Port Phillip alive with Midsumma Pride
Port Phillip Council has supported the Pride March from the beginning and is delighted this event will again turn St Kilda’s Fitzroy Street into a sea of colour and solidarity.
In the traditional curtain-raiser to the Pride March, the progress pride flag will be raised over St Kilda Town Hall in a flag-raising ceremony to demonstrate the Council’s commitment for Port Phillip to be an inclusive City for all members of the community.
The ceremony is at 3.30 pm on Tuesday 30 January on the front lawn of St Kilda Town Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend, and for those who can’t, a livestream can be viewed on Council’s Facebook page.
Midsumma CEO Karen Bryant said: “As always, we are proud to partner with City of Port Phillip for what we expect to be a record-breaking Midsumma Festival over 22 days, and specifically in delivering one of our flagship events - Midsumma Pride March.
We’re so excited to welcome everyone to Fitzroy Street and Catani Gardens this February to cheer on marchers and celebrate our rainbow community.”
Mayor Heather Cunsolo said the Pride March is one of many Midsumma events being held in the City of Port Phillip.
“From theatre, cabaret and visual arts to parties and community events, Midsumma Festival is an amazing annual celebration of LGBTIQA+ arts and culture which enhances the cultural and economic life of our City,” Cr Cunsolo said.
“As a major partner, we are proud to be supporting the Pride March and other events contributing to the important message of inclusion and diversity embodied by Midsumma.”
These include a St Kilda Film Festival (SKFF) encore screening of LGBTIQA+ short films at the Victorian Pride Centre on 7 February. The one-off SKFF Pride Showcase session will feature a fantastic selection of short films from SKFF’s sold-out Pride Without Prejudice sessions held over the past three years.
Acland Street Village, supported by Council’s Cultural Development Fund, is inviting everyone to Acland’s Drag Derby, a family-friendly emerging drag competition, at Acland Plaza, St Kilda, from 2.30 pm to 4 pm on 4 February.
Contestants will sing, dance and strut as they compete for the title of Acland’s Drag Star. A DJ will be spinning tunes after until 5.30 pm and several venues are offering great Pride specials.
The Carlisle Street Art Space at the St Kilda Town Hall will be home from 2 February to 26 April to an exhibition exploring Port Phillip’s rich queer history through the lens of its most iconic venues and events.
Presented in conjunction with The Australian Queer Archives and Queer-ways, “Queer Connections: Celebrating LGBTIQA+ History in Port Phillip” showcases the people, places and moments that helped shape and cultivate contemporary queer culture and the trailblazers, experimentation and glamour that exemplify the pride of Port Phillip's LGBTIQA+ community.
To learn more about Port Phillip venues playing host to events over Midsumma Festival from 21 January to 11 February, go to the What’s On St Kilda and Surrounds website.