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Big Gay Day

Gay street party and charity fundraiser

Brisbane’s Big Gay Day is a summer street party hosted by The Wickham Hotel in Fortitude Valley. It is staged in Wickham Street, next to the hotel, and most of the street is blocked off for the event. Each year Big Gay Day features a mixture of DJs, live acts, drag shows, and roving performers. It showcases a variety of Australian and international artists. The event is Brisbane’s equivalent to Sydney’s Mardi Gras Festival.

Big Gay Day brings people together to celebrate the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community in Brisbane, and help raise funds for youth services. It is supported annually by The Queensland Association for Healthy Communities. The Wickham Hotel and other Big Gay Day sponsors donate thousands of dollars to nominated charities after the event each year. Some of the beneficiaries include the Gay and Lesbian Welfare Association, Open Doors, and the Australian Transgender Support Association.

Big Gay Day was established in 2000 and has grown in size, awareness, and popularity each year. The event now attracts an estimated 6000 people. It is the largest gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender charity fundraiser in Queensland, and is one of the largest street parties in Australia.

Structural changes made to the layout in 2008 expanded the capacity of the Big Gay Day and allowed more people to attend. Additional toilets, seating, and relaxation areas were included in the event plan to accommodate patrons more comfortably. Organisers of the Big Gay Day hope to continue expanding the event each year.

Last updated by Rhyanna Hewitt (2011-10-25)