Mildura holds its first pride-themed music festival this weekend

Mildura holds its first pride-themed music festival this weekend
Image: Bae Lamour, Loghie and Memphis LK. Images: supplied.

This weekend, Mildura will hold its first pride-themed music festival, celebrating with LGBTIQ+ communities with an awesome all-inclusive line up at Mildura Fringe – Summer Thrills: Pride Edition.

“In collaboration with Mallee Pride and the Mildura Fringe committee, we have curated a laneway festival that celebrates our local queer movement, whilst also creating an extremely fun and vibrant summer laneway festival,” said Gareth Hart, Executive Director of Arts Mildura.

 

 

“This event is a very exciting one for the region. We know that the Mallee is a diverse place, and events like this are incredibly important to our community.

“LGBTQIA+ people still experience bigotry, abuse, an array of phobias, and social stigmatism in the region, and festivals like this are an opportunity for the whole community to stand in solidarity for a better future.”

This Saturday, Tschirpig Lane will come alive with pride with a live music stage, cabaret acts, immersive art, drag artists, art installations, food and more. The line-up for the festival also includes a screening of a feature documentary We’re All in This Together, exploring intergenerational stories of resilience and queer pride.

Summer Thrills 2018 bought Tschirpig Lane alive. Image: supplied.

Local creative legend Loughie will be playing live songs from their upcoming debut EP launch, with Indigenous musician Dimpa creating live soundscapes, and Memphis LK closing the night.

“There’s a really exciting vibe going on in the Mallee and we are so excited to be hosting our first LGBTIQ+ festival in Mildura this weekend,” president of the newly reformed Mallee Pride, Hannah Sycamore, told the Star Observer.

“This event is for all ages and everyone is welcome. We know that in regional towns not everyone feels okay to come out, and so if the allies turn up to show their support for us all, it encourages everyone else to turn up to that safe space.”

Loghie, Dimpa, Memphis LK. Images: supplied.

“We are really focusing on our allies and making sure we stress to them how important they are, because we are all in this together.

“The whole line-up identifies as LGBTIQ as well, and that representation—seeing queer people doing amazing things—is so powerful for all members of the community, but particularly for younger people who may be struggling with their own identity. We want them to be able to come along and see that the possibilities are endless.

“We do live in a town where, unfortunately, a lot of people still suffer from exclusion and discrimination. It isn’t a safe town, but we are doing a lot of work to change that.”

Mildura Fringe – Summer Thrills : Pride Edition. Supplied

A celebration of queer culture and coming together, Mildura Fringe – Summer Thrills: Pride Edition shows and supports the diversity of our community through showcasing local and national acts in a fabulous regional setting.

“In essence, art and creativity are ways in which we express our culture, reflect the places we live, and celebrate the uniqueness of our lives,” Gareth Hart said. ”So a colourful, all-welcoming, and supportive laneway arts festival feels very Mildura to me.”

Head to Mildura this weekend and celebrate regional pride in truly fabulous style at Mildura Fringe – Summer Thrills : Pride Edition. Click HERE for more details.

 

You May Also Like

Comments are closed.