Sydney Mardi Gras parade reachest the physically spaced Cricket Oval, for post-pandemic parade. Photo / Don Arnold, Getty Images
Sydney's annual iconic Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras went ahead on Saturday, only in a different format due to coronavirus restrictions.
It was being held at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where people can socially distance in their seats rather than on the traditional route down Oxford Street.
The 43rd Mardi Gras looked familiar but also very different to pre-pandemic years.
Up to 23,000 spectators - just under half capacity - were be allowed in the stands while the performers were on the pitch.
British pop-star Rita Ora was the big draw for the masked stadium revellers.
Organisers say this year's parade would move away from the traditional large floats and instead focus on the outlandish pageantry of costumes, puppetry and props. Face masks were be mandatory for participants and there will be temperature checks and screening at entry points.
Similarly the Oxford Street parade took a different form and was more of a street protest than a street party.
LGBTQI rights protesters were given the green light to march down Oxford Street in a separate event before the parade. Health officials in New South Wales state agreed to make an exception to the 500-person limit on public gatherings after Organisers agreed to enhanced contact-tracing processes.
Marking the 1969 Stone Wall riots in New York, the Sydney Mardi Gras has embraced both the celebratory and political aspects of the event.
The marchers protested social issues including transphobia, the mandatory detention of asylum-seekers and the criminalisation of sex work.
- Associated Press with additional reporting
