Sydney World Pride 2023
If you’re an LGBTQIA+ traveller (or a proud ally looking to spread some love), you might have your sights set on Sydney WorldPride 2023.
Where can I get tickets for Sydney World Pride 2023?
Tickets as of now are sold out. Some events are free, like the Pride March at the Sydney Harbour Bridge. But you can also score tickets for paid events and experiences like climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, joining a superhero drag queen on an Oxford Street tour, and watching a late-night opera.
One thing is for sure, there will be so many ways to have fun – here’s a guide to everything you can see and do over the two weeks of World Pride if you need one.
We speak to the community before Sydney World Pride 2023
The question is: how did it all lead up to this point? Beyond the glitter and rainbows, parties and celebrations, and messages of love and acceptance, there was plenty of suffering, struggle, and strife to reach where we are today.
To fully appreciate the true meaning of Pride, we speak with members of the LGBTQIA+ community. They share stories of how their lives have transformed over the years and why they are excited for Sydney WorldPride 2023.
“We are born into a beautiful world where we are so different from each other. And I think differences are a good thing to have.”
– Antonio Choo
A World Pride Polaroid Roll
Here is a Polaroid journey of memories of the past to the present and how Pride has overcome prejudice:
Shahreen Leech
Shahreen is a true Sydneysider. And so, she has had her fair share of attending Mardi Gras festivals, one of Australia’s most famous events. But what excites her about WorldPride 2023 heading to Sydney for the first time is the sheer scale of it all.
The Harbour Bridge will be closed for a historic Pride March across the Bridge on 5 March, to give you an idea of how significant the festival will be. Streets around Oxford street will be closed to traffic to host Pride Villages of food and music. And it’s a massive deal for the city, like in 2000 when Sydney became a whole different place when hosting the Olympics.
Feeling pumped up and excited for 2023’s WorldPride might be an understatement for Shahreen, a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. For her, it’s all about connecting with people and just being yourself and having fun.
“WorldPride is when the whole community talks about Pride, which is nice, and the event itself is generally quite fun and colourful.”
“It’s the one time of the year that you can embellish the Pride colours, and that’s what represents the community. You can kind of be a little bit childlike as well with things like dress-ups, something different outside Halloween. I don’t think there are any other real dress-up events except for Pride.”
Shahreen also happens to be a proud employee of Pelago. If there is one thing she’s thankful for, she’s been able to feel more welcome in sharing her views professionally and in a work context.
“I’m grateful that I’m able to talk about Pride with my work, with Pelago, and with my industry. I feel very privileged to share this with my company and work with industry partners on this event, given that I’m an advocate and a part of the community. It’s cool.”
“And I’m excited for WorldPride 2023 because it will improve our city. Events like this are better for Sydney and its people, especially after Covid. It’s another good reason to be proud of the city and enjoy it as it should be.”
Antonio Choo
Antonio Choo (not his real name), another member of the LGBTQIA+ community, had his identity shaped by his first Pride experience back in 2012 at Boston Pride.
“I lived in Boston, and that was when I first came out. That became an important celebration for me, self-acceptance for myself. I was thrilled because I’ve always lived in a shell before, and then just to see everyone living loud and proud? It was meaningful.”
“I also have some friends who came out the same year. So to have that support, I think it was incredible. Seeing everyone parading and marching in Boston changed my life for the better.”
Antonio, being Asian from a conservative society, also appreciated that another Asian country shook off cultural barriers to celebrate love for everyone back at Taipei Pride 2018.
“I got goosebumps in Taipei back in 2018 because all the people, old women, everybody, were cheering on the street.”
“People came out of their houses to stand on balconies, cheering, and raising the rainbow flag. That’s something unusual in Asia. To see people coming from the same racial background as you and to realise how progressive they were, was incredibly touching.”
Naturally, Pride events were more memorable for Antonio because he came into his own through them. Growing up, Antonio didn’t find things easy, especially in ultra-conservative Indonesia.
“I’ve always been a minority. Being Chinese in Indonesia, non-Muslim, and gay, I’m like the minority of minorities. So it was tough for me growing up. But as the world matures, I hope our community becomes accepted, and things slowly change.”
“In any case, I’m looking forward to WorldPride 2023 because I think Sydney is vibrant. I mean, the party is one thing, but there’s also a lot of performances, the parade itself, the food and its diversity. So I think there are many reasons why we should go to the display in Sydney. Also, because half a million people worldwide will be there.”
Ruslan Makmudov
Like Antonio, Ruslan (not his real name) hails from Uzbekistan, where being gay is frowned upon. Pride events were also where he found his place in a community.
His favourite experiences? That was when Cher hit Sydney a few years ago, and also a tattoo show about loving your body for what it is.
“Imagine seeing Cher, packed in a room of topless men around me and dancing on the stage where we were completely drunk. It was a fantastic experience.”
“If we can forget us versus them, and if we can ultimately see humans as simply people, I think the world would be a better place.”
– Ruslan Makmudov
“Another highlight was in a place that used to be a prison. People were sitting around the hall. The lights were down. And there were about ten big cubes, and on top of those ten cubes, there was just one person each. And those people were completely naked.”
“It was about accepting your body image and stuff. One man was like 70 years old, full of tattoos. There was also one plus-sized woman. It was just a beautiful event.”
That said, Ruslan, an older member of the LGBTQIA+ community, is cognisant of the fact that it took a long time to get where things are today. He warns of the danger and the potential pitfalls of complacency.
“People forget this was not the norm only a couple of decades ago. It was completely illegal. The new generations are growing up and thinking that it’s always been like this. They forget that now you must consciously ensure that society continues to learn and understand the topic and continuously move in the right direction.”
“So I worry that we will go through this cycle of everyone thinking this is not normal. Then we’ll go through another period of homophobia emerging. That would be a problem.”
“But on the bright side, I’m super excited for Sydney WorldPride 2023. The city is multicultural, open, free, equal, and physically located in Asia.”
“I mean, we’re not talking about New Orleans or New York or London here. We’re actually talking about Sydney, which is in the Asia-Pacific. I think it’s a beautiful country, a place you would want to come and see anyway. And if you care about Pride, that’s just like an extra reason to come, you know what I mean?”
When was the first World Pride?
The first WorldPride was held in Rome in 2000 after InterPride members voted to award the inaugural festival at the 1997 world conference and general meeting.
What is the colour of the Pride flag, and what do they stand for?
We bet you didn’t know that the Pride flag was more than just a rainbow-coloured icon. Started in 1977 by Gilbert Baker, the flag was inspired by “Over the Rainbow” from Wizard of Oz.
And what’s more incredible is that each colour of the flag has a specific meaning. Hot pink represents sex. Red is for life. Orange is for healing. Yellow conveys the warmth of sunlight. Green stands for nature. Turquoise is for magic and art. Indigo represents serenity. And lastly, Violet stands for the spirit of the LGBTQIA+ people.
What are the dates of World Pride 2023?
Sydney WorldPride 2023 will be held from 17 February and 5 March for 17 days, together with the 45th anniversary of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras.