What to Expect at Midsumma Festival 2024
As summer heats up in Australia, Melbourne’s queer scene is excited to celebrate Midsumma, the country’s premier LGBTQIA+ cultural festival, which starts today! Midsumma runs from January 21 to February 11, 2024, and the pride celebrations will take over the city from street parties to art exhibits to a music festival at the Australian Open.
There are so many events to explore during Melbourne’s pride celebrations. By browsing through the program, attendees can find a variety of events to suit their interests. There are art and photo exhibitions, an LGBTIQ+-affirming Catholic mass, movie nights, and everything in between.
If you’re planning on attending Midsumma, here are some of the headline events to look out for:
Midsumma Carnival (Sunday, January 21)
The festival kicks off with the annual Midsumma carnival. This event showcases Melbourne’s local and international artists and performers, with endless things to see, do, and eat your way through.
The event takes place in Melbourne’s Central Business District and will feature a variety of LGBTQIA+ acts across four stages. It’s a free event with over 180 stalls and 120,000 visitors. The festivities go on all day and night with a dog parade, a lip-syncing competition, and a dance party.
Australian Open Pride Events (Thursday, January 25 – Sunday, January 28)
The Australian Open hosts three Pride events: AO Pride Day, the Finals Festival, and the Glam Slam. It is also the only grand slam tournament that partners directly with the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance.
AO Pride Day will be celebrated throughout the entire tournament with fun, colorful activities. It also kicks off the Finals Festival — a three-day music festival that showcases local, Australian, and international artists. Australian LGBTQIA+ legends Peach PRC and Tash Sultana will kick off the event.
The Australian Open also works with the GLTA to host the Glam Slam, the largest LGBTQIA+ tennis event that attracts players from all over the world.
There is plenty of Midsumma fun to be had both on and off the court at the Australian Open this year.
Pride March (Sunday, February 4)
Parade, pride, and party come together once a year in Melbourne’s iconic march celebrating solidarity in gender and sexuality diversity. Over 53,000 people celebrated the Midsumma Pride March 2023, and this year will be even bigger!
The march takes place on Fitzroy Street in St Kilda. It is a kilometer-long parade route to Catani Gardens. The march begins with the roaring motors of the Dykes on Bikes as per tradition, and it is led by the Boon Wurrung Elders, Rainbow Aboriginal Float, LGBTQIA+ youth and followed by the Premiere of Victoria, Minister for Equality, and the Creative Industries & Commissioner for Gender and Sexuality.
The march ends at the iconic St Kilda beach with live music and DJs.
First Nations Drag Festival (Thursday, February 8)
Midsumma will also celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander drag artists. This event will be hosted by Cerulean, Miss First Nation Supreme Queen 2023. Midsumma is proud to support Indigenous members of the LGBTQIA+ and to show solidarity with members of the First Nations.
The event will take place at Pride of Our Footscray, a colorful and friendly venue known for fabulous drag shows, cabarets, and comedy.
A Brave(R) Space (Sunday, January 21 – Sunday, February 11)
A Brave(R) Space is an artistic exploration of intersectional LGBTQIA+ identities involving the creation of brave new contemporary works, across various art forms. For years Midsumma has explored the notion of cultural safety with artistic communities, against a backdrop of increasing intersectional tensions. A Brave(R) Space is a call to arms to be courageous in the development of new contemporary art practices, pushing creative boundaries in the pursuit of a queer aesthetic unique to our region of the world.
Events run throughout the month highlighting exhibits like Logan Mucha’s A Beat to Hold Back the Dawn. This video and sound exhibit will highlight the historical value of queer nightclubs, which are often under threat from over-policing and gentrification.
Brave(R) Space will also host community events, performances, and even a BDSM workshop.
Street Party (Sunday, February 11)
The Midsumma celebrations conclude with a bang at the iconic street party. Fitzroy’s Gertrude and Smith Streets transform into a free, all-day block party. There will be multiple live music stages and performances from local and international musicians and artists to celebrate Victoria’s diverse LGBTQIA+ communities.
Patrons can support local businesses all down Gertrude and Smith Street. They’ll be serving food and drink to the thousands of people expected to attend, and some will even be incorporated into the party with shopfront activations and performances in venues.
The street party is an opportunity for LGBTQIA+ Victorians and the wider community to come together as one to celebrate the remarkable journey of equality through inspirational arts, community involvement, food, and culture.
For more information about Midsumma events, you can check out the website and follow updates and posts via Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter).
