Two-week celebration coming to an end with epic Bondi Beach party

Andrew Steel has attended 20 WorldPride events over the past two weeks.

The 61-year-old, who lives on Oxford Street, recorded each festivity on a dedicated calendar on his phone.

He also made a spreadsheet of all the events he had tickets to – and their unofficial after-parties – and displayed it on his fridge.

Andrew Steel with his daughter, Kathleen Steel (right) and her partner, Matilda Sutherland.Credit: Amber Schultz

“I’ve tried to go out every day from two or three o’clock in the afternoon because the pubs are open and busy,” he said.

His nights typically ended around three in the morning, and he took last week off work. He is celebrating with his daughter, Kathleen Steel, and her partner, Matilda Sutherland.

“It’s been really amazing. It’s like a different city, and it’s the city I want to live in.”

One of the final events on his calendar was Saturday night’s beach party at Bondi.

Oxford Street was turned into a street party this weekend. Credit: Flavio Brancaleone

The 12,000 tickets quickly sold out for the seven-hour celebration of music and dancing, starting at 3pm. Nicole Scherzinger headlined the event, performing hits from the Pussy Cat Dolls.

WorldPride attracted an estimated half a million people – including nearly 80,000 from outside Greater Sydney – attending more than 300 events and injecting $112 million into the NSW economy.

The celebration will end on Sunday with a Harbour Bridge march and a closing party in The Domain. On Saturday night, Oxford Street was turned into a street party, to be continued on Sunday night until early Monday morning.

Originally from Britain, Amy Martin and Courtney Williams had attended previous Pride events around the world – including some in London – but said nothing compared to Sydney.

Courtney Williams and Amy Martin said Sydney’s Mardi Gras and World Pride events were the best they’d been to. Credit: Rhett Wyman

“Sydney really painted the town red,” Williams said.

Cameron Havasi joined throngs of people walking to Saturday’s beach party along Campbell Parade. Huge inflatable flamingos flanked the entrance as staff offered squirts of sunscreen to attendees wearing everything from g-strings to tutus.

Cameron Havasi, Samantha Roberts, Joel Thrum and Richard Birnie see out their Saturday at the Bondi Beach Party. Credit: Rhett Wyman

Attending nine events, and taking just one day off work, Havasi said he felt emotional about how impactful WorldPride had been.

“This is something that’s going to resonate for generations,” he said.

But after three weeks of back-to-back events, by Saturday some revellers’ energy levels had begun to fade.

Dressed in metallic pants, gold chains and reflective visors, Tim Dormer and Adam Freeth planned a sober Saturday to be able to attend this morning’s pride march across the bridge.

“We both had a giant can of Red Bull but are starting to feel a bit shaky,” Dormer said.

Sunday’s Pride events

• Sydney Harbour Bridge Pride March, North Sydney to The Domain and Hyde Park, 7am to 10am. Roads closed from North Sydney to city centre until noon.
• Pride Villages open 10am to 10pm. Roads closed on Crown Street, Riley Street and Taylor Square to reopen 4.30am Monday.
• Rainbow Republic closing party in The Domain, 3pm to 10pm.
• The Oxford Street Party to close the street between College and Flinders streets until Monday 4.30am.