Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Unveils Electrifying 2026 ‘Ecstatica’ Program

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has unveiled its glittering 2026 Festival program, promising 20 days of queer joy, creativity and connection under the theme Ecstatica.

Running from 13 February to 1 March 2026, the 48th annual celebration will transform Sydney into a city pulsing with pride, protest and party.

“Ecstatica is about euphoria as resistance,” said Jesse Matheson, CEO of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. “Our joy is powerful, political, and unstoppable. This year’s Festival celebrates connection in all its forms — from streets to screens, from protest to party, and from one another to the world.”

Over 80 events will take place across the city, culminating in the 48th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday 28 February, when Oxford Street once again becomes the beating heart of LGBTQIA+ pride and visibility.

“Every year, the Parade reminds us that visibility is joy in motion. It’s about showing up for ourselves and each other — and doing it with glitter in our veins,” Matheson said.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore AO summed up the spirit of the season: “Our city sparkles with diversity, inclusion and love proudly on show. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to Oxford Street to celebrate a festival that stands for joy, equality and belonging.”

“The NSW Government is proud to support Mardi Gras, which has grown from a grassroots protest into one of the world’s great festivals,” said Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Steve Kamper. “It is the pride of Sydney’s major events calendar and a symbol of our city’s creativity, diversity and inclusiveness. The 2026 Festival program will once again unite communities and showcase our vibrant global city at its very best.”

Mardi Gras 2026 festival highlights

The festival opens on Friday 13 February with the Progress Pride Flag Raising at Sydney Town Hall, followed by Ultra Violet at City Recital Hall — a femme-charged celebration from creative duo Sveta Gilerman and Jess Hill, transforming the space into a lush dreamscape of queer sound and performance.

At the National Art School, Black Cherry will spotlight trans and gender-diverse artistry inside the Cell Block Theatre, while Fair Day returns to Victoria Park on Sunday 15 February, featuring Drag King Games, the Queer Fashion Runway, Doggywood, and the First Nations Circle opening ceremony.

Beloved staples are back too — the Kaftana Pool Party (18 Feb), Laugh Out Proud comedy gala (20 Feb), and Paradiso Pool Party (22 Feb), all celebrating queer joy in signature Mardi Gras style.

New additions to Mardi Gras in 2026

This year introduces several new events:

• Perfect Arrangement (from 3 Feb, New Theatre) — a witty play set during the 1950s Lavender Scare.

• The Normal Heart (9 Feb–21 Mar, Sydney Opera House) — Larry Kramer’s groundbreaking AIDS-era drama returns to the stage where it debuted in 1989.

• Mardi Gala (24 Feb, Ivy Ballrooms) — a couture-meets-cuisine spectacular presented by Coles Group.

Mardi Gras+

The Mardi Gras+ program will run throughout the festival, showcasing queer creativity across arts, sport and culture. Highlights include Rainbow Beaches by Lifesavers with Pride, Nurse Blake Live, A Taste of Pride by Qtopia Sydney and Queer Food, and the Trans Oasis community day.