Feast, Adelaide’s LGBTIQ Queer Arts and Cultural Festival is launching the 2019 program with a brand-new concept to underpin the Festival – A NATION-WIDE first dubbed – “Pridevember” – a celebration of Feast and all that is Queer for the whole month of November, here in South Australia.

The concept of “Pridevember” has been derived from the important role Feast still plays within the LGBTIQ+ communities and to continue building relationships, visibility and trust with the wider Australian community. “Pridevember” will celebrate and reflect on key milestones that have faced the LGBTIQ+ communities over many years. The horrific murder of Dr George Duncan in 1972 that pushed for major homosexual law reform that was passed in 1975, making South Australia the first state to decriminalise homosexuality, right through to 2017, where the Australian Government passed the Marriage Amendment Bill making same-sex marriage legal.

This year’s Festival program will bring “Pridevember” to life and is full of unique, new and thought-provoking LGBTIQ artists and events from across Australia. Championing this year’s program are three fabulously flamboyant Ambassadors including Internet sensation and star of the incredibly hilarious YouTube series Complete Drivel Live, Christian Hull.

“I’m putting the ass in ambassador and I’m coming to party with you as Ringmaster for the FIRST EVER, Feast Carnival Party,” said Hull

Seven-time Women’s National Basketball League champion Natalie Hurst, who has recently been signed with the Adelaide Lightning and will be playing in this year’s Basketball Pride Match as part of the Feast program.

Our third Ambassadors are a pair of pink and same-sex attracted flamingos from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo, who became WORLD famous in 2014 for adopting an abandoned flamingo egg.

Appropriately, the iconic and majestic pink flamingo returns as the Festival theme, following its success in 2018 along with a new initiative with SA Power Networks, which have enabled Feast to become more accessible, offering free entry to people carrying valid concession cards to a range of Festival events.

Feast’s BRAND-NEW event, Carnival, will be an unforgettable night of queer entertainment featuring F*cking Adelaide star, Brendan Maclean and Triple J Unearthed High finalist Lupa J. Set over two courtyards with magical carnival attractions, roving entertainment and a glorious line-up of South Australian artists.

A range of entrée events will kick off Feast’s “Pridevember” from Nov 1st followed by a variety of events including cabaret, theatre, comedy, music, literature, conversations and concluding with the family-friendly event Picnic in the Park. A great day out in the sun where you can bring along your picnic blankets and baskets and enjoy the serenity of Pinky Flat/Tarntanya Wama. There will be an assortment of local market stalls, food vendors and community information stand. The day is fun for the whole family – with the annual dog show taking place, as well as the SA firefighters tug-of-war and music by Hit 107.

As always, Feast celebrates all that is Queer Culture including outrageous Drag Queens and inclusive community events to gut-wrenching performances that examine what it means to be queer. Below is a small snapshot of what you’ll get to see in the 2019 Guide.

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE….

DRAGAPALOOZA | Fri 15th Nov
AUSTRALIAN FIRST! Dragapalooza will also be audio described, giving people with a vision impairment or low vision the opportunity to experience a drag show.
Beat your faces, get dusted and feel your fantasy – we’ve got a line-up fit for the GODS – it’s the second edition of DRAGAPLAOOZA at Mary’s Poppin! The most sickening lineup of your fave SA Drag Artists take the stage for a mega-show that will leave you gooped, gagged and giving you life – all tea no shade.

CROCHET WITH A GAY HOOKER | Workshops, Seminars and Exhibition
Gay, disabled, fibre-artist Richard Boyle AKA The Gay Hooker takes you on a journey of connecting with the LGBTIQ+ communities the art and crochet.

Workshops & Seminars: Join The Gay Hooker, as he teaches you the foundations of making a crochet doll (drag themed if you like) over two workshops. Then join Richard as he explains how his creations enable connection with queer communities at times when accessibility has been an issue. Exhibition: Richard’s plush portraits will be exhibited, celebrating LGBTIQ+ culture and queer people the world over. Featuring crocheted icons Madonna, Divine, and an assortment of favourites from the hit TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race.

CONSIDERING MATTHEW SHEPARD | Fri 15th & Sat 16th Nov
Australian Premiere
A modern-day passion, ‘Considering Matthew Shepard’ tells the story of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old, gay college student beaten and left to die in October 1998 in Laramie, Wyoming. Moving among styles ranging from Lutheran hymnody to blues to Broadway, this Australian concert PREMIERE, for choir and ensemble reaches beyond tragedy to find peace, understanding, and life-affirming joy.

UKULELE DREAM GIRL: Love at a Distance | Wed 13th, Thurs 14th & Sat 16th Nov

Australian Premiere and off the back of a sell-out debut season as a solo artist.

Sometimes, in a world promoting human connection via Instagram, the most genuine moments can still feel distant regardless of the space between us. “Love” is often modelled in rigid ways, but what about the stories beyond the honeymoon or summer love phase? Join the Ukulele Dream Girl for a tour of new perspectives about love in all forms.

BUGGERY! THE VERY QUEER SEX LIVES OF BUGS ‘N SLUGS | Sun 3rd Nov
So, someone told you that you’re Queer? Well, you might not be as Queer as a snail! In fact, it turns out that snails, spiders, stick insects, giant cuttlefish and a host of other minibeasts have sex lives much queerer than you could ever imagine. Join Kris Messenger and the crew from Bugs’n Slugs as they take you on a journey of discovery to reveal and explore the VERY queer sex lives of invertebrates.

For the full program head to: www.feast.org.au or join us in Rundle Mall under the Gawler Place Canopy on Friday 6th September from 5 pm to get one of the VERY FIRST copies of the program and see a sneak peek of some of this year’s festival artists.