Barely five years after it began, Mardi Gras had established itself as the preeminent LGBTQI+ event in the country and one of the largest Pride events in the world.
In 1983, Sydney City Council acknowledged the significance of the Mardi Gras Parade by placing banners on light poles along Oxford Street and Anzac Parade. Mardi Gras also received a significant grant from the Australia Council for the Arts.
Sleaze Ball, which was held in September at Paddington Town Hall the previous year, was such a big hit that it moved to Sydney Showgrounds and became an annual fixture until 2010.
As the decade progressed, Mardi Gras continued to promote visibility and acceptance as well as nurturing queer culture. However, in 1985, Australia’s LGBTQI+ community, along with those around the world, was being devastated by HIV/AIDS. In the face of hostility, blame, fear, illness and death, solidarity was more important than ever.
The Mardi Gras festival provided an arts platform that allowed creative expression as well as shared grief and determination. The parade was a unique public vehicle that helped bring attention to the crisis and to the many groups and organisations that were providing hope and help.
In 1988, the parade welcomed its first Indigenous float featuring an iconic Captain Cook costume worn by an Indigenous activist. In 2005, the tradition of opening the parade with a smoking ceremony and having an Indigenous float lead off was established.
The now famous Dykes On Bikes float first took part in 1988, with a humble eight motorcyclists stop-starting loudly in amongst other floats. Each successive year, their numbers swelled exponentially. By 1991 it became obvious that the roughly 250 odd motorbikes would need a bit more open road if they were going to participate, and so from then on, Dykes On Bikes became the pre-parade warm-up.
Speculation always bubbled over who would perform at the post-parade party (which was a closely guarded secret for many years until technology made that impossible). Surprise acts over the years have included Boy George, Kylie and Dannii Minogue, Marcia Hines, George Michael, Cyndi Lauper, Chaka Khan, Village People to name only a very few.
Mardi Gras was attracting thousands of tourists from around the country and overseas, bringing millions of dollars into the local economy. Big brands were hustling to be sponsors and big names were riding shotgun on big floats. From 1994, the parade was telecast live, initially on ABC, then on Channel 10.
The commercial, mainstream appeal of Mardi Gras was a mixed blessing for the organisation and the community…
Read Part 3 in the next issue of Pride of Sydney.
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