The Meeniyan Marty Gras drew crowds to South Gippsland for its drag and rainbow-themed events under the theme Rainbow Country. The main night at the Meeniyan Town Hall was briefly disrupted by a hailstorm and a power cut, but a live band kept the party going. The festival raises funds for Opportunities of Development thru Art in Cambodia and the Gippsland Pride Initiative. Organisers say the event has grown since it began in 2018 and that close to 180 guests attended this year's main event.
Charles Darwin University is highlighting LGBTQIA+ histories and inclusion initiatives during LGBTQIA+ History Month. In September, the CDU Student Council ran Sexual and Gender Diversity Training covering histories, pronouns and allyship. Students are encouraged to connect with the CDU Queer Network through the council. They can also request free Pride pins, badges and flags through the council's Minus18 Action Pride Pack, with collection available at the Danala, Casuarina or Sydney campuses. The university says everyone should feel welcome, respected and connected at university.
Brisbane's Melt Festival has opened with more than 100 events across 70 venues. A 15-metre pink Rubber Duck artwork by Florentijn Hofman is on display at Brisbane Powerhouse. On Saturday, a thousand onesies designed by First Nations artist Dylan Mooney will be released into the city, to be worn all day. Weather has not stopped the River Pride Parade, which will begin at 4 pm and travel from West End to Brisbane Powerhouse, followed by an opening night party. The festival runs from October 21 to November 8.
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Brisbane's Melt Festival has opened with more than 100 events across 70 venues. A 15-metre pink Rubber Duck artwork by Florentijn Hofman is on display at Brisbane Powerhouse. On Saturday, a thousand onesies designed by First Nations artist Dylan Mooney will be released into the city, to be worn all day. Weather has not stopped the River Pride Parade, which will begin at 4 pm and travel from West End to Brisbane Powerhouse, followed by an opening night party. The festival runs from October 21 to November 8.
Brisbane Pride has postponed its Rally, March and Fair Day because of adverse weather conditions this week. The event will now be held on Saturday 7 November. The organisation said the safety and wellbeing of the community, performers, stallholders, volunteers and staff came first. Melt Festival's River Pride Parade will go ahead, as will the Melt Opening Night Party at Brisbane Powerhouse. The launch of the Preserving Pride: Brisbane Pride History Project has also moved to 7 November.
Hello Gorgeous bar in Newstead, Brisbane, is launching its first Filthy Gorgeous Pride After Party this Saturday, following Brisbane Pride Fair Day. The event celebrates local queer performers, with DJs, drag acts, burlesque artists and live entertainment across the venue and its car park. Proceeds will support Diverse Voices Queensland, a queer-led not-for-profit focused on wellbeing, mental health and inclusion for LGBTIQASB+ communities. The event uses a pay-what-you-can ticket model, and free shuttle buses will run between New Farm Park, Hello Gorgeous and The Brunswick Hotel during the day.
The Parramatta Pride Picnic celebrated its 17th anniversary as a free LGBTQIA+ community event, offering all-day entertainment and various activations. Attendees enjoyed market stalls and engaged with community and corporate partners. The event, captured in photos by Harlem Starlet, continues to foster inclusivity and celebration. For more LGBTIQA+ news and stories, visit qnews.com.au. The event underscores the ongoing support and vibrancy of the queer community in Australia.
Seven Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander drag kings from across Australia will compete for the inaugural Mr First Nation title as part of Melt Festival in Brisbane. The pageant runs across three nights, with a best national costume contest on October 21, a talent round on October 22 and a grand final on October 23. Co-founder Ben Graetz says the event builds on Miss First Nation, which began in 2017 to support Black drag artists. Graetz says the Brisbane Powerhouse has backed the event, which he hopes will bring more visibility to Black drag kings.
Thousands of people are expected in New Farm later this month for the Brisbane Pride Rally and March, which Brisbane Pride organisers say could be the biggest single-day celebration of queer life the city has seen. The march runs along Brunswick Street on Saturday, October 24, and ends at New Farm Park, where Fair Day features a main stage, markets and food vans. Joanne is headlining, with RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under stars Vybe and Coco Jumbo also performing. The festival runs through October 31.
The AFLW Pride Round kicks off this weekend, celebrating LGBTQI+ inclusion in women's football. Teams have unveiled their guernsey designs, with Greater Western Sydney's Aliesha Newman creating a pattern inspired by pride colours and identity journeys. The Adelaide Crows' design was collaboratively created by players, featuring a rainbow-coloured logo and the words 'as one'. Carlton's design, created by Bella Whitaker, celebrates diversity with abstract figures and a bold flag motif. Collingwood's guernsey, designed with former players, reimagines the iconic swooping Magpie with rainbow colours.
