The Sydney Gay+Lesbian Mardi Gras

Subtitled "From Tragedy to Triumph... and back again."

I moved to Sydney in 1987 after living in Toyko for a year and in 1988 attended my first Gay Mardi Gras as a spectator. Being rather excited by the spectacle, the following year I volunteered my services down at the workshop which at the time was in Boundary Road, Rushcutters Bay. Not having any artistic background or training, I became one of the fodder employed to assist a number of community groups in building their parade ideas. At the time the workshop was coordinated by Peter Tully, David McDiarmid and Ron Smith. My main task was to make hundreds of cellophane feathers for angels wings of cupie dolls that the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence carried as part of their "Fred Nile's head on a platter" parade entry. For my efforts I was dubbed "Sister Sphincter Paralytica" and given the task of pushing one of the "Tin Toy" robots that were produced by the Mardi Gras workshop along the parade route. I was hooked!

My involvement in Mardi Gras, as well as ACTUP, was instrumental in awakening my artistic side and applying this to community and political issues within the forum of art as activism.

Select from the years below to display the Mardi Gras parade entries staged and costumes created by ethel yarwood enterprises or view a 20 year compilation video by Atlas Worx.

"Presidents, treasurers, board and committee members... they come and they go. But artists are forever."
- Sue-Ellen Cox/artistic director

•	2018	•	-	#ALLFamilesValued for IVF Australia
•	2012~2017	•	-	to be added
•	2011	•	-	Say Something	festival theme
•	2010	•	-	Buzz RightsYear presents "TO EQUALITY AND BEYOND..."
•	2009	•	-	Surry Hillsong - DENOMINATIONS UNITED	(awarded Best Float Design)
•	1988~2008	•	-	20 year retrospective video	by Atlas Worx
•	2008	•	-	58'08: Equality... Bring It On!
•	2007	•	-	Karma Kleaners	(awarded Creative Director's Choice)
•	2006	•	-	The Kate Moss Line Dancers	(awarded Funniest Parade Entrant)
•	2005	•	-	The Only Gay in the Village.
•	2004	•	-	Jenny & Craig	(awarded Best Small Group Entrant)
•	2003	•	-	NO WARne!
•	2002	•	-	I KNOW WHO YOU BLEW LAST MARDI GRAS
•	2001	•	-	The Bougainville Gay+Lesbian Mardi Gras	(awarded Judges' Choice)
•	2000	•	-	The Happy Little SODOMITES	(awarded Best Small Group Entrant)
•	1999	•	-	Cussons Imperial Leather Pride
•	1998	•	-	Dick van Dykes on Bikes	(awarded Best Community Group Entrant)
•	1997	•	-	Keith Haring - Party of Life	(awarded Best Small Group Entrant)
•	1996	•	-	A Little Miss Adventure	as chronicled by Eddie Torre/print media liaison in Mardi Gras True Stories
					From Lock Up To Frock Up edited by Richard Wherrett
•	1995	•	-	F.A.R.T. - Faggots Against Runway Three
•	1994	•	-	La Stupenda Bond
•	1993	•	-	Thank You Clover	(by Tony Carden)
•	1992	•	-	Paul Poiret Fountain Frock
•	1991	•	-	Cher - USS Missouri
•	1990	•	-	Mira Ball
•	1989	•	-	Robots
•	1988	•	-	My 1^st Mardi Gras - Ethel Yarwood