The party of the year

Tickets to the Mardi Gras party are expected to sell out by the middle of next week, according to a New Mardi Gras spokesperson.

The 19,000 tickets to the Saturday 5 March event at Fox Studios are selling exceedingly well, the spokesperson said, adding that early bird sales exceeded expectations.

Sales were no doubt boosted by confirmation Australian music stars Darren Hayes and Tina Arena will perform at the event.

Britain’s Nicki French, who did a cover of Total Eclipse Of The Heart, is also performing and more announcements regarding entertainment will be made next week.

There will be six separate dance venues this year, including a girls’ space on the top floor of Stage 11 (formerly City Live).

Dutch DJ 4 Strings will play a non-stop 10-hour trance set between midnight and 10am in the Hordern, which will house four times as many lasers as ever before. DJ Josh will play a two-hour set before him.

The RHI will be the home of anthems with DJs Ryan Murphy (10pm-1am), Zac (1am-4am), Shigeki (4am-7am) and Paul Goodyear (7am-10am).

Funky house in The Dome will be spun by DJs Daniel Hannan (10pm-1am), Richard Weiss (1am-5am) and GI Jode (5am-8:30am).

Playing tribal in Stage 11 is DJ Neroli (10pm-1am), Sveta (1am-4am), Buck Naked (4am-7am) and Feisty (7am-10am).

The retro space in the Fox & Lion will feature DJs Chris Kenny (10pm-midnight), Stephen Blomfield (midnight-5:30am) and Calvin Wong (5:30am-8:30am).

The Marquee will feature mash/ breaks/ electro by The Red Light Disco DJ Team (10pm-1am), Elroy (1am-5am) and Seymour Butz (5am-8:30am).

And the winners of the DJ Spin-Off competition will play on the Peter Finch Lawn.

They are DJs Hamo (10pm-midnight), Matt Broadfoot (midnight-2am), Johnson Chan (2am-4am), Murray Hood (4am-6am), Todd Woods (6am-8am) and Jez Jonson (8am-10am).

At the entrance to the party there will be random pat downs and bag searches for prohibited items including food, beverages and illegal substances.

Recording devices such as cameras and camera-phones will also be prohibited and can be checked-in prior to entry.

The medical marquee will be located behind the Hordern, while chill-out areas will be located in the Dome, Dome Garden and on Bent Street.

There will also be a roving massage team in the forecourt between RHI and Hordern.

A free shuttle bus service will operate on Sunday morning between the party, Oxford Street and Central railway station.

Partygoers heading to the official recovery party at Toybox can board special express buses to Luna Park.

Tickets to the Mardi Gras party on Saturday 5 March are available for $125 full price, $115 if you’re a MG member and $75 concession, from Ticketek. Go to www.ticketek.com.au or phone 9266 4800.