Mardi Gras diary

EVENTS: Fair Day Sydney’s biggest and best annual picnic. Sunday 18 February, 10am-8pm, Victoria Park, Camperdown, gold coin donation.

CABARET: Bear Uncut Martin Badoui bares all. Wednesday 21 February, 7pm, BARME, $30/ $20, bookings 9368 0894.

I Love Youse All Lucille and friends show off their talents. Monday 19 & Wednesday 21 February, Cabaret Bar, Imperial Hotel, Erskineville, $5.

Lemon Tarts Genevieve Lemon and Josh Quong Tart present a bizarre and entertaining mix of camp and classic songs. Sundays from 4 February, 8:45pm, Statement Cabaret Lounge, www.ticketmaster.com.

Meow Meow Watch one of the world’s great voices in her mesmerising stage show. From Friday 16 February, 9pm, The Studio, Sydney Opera House, $30/ $25, bookings www.sydneyoperahouse.com/thestudio.

COMEDY: Great Debate Hear some of the community’s biggest wits debate the value of online dating. Wednesday 21 February, 7:30pm, Factory Theatre, $30/ $20, bookings 9550 3666.

PARTIES: Miss Concubine A new dance party for Asian lesbians and their friends. Saturday 17 February, 9pm, The Burdekin, $20, www.missconcubine.com.

FORUMS: Lesbian Open House A great way to connect with other smart women. Tuesday 20 February, 7pm, The Women’s Library, Brown St, Newtown, free.

Queer Asian Sites International Conference of Asian Queer Studies. Wednesday-Friday 21-23 February, 9am-5pm, Peter Johnson Building, UTS. $100/ $75/ $50, bookings 6125 3142.

Queer Space A conference on the many meanings of queer space. Tuesday-Wednesday 20-21 February, from 9am, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, UTS. $150/ $100, bookings [email protected] .

What Do Gay Men Want? Historian and queer theorist David Halperin looks into the inner world of male homosexuality. Wednesday 21 February, 6pm, UTS, $30/ $20, bookings [email protected].

LITERATURE: Tasty Words A literary fundraiser for Twenty10. Monday 19 February, 8pm, Madam Fling Flong’s, $17/ $15, bookings 0415 163 417.

MUSIC: Brett Every Tuesday Brett Every belts out big gay songs. Tuesdays, 8:30pm, Flinders Bar, free.

Denise Hanlon Join the Dikes on Mikes legend as she presents And the Bitch Can Sing II . Friday 16 February, 8pm, The Factory Theatre, $30 on the door, bookings 9209 4614.

You Can’t Stop the Music The Sydney Homotones put a camp concert band spin on some classic tracks. Wednesday 21 February, 7:30pm, New Theatre, $26/ $18, bookings 9519 3403.

SOCIAL: Bent Model Search Courtney Act looks for hot boys. Thursdays until 22 February, 9:30pm, Slide, $10/ $50 dinner and show.

Rainbow Family Picnic Gay dads and lesbian mums and their families and friends’ annual get-together at Fair Day. Sunday 18 February, 10am-1pm, Kids Zone, Victoria Park, free.

SPORT: Self Defence A free kung fu/ self defence workshop for gay men and lesbians. Saturday 17 February, 10:30am-noon, Brown Street Community Hall, Newtown, free.

Mardi Gras Bicycle Tour Join Sydney’s gay and lesbian cycling club on a tour of the city’s best cycling secrets. Sunday 18 February (includes a trip to Fair Day), 10am, Centennial Park Paddington Gates, free, www.sydneyspokes.com.

THEATRE: 10 Days On Earth Ronnie Burkett’s incredible puppetry has to be seen to be believed. From Thursday 15 February, The Playhouse, Sydney Opera House, $48/ $38, bookings 9250 7777.

Al Takes A Bride True love in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1890. From Wednesday 21 February, The Kirk Gallery, $15/ $13, bookings 0432 923 661.

Blowing Whistles A gay couple open their relationship with life-changing consequences. From Monday 19 February, 7pm, Cabaret Bar, Imperial Hotel, Erskineville, $15, bookings 9029 8349.

Forbidden Territory Behind the scenes with a Tamil Tiger. From Wednesday 21 February, 7:30pm, TAP Gallery, $20/ $17, bookings 9519 4027.

Hedwig And The Angry Inch IOTA makes a triumphant return in this crowd-pleaser. Until Sunday 4 March, Tom Mann Theatre, Surry Hills, $47.50/ $42.50/ $39.50, www.ticketek.com.au .

Holding The Man The very successful play returns for a Mardi Gras season. Stables Theatre, Darlinghurst, until Sunday 4 March, $42/ $35/ $32/ $25, bookings 1300 306 776.

Playing Around Love.com and Kiss Of The Spider Woman , until Friday 2 March, TAP Gallery, $25/$20, bookings 9439 1906.

Priscilla, The Musical The funnest show ever to hit Star City. Until Saturday 3 March, Lyric Theatre, $95.90, bookings 1300 650 300.

SOS David Hoyle asks the big questions in an all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza. Saturday 17 February and 20-24 February, 7:30pm, The Studio, Sydney Opera House, $30/ $25, bookings 9250 7777.

Tango Masculino Dance and sex in Argentina. Until Friday 2 March, New Theatre, $27/ $22, bookings 9519 8958.

The 24th Day When good dates go bad. Until Saturday 3 March, The Lock Up, $30/ $25/ $20, bookings 1300 306 776.

Boston Marriage Lesbian love in the upper class. Until Saturday 24 February, Darlinghurst Theatre, $30/ $25, bookings 8356 9987.

Vampire Lesbians Of Sodom The cult camp classic returns. Saturdays & Sundays until 25 February, New Theatre, $20/ $15, bookings 9519 8958.

Swan Lake Matthew Bourne’s incredible take on a ballet classic. From Wednesday 21 February, Capitol Theatre, from $112.50, bookings 1300 556 605.

VISUAL ARTS: Get Salted Salt Clinic, from 3 February, free. Elvis’s Teddy Has Left the Building Queer ceramic works. From Friday 16 February, Mura Clay Gallery, Newtown, free.

YOUTH: Claire’s Kitchen Chef Claire de Lune channels Jamie Oliver in an evening of cooking and camp. Fundraiser for Twenty10. Tuesday 20 February, 7pm, Slide, $60/ $45, bookings www.slide.com.au.

FESTIVAL BAR: Shows Madonna Versus Kylie Sunday 18 February, Alfio Monday 19 February, King Casual Tuesday 20 February, Dusty Springfield Wednesday 21 February. Bookings www.slide.com.au

WIN!! The Star has two double passes to a Saturday matinee showing of Boston Marriage at the Darlinghurst Theatre, and David Hoyle’s SOS at The Studio. Boston Marriage by David Mamet stars Di Smith (The Great Outdoors), Amanda Bishop and Sarah Grenfell. It’s showing until Saturday 24 February. To pick up a double pass to Saturday 17 or 24 February’s matinee showings, email [email protected] and explain the term Boston Marriage. David Hoyle’s SOS promises to be one of the highlights of this years season during its one week season at the Opera House studio from Saturday 17 February. To pick up one of four double passes to the Wednesday 21 February performance email [email protected] and tell us what David Hoyle’s alter ego is called.