pride villages information
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What are the Pride Villages?
Oxford Street is home to the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, and as part of the Sydney WorldPride celebrations, areas of this beloved LGBTQIA+ district will be closed to traffic to create a fabulous (and free!) festival hub.
For 10 days from 24 February, portions of Crown and Riley Street will be closed to create pedestrian-only areas. The Pride Villages will become home to daily stalls, performances, dining and a place to connect with friends and family in between WorldPride events.
On weekends, Crown Street will be home to a stage with nightly shows and special extended entertainment.
To mark the final weekend of Sydney WorldPride (4-5 March), Oxford Street will also be closed for a once-in-a-lifetime street party. That’s in addition to the annual Oxford Street closure for the Mardi Gras Parade on 25 February!
The Pride Villages will be brought to life thanks to the generous support of the NSW Government.
Event Timings
Pride Villages – Crown & Riley Street
Friday 24th Feb – 3pm – 10pm
Sunday 26th Feb – 10am- 10pm
Monday 27th Feb – Thursday 2nd March – 2pm-10pm
Friday 3rd March – 2pm-11pm
Saturday 4th March – 12pm -1am
Sunday 5th March – 10am-10pm
*NOTE: Pride Villages will not be activated on Sat 25 Feb (Mardi Gras Parade day)
Oxford Street Party
Saturday 4th March – 12pm -1am
Sunday 5th March – 10am-10pm
Are you a small merchant? You might be eligible for Amex Shop Small Village. Find out more here:
Pride Villages Locations and Dates
Road Closures Forming the Pride Villages Event Footprint
| STREET CLOSED | STREETS BORDERING CLOSURE | DATES CLOSED |
|---|---|---|
| Riley Street | From Waine Street to Oxford Street | Fri 24 Feb to Sun 5 Mar 2023 |
| Crown Street | From Campbell Street to Oxford Street | Fri 24 Feb to Sun 5 Mar 2023 |
| Taylor Square North | From Foley Street to Oxford Street | Fri 24 Feb to Sun 5 Mar 2023 |
| Oxford Street | From Liverpool Street to Taylor Square | Sat 4 Mar to Sun 5 Mar 2023 |
General FAQs
The current proposed details are:
CROWN STREET
Footprint: Street closure between Oxford Street and Campbell Street
Install dates: Wed 22 Feb – Fri 24 Feb 2023
Live dates: Fri 24 Feb – Sun 5 Mar 2023
Removal dates: Late Sun 5 Mar – Early morning Mon 6 Mar 2023
Live timings:
Weekdays: Afternoon and evening
Weekends: All day and into evening
RILEY STREET
Footprint: Street closure between Oxford Street and Goulburn Street
Install dates: Wed 22 Feb – Fri 24 Feb 2023
Live dates: Fri 24 Feb – Sun 5 Mar 2023
Removal dates: Late Sun 5 Mar – Early morning Mon 6 Mar 2023
Live timings:
Weekdays: Afternoon and evening
Weekends: All day and into evening
TAYLOR SQUARE NORTH
Footprint: Paved area around the former toilet block, in front of the courthouse. No street closure planned on days other than the Mardi Gras Parade.
Install dates: Wed 22 Feb – Fri 24 Feb 2023
Live dates: Fri 24 Feb – Sun 5 Mar 2023
Removal dates: Late Sun 5 Mar – Early morning Mon 6 Mar 2023
Live timings:
Weekdays: Afternoon and evening
Weekends: All day and into evening
OXFORD STREET
Footprint: Street closure between College Street and Flinders Street
Install dates: Sat 4 Mar 2023 (early morning)
Live dates: Sat 4 Mar – Sun 5 Mar 2023
Removal dates: Late Sun 5 Mar – Early morning Mon 6 Mar 2023
Live timings:
Saturday: Afternoon and evening
Sunday: All day and into evening
All details are indicative only and the event footprint, overlay and management arrangements are subject to support and approval from key stakeholders such as NSW Police, Liquor & Gaming NSW and City of Sydney.
The exact footprint and arrangements will consider all business and resident requirements, with the road closure footprint subject to approval by the City of Sydney traffic committee.
Sydney WorldPride will be closing the streets using traffic management control (known as hostile vehicle mitigation) like what is used for the Mardi Gras Parade.
There will be a small stage on Crown Street and a stage at the Hyde Park end of Oxford Street for performances. The event footprint will be on the roadway and all footpaths will need to remain clear to allow unimpeded access to businesses and adequate space for pedestrians to pass through that aren’t participating in the event.
Styling will be installed, including furniture and art installations. There is an intention to welcome market stalls occupied by community organisations or small businesses, but the exact mechanism is still being worked out.
The activation strategy will prioritise existing businesses; the City of Sydney will work closely with Sydney WorldPride, NSW Police and Liquor & Gaming NSW to explore opportunities for businesses to extend their outdoor dining and liquor licence in front of their premises.
Additional licensed food and beverage outlets may be required to service the demand of the attendees. Opportunities for these additional outlets will be prioritised for existing retailers within the precinct. Additional providers may also be brought in to complement the offering of existing businesses, but the layout of the potential additional licensed areas is still to be confirmed. Sydney WorldPride will strive to ensure that any potential competing vendors or businesses are either avoided or located far from each other.
The Mardi Gras Parade is on Saturday 25 Feb 2023 and the activation of the Pride Villages on this day will be downscaled (eg furniture removed, more cleared / open spaces) due to crowd management considerations.
Everyone is welcome!
Thousands of people are expected to pass through the Pride Villages daily. The site will be open to the public and free to attend.
Pride Villages is an all ages activation, with families welcomed to enjoy the festivities. Alcohol will only be allowed to be consumed within designated licensed areas. The activation strategy will prioritise existing businesses; the City of Sydney will work closely with Sydney WorldPride, NSW Police and Liquor & Gaming NSW to explore opportunities for businesses to extend their outdoor dining and liquor licence in front of their premises on the road.
Additional licensed food and beverage outlets may be required to service the demand of the attendees. Opportunities for these additional outlets will be prioritised for existing retailers within the precinct. Additional providers may also be brought in to complement the offering of existing businesses, but the layout of the potential additional licensed areas is still to be confirmed. Sydney WorldPride will strive to ensure that any potential competing vendors or businesses are either avoided or located far from each other.
Enhancing and celebrating a legendary destination
- Darlinghurst and Surry Hills have a rich 40+ year LGBTQIA+ history, with Oxford Street being the heart of Sydney’s queer culture and home of the iconic Mardi Gras Parade
- Oxford Street is one of the first destinations for international or interstate queer visitors arriving in Sydney
- Opportunity for Sydney to join the ranks of other international metropolises with pedestrian “queerbourhoods” on major arterial roads, including Montreal, San Francisco, Barcelona, London and Manchester
Revitalising the precinct
- Encourages post-COVID local and small business recovery and maximises economic impact
- Creates a reason for participants to keep coming back to the precinct as an inclusive and diverse entertainment and dining destination
Enhancing the participant and artist experiences
- Provides free events and creates a dynamic area for hanging out and enjoying art, performance, and the precinct
- Provides performance and creative opportunities for artist
- Assists in establishing the event’s significance as a global event
The Pride Villages start on Fri 24 Feb 2023 and go for 10 days, and the Mardi Gras Parade is the next day on Sat 25 Feb 2023.
On Sat 25 Feb 2023 the Oxford Street closure for the Parade will be annexed to the Pride Villages on Crown and Riley Streets for a free flow of pedestrian traffic on the south side of Oxford Street. Due to crowd safety considerations, the activation in the Pride Villages on the Parade day will be limited.
Sydney WorldPride will work closely with traffic management specialists, the City of Sydney and Transport for NSW to analyse the impact of Pride Villages on traffic and bus routes. Alternative routes will be identified and implemented.
In 2019, AsheMorgan in partnership with TOGA, took over the 99-year lease of these buildings, which have their main frontages to Oxford Street and the Foley Street laneway.
The buildings will likely be under construction during the festival period and will be enclosed in hoardings that will be adorned with a bespoke artwork designed by an artist from the local LGBTQIA+ community.
Head to their website for more information – click here.
This event was made possible due to the generous support of Create NSW – to see NSW Government media release, click here. The funds provided will be invested into event costs, including staging, production, infrastructure, security and artists.
Key government agencies have confirmed their in-principle support including City of Sydney, NSW Police, Ambulance NSW, Fire & Rescue and Transport for NSW (pending final plan approvals).
Business FAQs
Sydney WorldPride will be engaging with each business and resident group to communicate the impact of the event, outline opportunities for involvement and consult about their loading, servicing and access needs. Please subscribe to our mailing list to keep across announcements – click here.
The City of Sydney is working closely with Sydney WorldPride, NSW Police and Liquor & Gaming NSW to explore opportunities for businesses to extend their outdoor dining and liquor licence in front of their premises. There are also opportunities for retailers to display their goods on the road outside their premises.
Businesses are encouraged to decorate their shops and program events and activities to engage with patrons during the entirety of the Sydney WorldPride Festival between 17 Feb – 5 Mar 2023.
In partnership with American Express, we invite businesses outside of the footprint to be part of Pride Villages by entering the competition to be part of the Shop Small Pride Village. Click here for more information on eligibility and how to enter.
With thousands of additional visitors arriving in Sydney for WorldPride, the foot traffic to the entire Oxford Street precinct and surrounds is expected to increase substantially. All businesses are encouraged to activate as they often normally would during Mardi Gras.
Sydney WorldPride’s investment for this project is focused on activating the street and we are unfortunately not able to contribute to individual businesses.
The City of Sydney offers various funding initiatives, head to their website for more details – click here.
