WorldPride: Northern beaches to celebrate with a huge range of events and activities
The Rainbow flag is flying over the northern beaches as we get ready to celebrate with a range of local WorldPride 2023 events. See what’s happening here.
Manly
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The world’s biggest festival celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community — Sydney WorldPride 2023 — has kicked off.
But you don’t have to jump on the ferry or catch the B-Line bus into town to be part of the fun and excitement with celebrations being held across the northern beaches.
This is the first time that WorldPride, the largest global LGBTQIA+ event, has been held in the southern hemisphere.
It also coincides with the 50th anniversary of Australian Gay Pride Week, the 45th anniversary of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, and the fifth anniversary of marriage equality in Australia.
Northern Beaches Council, as well as local businesses and organisations, have come up with a wide range of events and activities to celebrate our own “rainbow community” and promote the area as a “safe inclusive place where diversity matters”.
The three-week program ranges from fabulous temporary street art to picnics, documentary film screenings and events focusing on young people.
Hospitality outlets have created their own “pride” cocktails and dishes to celebrate the festival.
Events include “Rainbow Story Time” sessions at all public libraries that will feature stories and songs about “family, love and being yourself”.
There will also be “Drag Queen Story Time” at Manly Library, conducted by entertainer Charisma Belle.
The Manly Pacific Hotel, Hotel Steyne at Manly and Harbord Diggers will host events including “Drag Bingo”, Drag shows and host meetings of LGBTQIA+ support groups.
At the Manly Pacific, chefs at the Tokyo Joe restaurant have created special festival dishes including “Pride Rice”.
The hotel’s North 55 bar has also concocted one-off Pride cocktails.
The hotel is also hosting the “Pride No Prejudice” exhibition in its lobby, showcasing images of 12 members of Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ taken by award-winning photographer Richard Hedger.
In 55 North on Friday night, to kick off the Pride celebrations, Sydney-icon DJ Queen Shirene will appear.
“We’re very proud to celebrate and stand as allies with Australia’s brilliant and diverse LGBTQIA+ community,” Manly Pacific general manager, Dylan Cole, said.
“To add to our vibrant line-up of festivities, we will be showcasing all shades of the rainbow with hotel staff wearing rainbow bow ties and scarfs.”
As well as local businesses taking part in a “Rainbow Windows” competition, the council has commissioned artists to create murals on The Corso and a rainbow arch next to Manly Wharf.
The temporary mural artworks by Meg Minkley are on display on The Corso and Skye Burton’s Perspex WorldPride arch has been installed on the forecourt of Manly Wharf, overlooking Manly Cove — great for “selfies”.
Minkley’s designs celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and society as “one great big colour jungle, a flock of birds that fly together and stay together in unity and equality”.
Burton has created a perspex rainbow arch, anchored with two concrete clouds.
It also includes contemporary Aboriginal art, telling the story of Manly and the connections people have with the community.
Nearby, Manly Business Chamber has commissioned rainbow chalk art for the wharf forecourt.
Council CEO Ray Brownlee said the community prides itself on having an inclusive and welcoming community that celebrates diversity.
“We have a range of programs and events as part of Sydney WorldPride 2023 and this colourful display of artworks across our public spaces is just one of the wonderful ways to celebrate our diversity,” he said.
Other events include:
■ Fusion Pride Picnic: a free event offering the chance for families and friends to meet, grab some lunch with live music, crafts, picnic spaces, LGBTQIA+ resources, local Pride goods and accessories for sale, at Ted Jackson Reserve, Dee Why.
■ documentary screenings at Manly Library that tell the story of the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras protest in 1978.
■ “Run the Rainbow” community fun run at Curl Curl and Mona Vale.
■ “Girls on Fire Rainbow & Community Resilience Program” invites the LGBTQIA+ young people to “set the Northern Beaches alight for World Pride” at James Meehan Reserve, Dee Why.
■ “Lifesavers with Pride Exhibition and Talk” at Manly Library, highlighting the diversity among members and pride for the inclusivity of the Surf Life Saving community.
■ Collaroy Tennis Club Pride Day, to help LGBTQIA+ tennis players feel included, welcomed, accepted and safe.
To check dates, times and locations of events, activities and art installations, click here.
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