The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras PARTY, held after the annual parade, has officially been cancelled.
“Today, I have made the difficult decision to pause the Mardi Gras PARTY for 2026,” said Mardi Gras CEO Jesse Matheson.
Matheson said the decision was heartbreaking, but the organisation would instead focus on the many community-led events happening across the city.
“This has been heartbreaking — but I believe it is the right decision for our community and for the future of Mardi Gras,” he said.
Matheson said that when he was appointed CEO, a decision had been made to cancel all events except the Parade, Fair Day and Glitter Club.
Since then, community producers and cultural institutions stepped in to bring several events back to life — but the PARTY could not be saved.
“The PARTY, however, was always going to be the biggest challenge,” he said.
“At times, it has cost more to deliver than the Parade and Fair Day, while also being our most expensive ticketed event for the community.”
Matheson said that after reviewing the PARTY’s financial performance and community feedback, it was clear the event was no longer fit for purpose.
“As CEO, I could not continue to sell expensive tickets to an event I did not believe offered value for our community, honoured the PARTY’s legacy, or protected the organisation’s financial future,” he said.
The PARTY was scheduled to take place at the EQ Showring at the Entertainment Quarter on February 28.
The event had been outsourced by Mardi Gras to Live Nation–owned Kicks Entertainment, which only began drip-feeding details to the wider LGBTQIA+ community on January 12.
It was later revealed the event would run from 8:30pm to 3am, featuring three stages — one hosted by Extra Dirty and another by GiRLTHING.
This marked a significant departure from previous years, when the after-party spanned six spaces, ran for more than eight hours, and finished at 6am.
Matheson said progress had been made to transform the PARTY, but setbacks included the loss of a headline artist who “would have been the biggest name at the PARTY since Cher.”
“Thank you to everyone who held faith in us — and in what the PARTY can become. My heartfelt apologies to those who will be disappointed,” he said.
“PARTY will return.”
The last time the Mardi Gras PARTY was cancelled was in 2022, due to a public health order issued by the NSW Government during COVID-19.
Community concern about the 2026 PARTY had been growing for months, with Mardi Gras members first told in November that an announcement was only weeks away.
Details were delayed again on December 17, when the organisation paused announcements following the antisemitic terror attack in Bondi.
“We were planning to share more information this week, but given what has happened, it doesn’t feel right to move forward with announcements at this time,” the organisation said in a post.
The delays sparked widespread concern and criticism, both in messages sent to Gay Sydney Daily and across Mardi Gras’ social media pages.
Tickets remain on sale for other events taking place on the night of the parade.
The Big Gay Block Party by Poof Doof at Ivy is now in its fourth release, with tickets priced at $141.
Flash at Kings Cross Hotel has final-release tickets available for $50, with $35 tickets for those arriving after 4am.
Heaps Gay at Manning Bar is also in its fourth release, with tickets priced at $136, while Déjà Vu at Universal has tickets available for $52.
Many more events are set to take place across queer venues throughout Sydney.
