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Preparing for Fair Day 2008...
review
Having planned my gap year around the 30th Anniversary of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival, I was keen to get involved and signed myself up as a volunteer almost as soon as my totsies hit Aussie soil!
I went along to the Fair Day Volunteer Briefing last Tuesday which was held at Gilligan's down Oxford Street, Taylor's Square where the emphasis was very much on security, safety and having a blinding fun day.
Yesterday evening, on my way home from the Mardi Gras Costume Department (where I have also been helping), I stopped off at Victoria Park to see how things were coming along with the set up of Fair Day and returned again this morning...
Whilst I was mootching around taking photos, I met Benedict Brook from New Mardi Gras Communications who was more than happy for me to conduct a little interview to get some info for REALSydney readers. I also met Steve McIntyre from New Mardi Gras Entertainment...
Fair Day is one of the biggest gay and lesbian events for the GLBT community in Australia and one of the three premier events of Mardi Gras.
It is basically one big picnic and chilled out affair for the whole family and community (you don't have to be gay to come along and have fun) packed with entertainment, live music, shows, beverage tents, food. Entertainment on the main stage is open until 7pm, performing there will be soul diva Maxine Nightingale going right back to where she started from, gay UK house star Peyton and lesbian rocker SONiA. The Bitch Lounge Tent where you can have a good old boogie until 9.30pm which is later than last year. This year there are more beverage tents offering more variety than just you mainstream beer and wine, with a 42BELOW cocktail bar serving lots of fabulous cocktails and a redbull tent serving anything that goes with redbull, to stop people from bringing their own (BYO is against the event's licensing conditions) and to reduce queuing time (which no one likes).
Doggy Wood is being opened by Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney and MP, Clover Moore.
There will be a Mr and Miss Fair Day so they will looking out for the best Mr and the best Miss of the day.
There is a big focus on Fair Day being a nice place for the kids as well adults so there is a Kid Zone which will be a fun place for the kids to play and ahve fun.
There is also going to be a Youth Zone (by Twenty10) for the 18s to 25s. Anyone looking younger than 25 years old will be given a wrist band on proving their age so they do have to produce their ID each time they order a drink.
New Mardi Gras has a licence covering the whole of Victoria Park so they are keen to keep the event trouble free and high security measures are in place, but without letting it spoil everyone's fun. They have run a big campaign to emphasising the fact 'No BYO' allowed. They have also managed to avoid having the event fenced off around the parimeter which many events have forced to do nowaday and merely have bicycle fences, but must make sure that this year (like all previous years) doesn't experience any trouble.
Fair Day has always been free with a request to the public for donations. Last year, the donation collection averaged out at 10c per person, which they were obviously disappointment with. This year they are asking for a donation of $5 per person to make Fair Day economically viable event so it may continue in future years and for free. Funding of Mardi Gras comes from membership, the Bars at the various events, ticket sales and they do get some funding from Sydney City Council. They have a good relationship with Sydney City Council as Mardi Gras is one of the major events for the city, just like Sydney Festival and Fireworks at New Years Eve Party. They are aiming to get income backing from NSW Council (Sydney City Council only overs Sydney CBD and surrounding suburbs). Mardi Gras went broke about 5 or 6 years ago and was taken over by New Mardi Gras so this year they must at least break even for it to happen next year and years to come.
There are also a lot more toilet cubicles this year to reduce queuing time and they are dotted all around the park.
there will be an interactive History Wall capturing the spirit of Mardi Gras and gay Sydney's last three decades.
Then, when everyone is done with the park, everyone will be heading down to the Bank Hotel for the Fair Day After Party.
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about Sydney Mardi Gras
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Sydney Mardi Gras is surely one of the highlights of the annual Pride calendar! Click for more info and complete listings for Sydney Mardi Gras 
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