The Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras is an annual gay pride parade and festival. The LGBT community in Sydney, Australia celebrates this event every year sometime in February or March.  The popularity of the gay festival is evident from the very fact that thousands of visitors, both local and international tourists attend this festival. As a matter of fact it is one of the largest gay festivals in the world. The celebration includes a variety of events such as the world-famous Mardi Gras Parade and Party, Bondi Drag Races, Harbour Party, the academic and discussion panel Queer Thinking. On the hugely popular “Fair Day” approximately 70 000 people assemble on the Victoria Park, Sydney.

Mardi Gras is one of Australia's biggest tourist draw cards and it attracts international   tourists in large number. As a result of inflow of international visitors, an annual income of about $30 million is generated from this festival, for the state of New South Wales. The concept of such gay celebrations began for the first time in the early 1980s after arrests were made during pro-gay rights protests that began in 1978. The Gay parade consists of many floats marching in support of LGBT rights. During the 2011 parade, marriage equality was one of the dominant themes.

The Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras festival ends with the now hugely popular Mardi Gras Parade. The parade is a platform for LGBT rights protest and celebration of sexuality. More than 8500 entrants in colourful costumes and elaborate floats take part in the parade. Different floats represent different topical theme or political message. The parade typically starts with approximately 200 "Dykes on Bikes" riding up Oxford Street. The parade is usually accompanied by bright fireworks displays, launched from the rooftops of buildings along the parade route. Approximately 300 000 spectators watch the Parade as it travels a distance of 1.7 km through the Sydney CBD and Darlinghurst. The parade route is closed to traffic for the duration of the parade and for a few hours after as required for the clean-up operations.