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It began on June 24, 1978 as a protest march and commemoration of the Stonewall Riots. Although the march's organizers obtained permission, it was revoked, and the march was broken up by the police. Many of the marchers were arrested, though charges were eventually dropped.
The event was held again in 1979, with the name change to the "Sydney Gay Mardi Gras". In 1980 the first post-parade dance party was introduced, and in 1981 the parade was shifted to February. An increasingly large number of people not only participated in the event, but larger numbers of the wider community watched the parade. In 19881988 is a leap year starting on Friday (click on link for calendar). Events January January 2 Georgia celebrates its bicentennial statehood. January 9 Connecticut celebrates its bicentennial statehood. January 26 Australia celebrates its bicentennial day. the parade was renamed the "Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras".
The parade, whilst featuring many in the gay community with a penchant for exotic costumes and dance music, has always retained a political edge, with often witty visual commentary on their political opponents featuring in the floats. As homosexuality became more and more accepted in the wider community, more gay members of community groups and organisations have taken part in the parade representing those organisations, including the police force.
The Mardi Gras has continued to attract political opposition from various, mainly conservative Christian, sources. Each year the event is held, Fred NileFrederick John Nile (born 15 September 1934), Australian politician and clergyman, is a member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales, Australia. He was a member from 1981 to 2004, before resigning in an unsuccessful bid to be elected to the Austra, a member of the Legislative Council of the New South Wales Parliament and a former minister of The Uniting Church in AustraliaLogo of the UCA The Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) was formed on June 22 1977 when the Methodist Church of Australasia, Presbyterian Church of Australia and Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basic of Union document. The third la, leads this opposition with a prayer for rain on the event. Though it has rained on several Mardi Gras parades (notably with heavy downpours prior to, and drizzle during the parade in 19951995 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). It has a Golden number of 1, and was the first year of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (1995- 2005): http://www. org/culture/indigenous . Events January events Ja, and in 20042004 is a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 2004 calendar), and has also been designated the: International Year of Rice International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition Elections are to be held in 73 co), this has never stopped the parade. Criticism of Sydney's Mardi Gras was perhaps at its strongest during the early years of the AIDSAIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome sometimes written Aids is a human disease characterized by progressive destruction of the body's immune system. It is widely accepted that AIDS results from infection with HIV crisis, and reached another crescendo when the national broadcaster, the ABCThe ABC or Australian Broadcasting Corporation is the national, public broadcaster in Australia. It is government-funded and provides radio, television and online services throughout metropolitan and regional Australia and overseas via Radio Australia., telecast the parade for the first time in 1994 (the first broadcast was a huge ratings success for the network). For the most part, Sydneysiders now accept the Mardi Gras as an important and vibrant part of the city's cultural landscape.
The Mardi Gras organisation has struck financial trouble recently. This has been attributed by some to poor financial management, but others in the gay community have argued that this is actually a sign of the fact that homosexuality has "gone mainstream" and is now so integrated into the wider suburban Australian community the need to band together for such events is declining. Another explanation of this has been Australia's ongoing public liability crisis, which has seen massive insurance premiums placing a significant burden upon community and public events, if not preventing them.
However, Mardi Gras does enjoy much public support, and the event is sure to remain a vital part of Sydney culture.
See also: Queer culture, Gay pride, List of gay-related topics