No More Mardi Gras Parade?

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Christian Taylor

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Thu 6th Dec, 2007 in Local News

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Mardi Gras this morning launched their festival guide for 2008 and not only is the line up absolutely inspiring, but so is the new found leadership and bold ethos emanating from within the organisation.

The theme for 2008 is Brave New Worlds and Mardi Gras is certainly entering one indeed. During his speech Marcus Bourget touched on the reality that Mardi Gras is facing right here, right now.

“A 2005 study commissioned by New Mardi Gras for the Premier’s Department concluded that Mardi Gras was responsible for bringing $46 million into the NSW economy,” said Marcus. “It remains one of my great frustrations that we are still unable to share in the millions of dollars we generate for the state.”

Marcus said that Mardi Gras does get some support, but it pales in comparison to what it generates for the economy. It’s time something changed.

“As we celebrate the 30th anniverary the question I have for you is a simple one – can we imagine a Mardi Gras where we commemorate 1978 without the Parade?”

Marcus suggested some alternatives which were well received by those in the room. They’re ideas that have essentially been simmering away within the community for some time and they make a lot of sense.

“Do we use the many hundreds of thousands of dollars it costs to stage the event and instead use some of this money to invest and grow… Fair Day? Does Fair Day become our community’s mark of remembrance? Or do we strip back the parade to its essential core – a protest? Do we, in fact, start at Hyde Park with a walk of remembrance up Oxford Street and into Moore Park? A march without floats, without music and without crowds, but a march for ourselves, our friends, our families, our kids, our community?”

The suggestion of the end of the Mardi Gras Parade is definitely a brave new world. As a community it’s about time we realised that when it comes to the parade, everyone else is benefiting from it but us. Are we, as a community, brave enough for change? Lets hope so.

What do you think the future of the Mardi Gras Parade should be? Vote now in the forums.

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Christian Taylor

Christian Taylor said on the 6th Dec, 2007

Today Mardi Gras launched their new festival guide for 2008 and during his speech Mardi Gras Chair Marcus Bourget touched on the bold new future for the organisation, one of the biggest parts being the possible end of the parade.

"Do we use the many hundreds of thousands of dollars it costs to stage the event and instead use some of this money to invest and grow... Fair Day? Does Fair Day become our community's mark of remembrance? Or do we strip back the parade to its essential core - a protest? Do we, in fact, start at Hyde Park with a walk of remembrance up Oxford Street and into Moore Park? A march without floats, without music and without crowds, but a march for ourselves, our friends, our families, our kids, our community?"

What do we all think? Is it time for the parade to go? When everyone else is benefiting from it but us, is it time to inject meaning back into Mardi Gras, and take this ritual back to its roots?

taylor-dayne

taylor-dayne said on the 6th Dec, 2007

here here! i have heard people crying out for this for years. mardi gras parade is not our forum for messages anymore. it's a big celebration that WE FOOT THE BILL FOR, not the government or the businesses. they sit back and rake in the cash. i say lets start spending our own money on ourselves, on making our community events even better. lets inject real meaning back into oxford street - that walk to the party idea is spot on. lets do it.

daniel_son said on the 6th Dec, 2007

You cant get rid of the parade! The parade is half the fun of mardi gras! The first parade i saw was in 2006, the first time i had ever been to a mardi gras. It was absolutely amazing to see our diverse community together in celebration of being gay. It is crappy that corporations are profiting off us, but the parade is what has made mardi gras famous, the parade is the trade mark of what mardi gras is! If you get rid of the parade then it just wouldnt be mardi gras... I understand that it started out as a protest, but as times and attitudes changed, so did the parade. It became more daring, more outspoken, an outlet for some to express their edgier and creative sides. Getting rid of the parade will kill off an iconic piece of australias gayculture... Thats my opinion anyway... :)

mjm078 said on the 6th Dec, 2007

i say take it back to the days of protest and let us show normal australia what not is working for us......isn't that what 1978 was all about?

follow the same route and then end it with the big gay party as is......with no hetros!!

If the parade has to stay the quality participation and floats has to increase ten fold because anyone can cover an econovan in crepe paper and drive up oxford street with a boom box hanging out the back with a group of "i am gay (for tonight)" sixteen year old girls jumping around behind it.....

sorry but last year that is where the quality of the parade was for me......

robbie

robbie said on the 6th Dec, 2007

While the parade is such fun and marching was one of my most memorable experiences, I believe we've disregarded the entire point of Mardi Gras - to march for equality and fairness. while the government rakes in all this cash, they still treat us like 2nd class citizens.. Fair Day sounds good to me.. there could be shows on the day, a march within an area where New Mardi Gras and OUR COMMUNITY benefits..

timmeyboy

timmeyboy said on the 6th Dec, 2007

It is shocking that an event that raises so much money can see little return to the people that actually put it on, ok maybe say the harbour at new years eve, but what other annual party would you see so much money raised for other people not involved in the event.
I think this is a feeling starting to be felt around the world as gay people are more accepted into mainstream culture, that having a parade/party is less becoming a chance for us to celebrate than it is an even for the straights to come along and gawp at.
There are gay people in the world that hate the idea of Mardi Gras and think we should just blend into the background like everyone else, I'm not one of them, I do think we should celebrate our community but it should be done in a way that benefits OUR community, not someone elses.
We do this for us, not for them.

Snickers said on the 6th Dec, 2007

I'm so impressed with Mardi Gras publicly voicing this change, I dont know anyone who feels that the parade represents who they are or know of anyone who even goes to see it anymore, I feel it's just an eyesore for the masses to go and watch and doesn't really work for the greater good of the community in the long run.
Turn it back into something grass roots with a very low cost infrastructure that continues the spirit of the 78's, we still dont have equality yet so why celebrate with a public event that pores millions into the local economy,

timmeyboy

timmeyboy said on the 6th Dec, 2007

oh does anyone know how to get a hold of the festival program??
tried looking on the website as away to order one but no can find!! -HELP !@!!!!!
Muchos Tankos

Marcus Bourget said on the 6th Dec, 2007

actually the entire festival is available in an online format from the MG website... use this link http://www.mardigras.org.au/calendar_list.cfm?nav=Mardi Gras 07

jackie87

jackie87 said on the 6th Dec, 2007

I think its a shame in recent years the parade route is constantly being filled with lowlife, so I had to agree the parade should go and we can have more focus on fair day.

genkij

genkij said on the 6th Dec, 2007

The parade needs to kept - It is always been a show of solidarity for Gay festivals the world over. WE need to put our money wher our mouth is and stimulate the festival... 2008 MG sounds FAB !!

drmoreau

drmoreau said on the 6th Dec, 2007

@Snickers: Agreed.
The parade hardly makes a political statement any more, it merely reinforces the flamboyant stereotype of gays.

taylor-dayne

taylor-dayne said on the 6th Dec, 2007

easy for you to say that genkij, but all too often people get too idealistic about these things. yes, we want a free fair day. yes we want a parade. yes we want a party. yes we want the tickets to cost the same each year. yes we want mardi to move with the times. yes we want mardi gras to stay the same. i think it's way too hard these days to put on an event like mardi gras. it's all about the sponsors, it attracts homophobic scum and is little more than a freak show these days. why should we be performing seals for these people? if they really cared about us and wanted to be a party of something, they'd come to fair day and sit on the grass with us and have a good day. no need for mardi gras anymore. lets have it as a meaningful march along the strip on the way to the party - get it back to its roots - give everyone an opportunity to walk that strip and REALLY THINK about what it means, before having a kick ass party that night. that's what i think needs to happen. make it about us again. screw pumping all that money into the economy. why should we?

daggydancer said on the 6th Dec, 2007

Interesting debate. i think we need to remember the young lesso or poof sitting in some rural or suburban backwater, who is feeling that they are all alone, and see the parade on TV and understands that there are likeminded people out there who can celebrate who they are. Its easy to sit i the pink triangle and criticise our own events and behaviours and so on..but we cant forget the people who dont have the comforts of living in a gay friendly area. Having said that, I think that NMG are doing a great job.

Christian Taylor

Christian Taylor said on the 6th Dec, 2007

but it's not on tv anymore. and isn't likely to be on tv again. we're in such different times now. there are plenty more ways to reach that young lesso or poof - is a parade through darlinghurst really the best way?

GenesisInVain

GenesisInVain said on the 6th Dec, 2007

we are world renowned.. sydney mardi gras is the gayest thing in the world. we as a community really need to stand up for it and it should definitely go back on tv

GenesisInVain

GenesisInVain said on the 6th Dec, 2007

but i do agree with the whole political move, we aren't being heard anymore, we're pumping money into the breeders and we are still being treated like 2nd class citizens. i think its time to revive that '78 spirit. it will be sad to the whole shebang gone though. its a rite of passage for us youngling to go to mardi gras and its such a shame the party we held for ourselves is no longer doing us much good

honey-prawns

honey-prawns said on the 6th Dec, 2007

interesting move but i think its the right choice to make. the parade doesnt really say anything anymore and the city of sydney are just using it to get tourists into the city. onwards and upwards, the city of sydney can find another cash cow to milk

Apollo__79

Apollo__79 said on the 6th Dec, 2007

I am unsure about a Mardis Gras without the parade... I feel the parade is part of our festival, our expression, our outlet of being ourselves and being heard in the wider community!!

We do play contribute widely into other communities (breeders as another blogger wrote) and I think that the larger community should be aware that we ask for something back... acceptance!!

I do enjoy the Fair Day and the other events... I feel that the parade is the essence of Mardis Gras and that party afterwards is our celebration of being... please can we keep both??

danny corvini

danny corvini said on the 6th Dec, 2007

What about an all day Fair Day type event (perhaps called MG Day) in both sections of Hyde Park for all sections of the community, followed by a march of some description. Of course you would be free to come as you are, or as you want to be. I think it would be important that some section of the walk should be like the candlelit vigil marks that used to take place up Oxford St in remembrance of people fallen to AIDS. But once you get to Taylor Sq there could be a giant street party in a closed off Taylor Square from a certain hour after the vigil-walk. Massive DJ booths could see DJs play to a real community party in the street, til 3am. The street would be closed off anyway with the usual parade, so it would not be a great stretch. I dont think you would need to continue any sort of parade or march from Taylor Sq to the Hordern, its up to festival goers to make their way to the big party if they want to, or you can otherwise stay in Taylor Sq and party. This would need to be a supervised party, however. A community party for the gay and lesbian community and supporters, hopefully.

Stevie Boy said on the 6th Dec, 2007

If you weren't going to have the Parade anymore then you'd certainly need something massive and gay in it's place. Sydney is renowned as being one of the world's gayest cities. From my point of view the only thing keeping it this way is the Mardi Gras season and parade. Oxford Street has died and our overall presence in this city is rapidly being replaced by bogans from Parramatta. We can not let our big gay parade die too. The Mardi Gras season really can be a magical and exciting time and attracts plenty of overseas gays to our city. I'll be damned if I stand by and watch this city become any less gay than it is right now

Brad

Brad said on the 6th Dec, 2007

I unfortunately haven't been able to see the parade for the past few years due to working at the party and its one thing I really miss. Personally I think the parade is extremely important for the the Sydney GLBTQ community. Sure it may not be the most political parade anymore but it is still a great opportunity for us to show the rest of the country and the world that we are still here and need to be heard.

I also agree that for many young people the parade is an important part of coming out and understanding how they fit in. I certainly wont ever forget the first time I went to the parade. It was a truly an emotional experience.

Rohan

Rohan said on the 6th Dec, 2007

it looks a great program, but did NMG use a spell check on their website? maybe they should go back and check a few words

Mr J said on the 7th Dec, 2007

I've never seen Mardi Gras (heck i've never been to sydney) and as interesting and as fun as it sounds. I personally agree with snickers and drmoreau. Its iconic around the world so imagine the type of coverage that would be achieved if instead of a party a real protest took place showing the straight community that we are just like them ... just with a different orientation. A real march showing us as we are not dressed up not parading just our everyday selves. It would break down so many old stereotypes about homosexuality. We are always complaining about the stereotypes put on us so why don't we take an active stand against them!

Ruffnut

Ruffnut said on the 7th Dec, 2007

Make the parade of 2008 the biggest and the last.......time to move on.

How about moving Fair Day to Moore Park and making it the focal point
of our celebration as a community coming together.

Funds raised from collections at fairday, parties etc to be pumped back into community charities like luncheon club who are really doing worthwhile jobs for our brothers and sisters. Or even look at building a gay retirement village? Our community are aging too and we need to look at issues concerning these ground breakers who fought for what we have today.

piggles

piggles said on the 7th Dec, 2007

I think the parade ios an nstitution and should stay. Whether it is representative of stereotypes or not is OUR decision to shape it. If you feel it mistakenly represents a loud flamboyant gay stereotype then it is up to us to add a different flavour to it. I agree we should definitely make it more political again, once agin this is just more flavour.

The entire point of the parade is that it sends the message that WE are taking over the streets and straights move aside. Fair day is fantastic - it is about family day and all the rest but it is a gay enclave once again. The parade is designed to be "in your face" to the outer community. It shows all those closeted and young that there is a day when they can scream and shout, and dress up and be proud or at least other people doing their thing.

This may seem insignificant but it is very important to a lot of people who would otherwise not have contact with the community, who have no access to fair day, the closeted etc. It is an anonymous and safe way of venturing into a sometimes frightening community for the first time. Fair Day is too clique for many people the first time.

Piggles

alison87 said on the 7th Dec, 2007

Maybe this is a non-Sydneysider view, but to me Mardi Gras IS the parade. When i think Mardi Gras i think one of the biggest pride marches in the world, putting Sydney up there with Amsterdam, Sao Paulo, San Francisco etc. And sure that means a whole bunch of queens dressing up in ridiculous clothes, but seriously, who wants to see a bunch of normal people dressed in regular clothes walking down the street? You see that every day. I'm not one to get dressed up myself but i love that people do it, that people aren't ashamed of their flamboyancy, aren't ashamed to publically celebrate who they are and what they love. Without a big gay march it'll either become a music/arts festival like any other or yet another leftie wankfest - and then really what's the point?

leverarchfile

leverarchfile said on the 7th Dec, 2007

nice way to galvanise the community, without doubt there should be more governement support, and without doubt the parade should stay..........it is the bridge that brings our community into the rest of society and one of our most powerful tools........to give it away may be a case of cutting off the nose...

inbound

inbound said on the 7th Dec, 2007

hmmm - interesting. I think a lot of thought should go into this before any decision is made.... What about both? A protest march and a 'fuck you all we are having fun' parade?

robbie

robbie said on the 7th Dec, 2007

Alison, you need to get a hold of the MG guide.. the parade, while insititutional and highly recalled, is only one element of the 4 week festivities. A leftie wankfest sounds a bit exaggerated... Marid Gras should be all about bringing together our community.. a parade just doesn't cut it anymore for the gay masses. We have to get back to WHY we have this festival.. I think have the straights out there must think we are idiots.. this country classifies us a second citizens on various legal standpoints, but is happy to sit back and watch that 2nd class community bring in $50 million for the state ... I wonder how much of that $50 million is then allocated back to OUR community??? How much would it cost to put 5 more full time police on Oxford St patrol? How much of that $50 million is used to reduce the blatant homophobia that exists in our communities and our schools?

Next year's parade should be the last. It's certainly time for a change.

lukerhn

lukerhn said on the 7th Dec, 2007

I'm with inbound on this... before reading this thread I never understood what Mardi Gras meant to people. I never identified with the concept, but I think I'm beginning to get it.

The problem with both a protest and a parade is it sends mixed messages to the community. We still have a lot of rights to continue to fight for, especially with such conservative views that continue to control the country.

Perhaps the parade can be headed by a protest... it's a nod to 1978 and serves as a reminder that while we have gained so much, there is still much more to be gained...

robbie

robbie said on the 7th Dec, 2007

I'm with inbound on this... before reading this thread I never understood what Mardi Gras meant to people. I never identified with the concept, but I think I'm beginning to get it.

The problem with both a protest and a parade is it sends mixed messages to the community. We still have a lot of rights to continue to fight for, especially with such conservative views that continue to control the country.

Perhaps the parade can be headed by a protest... it's a nod to 1978 and serves as a reminder that while we have gained so much, there is still much more to be gained...

Totally agree Luke... you know many people don't know what Mardi Gras is about.. I know I really didn't until a few years ago..

Stevie Boy said on the 7th Dec, 2007

I was in New York this year during Gay Pride. Their Gay Pride Parade while drawing a large crowd was really nothing special. It didn't have any of the magic of the Mardi Gras Parade - a lot of people weren't in costumes and a lot of the floats were pretty basic. It looked a bit sad really. The one thing I kept saying to my friends was "New York's gay bar/clubbing scene is much bigger and better than Sydney's but the Pride March is nothing compared to our Mardi Gras Parade". I was really proud of how we do it so much better. To those of you who think a simple march would be a much better idea... you need to seriously consider what we'd be giving up. It would be a major downgrade

Tim D

Tim D said on the 7th Dec, 2007

Mardi Gras means lots of different things to lots of different people.

To the 78ers: Mardi Gras has lost the original idea that it was formed for, as a protest.

To the new generation coming through: Mardi Gras means a party, a chance to dress up and dance.

The anyone not in Sydney: Mardi Gras equals a colourful parade and fun tourist holiday.

So any decision made needs to take into account all of these different groups that are involved in Mardi Gras each in their own way. Man it's a big decision, but I think we all know where it's heading, we just need to admit it to ourselves.

taylor-dayne

taylor-dayne said on the 7th Dec, 2007

ok - very complicated issue.

firstly - to the people who want to keep the parade:

if people want this mardi gras parade then shut up and stop bagging out the organisation who tirelessly work to create it. buy a party ticket at the cost that they set it and stop whining that it's too expensive. stop criticising and vilifying the people who take these public positions. support as many festival events as you can. volunteer your time and money. walk in the parade. go and cheer them on. be there.

if you want the parade but you also don't bother going in it or watching it then you're a hypocrit and not entitled to an opinion.

secondly - to the people who rake in the cash and don't contribute back -

you all need to start paying the rent. if not, we'll stop the parade and then you will lose that extra income. i think it's about time mardi gras laid it on the line and said - 'pay for it, or say goodbye'. i think that's great.

thirdly - to the people who don't feel represented by the mardi gras parade, people who don't want it anymore, people who think it's not what it used to be, that it's too commercial -

all of that is true. times have changed. if you think the parade needs to end then tell us all why, tell us what should replace it, help everyone else see that there is another way of doing things.

when all is said and done, i think we can find an equally as expressive and exciting way to replace mardi gras. lets stop being so scared about what will take its place. gay sydney is stuck in this groundhog day and we're all too scared to change things.

bottom line for me - if the parade isn't about the community, for the community, about the community and supported wh0lly by the community, then what's the point? at the moment it's mostly all about the tourists who come to gawk at us, and it's about the people raking in the bucks who don't deem it valuable enough to support it financially.

sorry, i am over paying for other people to benefit. fuck them. we had 30 amazing years. lets make it about us again.

robbie

robbie said on the 7th Dec, 2007

timmeyboy

timmeyboy said on the 7th Dec, 2007

I wish people back home in Birmingham had the same thoughts as you guys, as i said before all pride events are now a tourist thing, the pink pound is stronger than ever but it takes away the meaning of the event and it becomes something that people just do for a few days a year. The whole thing is about being proud to be who we are and that's a 365 day job, not just for a long weekend.

kwickeemart

kwickeemart said on the 7th Dec, 2007

i dont think the parade should be stopped altogether
scale back down to what it was in the beginning
weneed to concentrate more on looking after each other on the strip
we all agree oxford st is horrid at the moment
take the parade back to a rally with a hint of glamour
and lets start making a hell of a lot of noise again
the majority of society dont hear us anymore

Mr J said on the 7th Dec, 2007

I completly agree with Taylor-Dayne!! If i was contributing that much to the states economy I sure as hell would want a hand.

Christian Taylor

Christian Taylor said on the 7th Dec, 2007

i think mardi gras parade has been amazing, and it's iconic and all the rest of it, but why run something into the ground? who are we putting this on for? hanging onto something just because it's well known is not a good enough reason.

our party can be just as flamboyant as we want it to be. so can our fair day. so can our festival. so can our pool party. so can our walk to the party along oxford and flinders streets. how invigorating to be part of something new? how brilliant if mardi gras could turn around at the end of the party and give the luncheon club a cheque for thousands and thousands of dollars?

i would much rather see us take this cultural ritual and turn it into something that looks after us, takes care of us, respects us, speaks for us - than trot out something out of expectation. there's also that voyeuristic aspect of mardi gras - this is the last piece of power we have - if the onlookers want a show and they don't want to pay for it, then they don't get a show. simple as that.

Thatguy

Thatguy said on the 7th Dec, 2007

So - I posted this exact question in the forum and kinda got shouted down. I think it is exactly what should happen. Why should everyone else benefit, plus the parade is out of step with the reality of being gay in 2008 - it is a freak show, sponsored by big corporates trying to "appeal to the pink dollars". I think it is a great idea to cut the parade out of mardi gras.

Zakalwe said on the 7th Dec, 2007

Why not make The Parade biennial?
Skip 2009, save up that money, put it on in 2010 bigger and better than before.
It makes it a special event again, since its not on as often.
Plus it gives a little taste to government and business what its like not having all that extra income, so they will be more supportive.

DavidL

DavidL said on the 8th Dec, 2007

This is what I gather from the article. The problem with the Mardi Gras Parade is:

It costs a lot to put on
No/very little money is seen being put back into the community
It is losing it's meaning as a day of remembrance/protest/celebration of diversity

The (possibly) proposed solution is to:

Scrap the Parade
Spend some of the money saved on Fair Day to make it bigger/better/gayer
Spend some of the money to host a walk/march that is more about the spirit than bright lights and loud music
Have the remainder of the money put back into the community

Points to consider:

Are we going to run into the same issue in the future where we have a "large" event (Fair Day) becoming expensive to host (like the Parade)?
Will there be a significant difference in the amount of money going back into the community?
Will the other events (Fair Day and march/walk) sufficiently celebrate the meaning of Mardi Gras?

All things considered, I think it's time for a change. I have faith that whatever takes the place of the Parade will succeed in time with the support of the community and that we will be better off overall. Kylie and Madonna aren't where they are today because they stood still. Let the reinvention begin.

matrix

matrix said on the 8th Dec, 2007

Question: how is it that Midsumma can put on a great festival year after year with a parade with less money, less people and no $100K's from gaydar and NMG keep crying poor?

Christian Taylor

Christian Taylor said on the 8th Dec, 2007

have you seen the scale of midsumma's parade? have you seen the scale of their parties? i think that would answer the question.

kwickeemart

kwickeemart said on the 8th Dec, 2007

totally agree although have enjoyed midsumma
mardi gras is slightly different and bigger
i just dont see why we cant scale the parade down and make it more of a demonstration rally like it started out
lets get back to the real reason why it started

Tim D

Tim D said on the 8th Dec, 2007

Midsumma and Mardi Gras are too very different beasts, it's a bit strange to compare them.

ChrisDude

ChrisDude said on the 8th Dec, 2007

Next year will be my first Mardi Gras. I understand a lot of the sentiment over the parade having perhaps outlived its usefulness, but I have to say that I think the parade should stay.

For one, it's big and visible. Having the parade is a reminder to the wider community that we're here, we're queer, and gee aren't there rather a lot of us. Lose the parade, and it's easier to ignore our existence.

Two, there's a lot of younger queer people who see the parade on the news and see proof positive that they are not alone. That's important. Likewise, going to my first parade next year will be a bit of a personal milestone, and I know some of my friends feel the same.

I like the idea of giving the parade a bit of a harder edge. Make it more politically in-your-face. Give the audience a little less fun and more to think about. But I think this can be done in the context of the current parade.

matrix

matrix said on the 8th Dec, 2007

why is it strange? they both have the same goals and aims.

Christian Taylor

Christian Taylor said on the 8th Dec, 2007

same goals and aims? on the surface maybe. one is quite grassroots and very community focused, the other is very much a large international spectacle, all about the glamour and the gloss.

matrix

matrix said on the 8th Dec, 2007

sure........god forbid i think something different from the mods of this site.

Thatguy

Thatguy said on the 9th Dec, 2007

No parade, no parade, no parade -

It too long, dull, over-sexualised and full of dated stereotypes which don't do the gay community any favours.

mikeb

mikeb said on the 9th Dec, 2007

I think that unfortunately the parade has lost it's meaning along the way and actually bares no relevance to the current climate in which we find ourselves . We are citizens without equal rights and quite frankly it screws with my brain when I think of all the so called s8 people who love us gays but yet do nothing to help us achieve what should be a right . Actually on that point I go further and include myself in that equation , a complacent homo who at times gets mad and then later thinks ah what the fuck !
I am sick of it maybe we should have a mass riot instead ! Riot of a party , yeh !

judes1974

judes1974 said on the 9th Dec, 2007

I will definitely miss the parade. We usually do all the big events and lots of the small ones and I will be sad to see it go... it's a huge part of our history.

Mydoona

Mydoona said on the 9th Dec, 2007

OH come on...the best way to boost the parade and make more money is to show it on TV again and release an album.
i don't go to the parade as I live to far from it and if I want a goodseat I have to get there at 2pm in the afternoon and line up..who wants to do that???..not me...show it on TV and people would flock to watch it.

morgan

morgan said on the 11th Dec, 2007

Personally, I think the parade is one of the best things about living in Sydney. It's up there with Rio Carnival and the Notting Hill Parade as one of the most colourful, exciting parades, one of the most colourful, exciting, joyful events, on the planet.

I guess the Rio Carnival might be different, but the Notting Hill Parade, and the St Patrick's Day parades which began in the States, started just the same way as the Mardi Gras parade here - as a way of creating visibility for a disadvantaged community, and they've all evolved into celebrations that exert a pull well beyond their original communities.

Now that I've been here for a few years, I know that Mardi Gras is more than just the parade, but the parade is the climax, not the after party. I think that Sydney, and Sydney's lesbians and gay men would lose something quite profound without the parade.

I think the parade, and Mardi Gras itself, has been taken for granted for many years. I've heard many people express a degree of ennui about Mardi Gras and the parade, and the level of public funding seems to poorly match the benefit to the city and state. I hope that the debate will help to change both of those things.

Christian Taylor

Christian Taylor said on the 11th Dec, 2007

you don't know what you've got til it's gone. perhaps that's exactly what needs to happen.

GenesisInVain

GenesisInVain said on the 11th Dec, 2007

Let the reinvention begin!!! Here here!

Christian Taylor

Christian Taylor said on the 11th Dec, 2007

i think the community needed to lose mardi gras years ago. like a couple of years ago when the community didn't go to sleaze, and didn't support it - they all went to other parties instead. mardi gras practically had to beg people to go support them. that's when they should have folded. and it would have served everyone right.

for the community to not support their biggest fundraiser, and then expect gaydar to bail them out financially so we could still have a mardi gras - well, it hardly seems fair, does it?

Tomas Finnerty

Tomas Finnerty said on the 13th Dec, 2007

Hmm...I think a reality check is called for. It definitely does not cost Mardi Gras hundreds of thousands to stage the Mardi Gras Parade, however if individual entry costs are taken in to account then i'm sure the cost is substantial. And there is additinoal money raised at the parade through sponsorship, etc to counter the spend- this should be looked at further- perhaps as Mydoona suggests looking at TV rights, etc. The parade definitely costs money, but none near what is suggested. I definitely agree that more government support is required though. Regardsless of the future direction of Mardi Gras, others will always benefit if we get the international visitors as well as spending from the home crowd.

FlipX[disabled]

FlipX[disabled] said on the 10th Jan, 2008

I kinda feel like Mardi Gras had long become as soulless as Christmas. A shake-up that forces people to reassess why Mardi Gras SHOULD be important would be brilliant.

taylor-dayne

taylor-dayne said on the 13th Jan, 2008

the reason i think that the parade should become a walk of remembrance is that the community has lost so much the last couple of years - it's not that it's commercial - it's purely that marching down a street that is no longer gay friendly is stupid. who feels like dancing down the golden mile when we know that eveyr other day of the year it's one of the most homophobic areas in the city?

i think a walk from the park to the party would be great, cos we hang onto the ritual that holds the community together (we are so fractured at the moment, if we lose this we're fucked) and it will remind everyone that gay sydney is going through a tough time. all of us walking together - a sobering reminder that we're losing things left right and centre (our clubs, our meaning, our safety) but we're not gaining anything either (where's our relationship recognition? where's equality under the law? oh that's right - we're not getting it.)

mardi gras caused people to sit up and take notice once upon a time. now things are different. we need to make it work for us - keep us together, make us stronger. and hopefully it will inspire us to keep on fighting for our rights in other ways.

mardi gras doesn't advance us politically anymore.