Sydney Mardi Gras 2025: Parade Route, Road Closures, and Event Details

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The 47th annual Sydney Mardi Gras parade is set to take place on Saturday, with tens of thousands of spectators expected to flock to Oxford Street to catch a glimpse of the more than 200 floats participating in the event. The parade will officially begin at 7pm and wrap up at 11pm, with festivities kicking off at 7pm and road closures in place from 3:30pm on Saturday to 2am on Sunday. The theme for this year's parade is "free to be", inspiring events, floats, and revellers throughout the fortnight.

Transport for NSW has urged motorists to avoid unnecessary travel in the CBD and has recommended that visitors take public transport to the event. A full breakdown of road closures, public transport options, and accessibility services can be found on the Transport for NSW website. Trains will run with additional services, but Transport for NSW has asked those planning a late night to prepare other options, as services will not run all night. The best stations for accessing the northern side of the route are Town Hall, St James, Martin Place, and Kings Cross, while Central Station will be the best option for the southern side. Museum Station will be closed from 5pm on Saturday.

Buses will run on weekend schedules, with additional services, and route diversions will begin at 3pm on Saturday to navigate road closures for buses travelling between the CBD and eastern suburbs. Light rail services on the L1 Dulwich Hill, L2 Randwick, and L3 Kingsford lines will be extended until 2am, and ferries will also be running, although they are expected to reach capacity early. Metro services will run every eight to 10 minutes throughout the night, with services extended until 2am, but will not run between Sydenham and Central due to planned track work. The parade is not a ticketed event, although some sections of the route are reserved for ticket holders, including the Taylor Square Takeover.

Many visitors arrive early to get a prime spot along the route, and it is advisable to plan transport to the parade so that you don’t have to cross Oxford Street to get to the side of the road you hope to watch from. The festival is being held from February 14 to March 2, and with the festival ending on Sunday, there are only a few other opportunities to get into the spirit. Tickets for the Mardi Gras Party after the parade at the Entertainment Quarter are still available, and the event will feature international musicians and DJs, keeping the party going until 6am. Laneway, a party at Surry Hills venue The Beresford and adjoining Hill Street on Sunday, will be the final major event of the season, although tickets for this event have sold out.

The Sydney Mardi Gras parade is a celebration of the diversity and resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community, and this year's event promises to be an unforgettable experience. With hundreds of thousands of spectators expected to crowd Oxford Street, Flinders Street, and Anzac Parade to watch more than 10,000 marchers and 180 floats move from Hyde Park to Moore Park, the event is set to be a night to remember. Some of the notable events and floats participating in the parade include the LaPa Legends, a float representing the LGBTQ community and their allies with links to the La Perouse Aboriginal population, and Lifesavers with Pride, a not-for-profit that aims to promote inclusion and diversity in surf life-saving clubs across Australia. The parade will also feature performances by international musicians and DJs, as well as Australian pop icons, and will be broadcast live on television and online.