, I don’t know
what it is, so how about some funding for it.”
According to Mr Bourget his comments about the future of the
parade stimulated a lot of intelligent debate about the nature of the event,
and particularly about what the actual parade means to the festival.
“Events like Fairday are things we put on for ourselves,
they’re community events by us and for us. The parade is quite a different
story,” he said.
“Being in the parade is very gay and lesbian, but watching
the parade is about tourism.”
The 2008 festival, with the theme Brave New Worlds, will be
launched on Saturday 9 February and conclude on Sunday, 2 March. The parade and
party will be held on Saturday, 1 March.
Mr Bourget told GAYinWA that the 30th anniversary was
generating considerable excitement, with a huge volume of enquiries and an
escalation in the annual rumours about party performers.
“We’re just getting so many enquiries from here, from
interstate and from overseas,” he said.
“The level of interest is really exciting – festival events
are already selling out and the party tickets are selling fast. There’s such a
buzz already.”
Mr Bourget would not be drawn on the issue of international
acts, with current rumours about party performers including both Minogues,
Cyndi Lauper, the Young Divas, Olivia Newton John, Janet Jackson, Paul Mac and
even Newcastle rockers Silverchair.
He admitted to having a received a call from one journalist
who insisted that he knew Beyonce was in the line-up.
Comments (1)
buggar written by suzie day, January 17, 2008 - 10:39:24 am CST
its always been a dream of mine to go to mardi gras...i hope that i willstill have a chance! i was hoping to go next year as a kind of belated Leavers trip!
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With celebrations for the 30th anniversary of the Sydney Gay
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Love All will return in 2009, with organisers bringing the event
forward to February to take advantage of the guaranteed summer weather.
The 2008 Pride Parade may have been among the smallest, and certainly
the fastest in Pride's 19 years, but it remains a relevant and
important event according to this year's convenor, Charles Denham.
Gay favourite Rachel Berger is among the headliners this year as the Wild West Comedy Fest returns
to Perth for 26 days of hilarity and hijinks. Other Australian comedy
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marriage. More 
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world with the opportunity for a new beginning and his country with the
opportunity to put the disastrous Bush years behind it.
For some time now it's been popular among members of Generation Y to
declare that something is "so gay" to indicate that it's dumb, silly,
bad, ugly, unattractive, geeky, embarrassing, gaudy or even just plain
dull. That’s so gay. That’s so gay.
That’s so gay. It's the dull that hurts the most.
While I may not be the first person to go out on a limb and declare
that Barack Obama will win this year's Presidential election, I may be
among the first to declare that Sarah Palin will win the Republican
nomination and challenge him in 2012. That is, if she hasn't
bankrupted the Republicans with her wardrobe expenses first.
The global financial meltdown and impending economic Armageddon may
have an unexpected upside. For the first time in half a generation,
there may finally be a pool of people with the time on their
hands necessary to build exciting Parade floats.
written by suzie day, January 17, 2008 - 10:39:24 am CST
its always been a dream of mine to go to mardi gras...i hope that i willstill have a chance! i was hoping to go next year as a kind of belated Leavers trip!