Sydney on the World Stage as Celebrations for Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Conclude

SYDNEY, March 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras – photos available now

The day began as Cunard's majestic Queen Elizabeth entered Sydney Harbour with a performer poised on a giant stiletto, her 126-metre long cape billowing behind, and ended as thousands of revellers filled the iconic Oxford Street, welcoming the centrepiece of the parade - a Strictly Ballroom themed mega float.

Sydneysiders rose early and flocked to the harbour's foreshore to see the "Queen of the Harbour" arrival as well known Mardi Gras performer Vanity Faire stood on a 2.2 metre high glittering stiletto at the front of the liner. Carrying 1,900 guests, the 90,900-tonne Queen Elizabeth's arrival extended the Mardi Gras Festival to the harbour.

That evening the Mardi Gras parade concluded with an impressive finale - a Strictly Ballroom themed Mardi Gras float. One of the largest displays ever built for the Oxford Street parade, measuring nine metres long and 4.2 metres high, the float featured 98 dancers, six drag queens and mountains of glitter. The float was created in collaboration with Baz Lurhmann, Ignatius Jones and Destination NSW.

Please see attached photos. Photo credit - Destination NSW.

About Destination NSW:
Destination NSW is the lead Government agency for the New South Wales (NSW) tourism and major events sectors. Our role is to market Sydney and NSW as one of the world's premier tourism and major events destinations; to secure major sporting and cultural events; to work in partnership with Business Events Sydney to win major international conventions and incentive travel reward programs; to develop and deliver initiatives that will drive visitor growth throughout the State; to achieve the NSW Government's goal of doubling overnight visitor expenditure within the State by the year 2020.

From food and wine festivals to surf competitions, world class sporting events to celebrations of arts and culture, New South Wales has an Annual Calendar of Events that celebrates the diverse facets of Australian contemporary life. Sydney is unrivalled in Australia in its capacity to stage exclusive events that have the whole world tuning in. Destination NSW has been at the forefront in creating and winning world-class events that put Sydney on the global front page. These events deliver in excess of 6 million visitors to Sydney every year, and generate spending by those visitors of around $6.4 billion.For a full list of events in Sydney go to sydney.com

For more information please contact:

Hannah Le Coic
Senior Publicist, Destination NSW
hannah.lecoic@dnsw.com.au  
+61 2 9931 1416

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