This year’s Darwin Pride Festival pays tribute to our communities’ past, present and future

Rainbows on the high seas, time travel and dogs in tutus?!… Expect anything and everything at this year’s Darwin Pride Festival- celebrating 30 years of Pride!

In 1985, a group of passionate Darwinists came together to create the very first Darwin Pride Festival – promoting diversity, equality and celebrating LGBTIQ communities. It was born out of a time of struggle and discrimination toward LGBTIQ people: we weren’t always safe; our stories weren’t widely shared, and our lives and loves were often hushed.

These brave individuals shined the spotlight on issues that needed to change and celebrated what already made us shine. Three decades on, we are continuing what they began.

This year’s Darwin Pride Festival pays tribute to our communities’ past, present and future. We’re excited to bring to you a program that is as impressive and vibrant as the campest of tropical rainbows.

The first Darwin Pride event 30 years ago was a film night. To pay homage to its beginnings, the Festival will officially kick off with a colourful “Festival Launch” party (free) and “Pride Film Night” (ticketed) on Wednesday, September 30 at Brown’s Mart, showcasing a diverse range of LGBTIQ stories on the big screen.

You can travel with us through time on the “Gay History Walk” and discover queer spaces in the most unexpected places with historian Dr Dino Hodge, Thursday, October 1. As part of the Festival, The State Reference Library is getting a queer makeover – showcasing “Our Queer History” in the NT (opening Tuesday, September 29).

Then expect smooth sailing with a merry crew of Drag Queens on the “Love Boat” Saturday, October 3. And bring the family down for fun and games, a “Pride Ride” and “Camp Dogs” (our famous dog competition) at the “Funday Sunday” October 4 in Civic Park. Just a handful of the eclectic events packed into the week-long Darwin Pride Festival program.