Thank you to everyone who helped make the Mardi Gras parade a wonderful celebration for our community in March.
The Rainbow Families Mardi Gras volunteer committee worked many, many hours liaising with the event organisers, developing float costumes and themes, organising props and banners. Bern and the team did an excellent job. The result was slick, colourful and gorgeous. We could not put on all of the events throughout the year without our wonderful team of volunteers. If you would like to get involved at our upcoming events please contact us. [insert link from new site here]
For those marching with Rainbow Families at Mardi Gras, it was a fabulous evening! The marshalling area was full of entertainment. The kids had a ball watching the other floats practice their dance moves, and the sense of community was amazing. Once we started marching, the kids didn’t know where to look. A stadium full of people cheering them on made it a night they will remember forever.
A few community members have shared their experience of marching with Rainbow Families this year.
The Rainbow Families Mardi Gras Experience, through the eyes of the organiser – Bern
This Mardi Gras was one of my favourite Mardi Gras ever. 2020 was such a difficult year for so many families in our community, it was fabulous to bring the community together again and celebrate our families as part of the wider LGBTQ+ community. Having The Wiggles as part of our float was super exciting and made the evening extra special for so many of the kids marching with us, and we looked amazing in our hot pink shirts!
The Mardi Gras Experience, through the eyes of a Guncle - Steve
2021 was the year I popped my parade cherry. Why now, at the ripe old age of 43? Because the older I get, the more I see that the definition of a normal family is dated and divisive. It focuses on a concept of 'us and them' rather than just 'us'. This year I wanted to represent the extended 'us' showing support for LGBT families, especially if you don't have children yourself. Walking into that stadium, surrounded by my extended family in all its beauty and diversity, hearing them roar as one, simply reinforced my belief that every person deserves to feel like they belong.
The Mardi Gras Experience, through the eyes of a potential parent – Will
Mardi Gras 2021 will go down in history as the year Sydney made something seemingly impossible into a reality. Mardi Gras adapted and adjusted years of tradition to bring an iconic Mardi Gras like no other, despite the current climate. Moving towards a brighter future with a reduction in restrictions paired with what Mardi Gras stands for made for a real celebration. As a couple who have only experienced one Mardi Gras from the side lines in 2020, my partner and I were delighted to join in the parade with Rainbow Families. As a same-sex couple hoping to have a family in the future it felt amazing to be part of spreading the ‘love makes a family’ message with such an inclusive community. The atmosphere was electric and the level of joy and excitement that surrounded us in the cricket ground was contagious. But our highlight has to be seeing the children in awe of the crowds, with huge smiles painted on their faces. Thank you Rainbow Families, Sydney Mardi Gras and the SCG! Everyone should be extremely proud of what they achieved. Here’s to 2022!