More than Mardi Gras

While 19,000 revellers are expected at Saturday night’s lavish Mardi Gras Party at Fox Studios, there’s a multitude of other events to keep you entertained this weekend.

If you missed out on a ticket to Saturday’s party or simply aren’t interested in it, there are plenty of options.

For starters there’s fetish party Kabuki 2 at Suzie Q’s on Oxford Street. Guaranteed to be a spectacle of PVC and leather, it starts at 10pm and tickets are $40 on the door or $35 in advance.

For those a little less adventurous, Deckbar, situated right on Taylor Square, is having a parade-viewing party from 6:30pm that will continue well into the night. Advance tickets are $40.

Most queer venues will open once the parade finishes around 10pm, and Mardi Gras night is always a massive one for trading.

If you’re in the mood for a dance, head to Arq (which is $20 to get in) or the Midnight Shift Club ($25).

Or go to Phoenix for deep, dark and dirty tribal music from 10pm (entry is $5 after midnight).

Meanwhile it’s leather night over at Manacle, where entry is free.

Stonewall, The Oxford, Colombian, Palms and Midnight Shift Video Bar -“ all of which have no cover charge -“ will be packed to the rafters, as always.

Or get out of the ghetto and head to the Newtown Hotel on King Street or the Imperial Hotel in Erskineville.

As for Sunday, there’s a party or event to suit just about everyone’s taste.

The official Mardi Gras after-party on Sunday morning is the sold-out Toybox at Luna Park, which will incorporate a dance space and rides.

The next biggest event is Queer Nation at the very cool Home nightclub. Situated right on Darling Harbour, the party has a Rio theme and tickets are $55 (plus booking fee).

Gurlesque is holding an exclusive recovery party for women called Farty Bra at the Imperial Hotel from 3pm with quirky live acts through the afternoon and evening -“ tickets are $25.

Meanwhile Fag Tag is joining forces with London club night DTPM for a huge recovery party at Tank nightclub in the city, the buzz around which has been so massive that tickets sold out long ago.

Midnight Shift Club has the morning recovery party Classic Anthems from 8am (admission $15), followed by its immensely popular leather party Indulgence from 9:30pm ($40 or $35 in advance).

Arq is holding Retrosexual in the morning (admission $10), while in the evening it plays host to the official Toybox after-party Luna Eclipse ($30 or $20 in advance).

Also holding a special event on Sunday is Phoenix, where it’s Filthy Lucre from 9am (admission $10), and Middle Bar opens at 1pm and has free entry.

Odyssey House at Deckbar starts from 5pm and is $10 to get in, while Manacle opens from 7am and has a $10 cover charge.