Any fun Mardi Gras stories?

[petawb]

Hey guys, I'm surprised this is the first post about the parade last night - probably cause you're all still partying.

Well I'm in bed waiting for my muscles to feel alot less sore after pretending I had the fitness of a cheerleader in the parade last night - though I'm there in spirit!

What was everyone's highlights?

I think mine was accidently meeting up with a friend of mine who was in drag in the marshalling area, then being asked to pose for 15 minutes for people taking photos behind the barriers...

It's the closest I'll ever get to being a celebrity... Ok, it's a sad highlight, but tell me a better one!!

[DerickKNY]

I found that my night was really mixed.
It started off fantastically! Everyone on oxford was just happy and shouting and having a great time in crazy wonderful costumes, me and my group of friends got right up to the railing and just danced and watched the parade and cheered for the people in it and kissed some that ran up to us, it was great, and once it got to the end of parade we followed it down to the stadium in Randwick, but than decided to meet up with some other people back in the city.
So we turned around and walked back down oxford street, a few of the boys in my group -including me- were wearing short-shorts and no tops and just dressed very Mardi Gras, and while walking back through Oxford street with the huge Mardi Gras crowds there were all these groups of guys who kept shouting abusive homophobic derogatory comments at us and threatening us and giving us dirty looks, right on Oxford street! I was furious and it totally brought my night down! How on earth could you be standing on Oxford street, the gayest area of Sydney, at one of the gayest events in the world, and be hating on gays!
I wish I could just shrug it off but I can't help but let it get to me, I thought it was supposed to be OUR night.

[sneakos]

hey guys, so sorry to hear bout ur nite derick - that sux badly dude!

i had an awesome time tho - woz in th parade for th first time! as part of th sydney convicts rugby side (cant believe i'm playing rugby again for anotha year - lol!) float. like peta said, i reallyv felt like a 'star'. our team n supporters met at the oxford early and at bout 7pm we headed down to the marshalling area at hyde park. instead of walking down the footpath we were allowed to walk down the middle of oxford street (the crowd was well n truly building up) and we kinda jogged down in our rugby gear throwing n kicking a few rugby balls around. the cheers we got from the crowd were fucking awesome! it was just the sickest feeling ever!

n in the marshalling area we were next to the kylie float - they were heaps good! so we got to see them rehearse heaps n i got to perve on so many of the hottest waxed oiled bodies - mmmmmmmmm! some of those boys were gorgeous!

but there was also a HOT guy in our float. iv so got the hots for him, but im afraid to tell him. (i sound like a school boy - hahaha!) what if he doesnt feel the same way? and i dont even know if he's attached or not (iv only just become a part of this team). so there's heaps of unanswered questions. but i know that a few times i caught his eyes last nite, and a few times we held the gaze until one of us looked away (am i imagining that i was i just getting caught perving on him - hehehe). i know that when im near him or when he talks to me, i kinda get that 'flushed' feeling inside n i go all 'goey' (i know - i AM the corniest guy ever!) and i get stuck with knowing what to say - then end up saying something totally fucked or stupid. what i really want is just to cherish the moment in his company and hope that it might last forever. (everyone who is reading this is now rolling on the floor in uncontrollable fits of laughter).

life goes on ......

[mjm078]

Well it was my first big MG expierence as I moved to Sydney about this time last year so was busy doing moving stuff and basically getting settled.

Night started out with a drink at my second favourite place - the oxford which was i suppose was half open you could say. But it was a great surprise to see it like that and it did provide a a welcome respite from the crowds.

Headed down flinders st a little and took the parade in - i have mixed feelings about the parade i love the whole "be out" vibe the parade has and i love the diveristy of it but i just don't get what appeared to be sixteen year old girls jumping around in the parade it just did't gel for me - why are they there?? seemed a whole lotta "look at me kimmy" going on there?? and the politcal stuff if you want to protest hold a rally and if you want to campaign open a cake stall out the front of the town hall on sunday morning I want to see footy players - hello convicts!, Surf life savers - save me save me!!, the leather boys - grrr whack!! and the whole damn Kylie tribute over and over again!! isn't it about gays being gays - the humour the lifestyle the colour?? i know it started as a protest back in 78 but can't we take it to the next level and enjoy it rather than protest it?

so anyway - after the parade took a five minute breather in a little park in south dowling street for a few beers and then headed off to the party - luurved every minute i was there just a fantastic event danced sweated danced sweated danced sweated all the way to 6 am then retreated to the bedroom until 3pm and headed to obelisk for a swim and was in bed at 8.30pm after that fat show. So i am sitting at work this morning unmotivated still tired and wishing for 3pm to come so i can go to that fake meeting i have set up with a customer so i can head out get some groceries then back home and get back into bed.

Till next year - happy mardi gras!

M

[danny corvini]

It's great to hear that everyone (mostly) enjoyed it. Being a resident of Melbourne it's always great to see the size of Sydney's gay scene in full flight. And I found the straight kids along Oxford St to be fine this year, as opposed to some previous years. I think if everyone comes and celebrates it, ala the Rio Carnivale, it doesn't really matter what sexuality you are. Just as long as you don't persecute anyone else (and this can also mean that some queens should just relax and not hassle straight people for being there).
Meanwhile, it's Monday afternoon and I've just been on a bus ride down Oxford. It's great to see how many people are out at the newly refurbished Oxford Hotel (seems that the ground level bar is now called Gilligans) and at Stonewall and the other drinking dens on the strip.
Finally, the Dome at the party went off - especially The Presets. Here's hopin' that the Mardi Gras continue with their more exciting ways next year!

[Gruso]

I spent the whole night at the Flinders, with an awesome view of the parade. Then I had the great privilege of getting behind the decks for a few hours... it might not have been the big party, but I don't think any of us cared. We just had a shitload of fun. Nothing comes close to the Mardi Gras atmosphere.

And I even feel healthy today. :eek:

<3 Mardi Gras! :)

[petawb]

Thanks for replying guys! Loving the stories.

It should be good next year - celebrating 30 years! What do you hope and wish for in the parade?

Hmmm, I wish there were free after party tickets for the people marching - am I delusional, or did this happen before?

But then again, free tickets for 7500 people is $1 125 000 lost....

damn, oh well.... Maybe a discount? :rolleyes:

More costumes! People were lazy on my float and didn't stick to the costume rules, so it was a bit crap.

[danny corvini]

Haha.. People would enter the parade just to get a free ticket!

And personally I think the parade needs to become more theatrical, less "I'm-on-this-truck-and-i'm-gay-so-cheer me-for-being-me".

I wonder if the MG has ever seriously toyed with the idea of getting a "quality controller"? Ya know - you have to pass a test to march...

[meezon04]

Haha.. People would enter the parade just to get a free ticket!

And personally I think the parade needs to become more theatrical, less "I'm-on-this-truck-and-i'm-gay-so-cheer me-for-being-me".

I wonder if the MG has ever seriously toyed with the idea of getting a "quality controller"? Ya know - you have to pass a test to march...

Hahaha, with Dannii Minogue going 'I'm sorry, it's a 'No' for me' :p :) ;) ;)

[danny corvini]

We did a cover for 3D World in the late '90s when I was editor and Dannii was performing at an upcoming Sleaze Ball, with a pic of her lying down and on the phone and the line: "What do you mean my name's not on the door?"

You either love her or you hate her!

[jasn]

And personally I think the parade needs to become more theatrical, less "I'm-on-this-truck-and-i'm-gay-so-cheer me-for-being-me".

lolz!

True, but I think I'd cry if there were no drunken boys on trucks

[Christian Taylor]

Did anyone see the "Dannii Pride" float that tagged along behind the Kylie one? So hilarious...

I personally love Dannii. She's a star in her own right. Seriously.

It's a 'yes' from me.

[Luke A]

There was a Dannii Pride float? Damn...missed it.

Love Dannii. Theres something about her mediocrity that makes her brilliant. And then theres the physical transformations...

Marched with the ACON float dressed as a pink cowboy. Was my first mardi gras and the craziest night ever. Running around kissing randoms along the parade route, posing for tourists... it was awsome!

I strongly urge anyone and everyone to get involved next year. Its such a crazy high. It was the best way to get into the right place and mood to allow you to kick on at the party until the sun is well and truely up. You wont forget the excitement, the vibe and the psuedo-celebrity status that having your photo taken with masses of japanese tourists affords.

Cool to hear everyones stories about mardi gras. I'm not quite ready to let the festivities go for another year, so keep them coming :)

[taylor-dayne]

i was in the viewing area perched next to some insane mother from PICTON who was screaming "it's all about the love, can't you feel it?" while holding a bacardi breezer. i had to disagree. at that moment, it was all about the blue eyeshadow and her farrah fawcett bangs.

i then scooted down oxford st, avoiding breezes and updrafts due to my revealing costume, and wow - what a party!

highlights included:
- being molested - unsolicited of course! - by three total strangers AT ONCE in the dome while trying to talk to an old work colleague (embarrassing).
- being whipped by a cat of nine tails on the hordern dancefloor while a crowd gathered to watch (again unsolicited - no really, i mean it.)
- falling asleep standing up - yes, i think that happened. at least, it felt that way at one point.

and of course the following day being swept off my feet by a guy i know, someone i've had my eye on for a long time, who totally hit on me. we've been getting up to no good ever since. *sigh*

don't you just love mardi gras?