Ian Thorpe Reveals He Attended Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras For First Time In 2021

Out Australian swimming star, Ian Thorpe revealed that the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras that he actually attended was more recent than you think. 

Speaking to Star Observer, after being named one of the 45 Sydney WorldPride Rainbow Champions, Thorpe mentioned that his first Mardi Gras Parade was at the Sydney Cricket Grounds in 2021.

Attended First Mardi Gras During COVID

“The first one that I actually attended was during COVID,” Thorpe revealed. “It was actually really quite tame.”

“It was at the football stadium, and it wasn’t the same, but the football stadium is kind of cool,” he said. 

Thorpe hopes that the stadium will be incorporated into the Oxford Street parade moving forward. 

“I think we should look at what the march means and I think there should be two elements to Mardi Gras, he said.  “We can have the football stadium, where perhaps it’s more for families, so we can include more people. Then everyone then goes to the top of Oxford Street and does the traditional march back down to the after party.”

Excited To Catch Up With Friends From Around The World

When asked what he is most excited about for Sydney WorldPride, Thorpe said, “catching up with friends.” 

He explained, “I have friends coming from around the world to this, that I’ve convinced ‘this is your chance to come to Sydney.’

“It’s catching up with them and, also the flipside of that is meeting new people from around the world and, and I think I’ll probably play a role that will be you know, showing off the best of Sydney, which I kind of enjoy doing anyway.”

When asked what his go-to place is when showing people around Sydney, the Olympian was coy.

“Why am I going to tell you that? I want to make sure I can get in,” he said with a smile, before adding, “Yeah, I don’t give up all my secrets.”

Talking about what it is like to be named a WorldPride Rainbow Champion, Thorpe smiled and said, “I think it’s great. We have an incredibly diverse community and to feel as though, not only that I’m a part of it, but also representing part of that in a way that is meaningful. It’s important to me.”

Sydney WorldPride 2023 takes place from February 17 to March 5, 2023, with nearly 1 million people expected to take part in the 17-day celebration.