On Sunday, February 16th, from 3 PM to 12 AM, JUNIPERO and MUVA will host the ‘Free To Be Fruity’ Fair Day and the Mardi Gras 25 kick-off season party, taking over all levels of The Lansdowne Hotel.
This vibrant, multi-genre celebration seeks to reclaim a term that has historically been used against the queer community, creating a welcoming space for everyone to escape the Fair Day heat.
Attendees can dance and enjoy an impressive lineup featuring over 30 Sydneybased pop and electronic dance music DJs, along with performance artists from drag, burlesque, cabaret, and more.
Situated as the nearest venue to the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras (SGLMG) Fair Day 2025 event hosted at Victoria Park with over 70,000+ people expected to attend, Free To Be Fruity will be a part of the SGLMG Mardi Gras+ program.
This official festival’s open-access initiative showcases the finest of the Sydney Mardi Gras celebrations within our community. It also resonate with the SGLMG’s 2025 theme, ‘FREE TO BE…’ As Gil Beckwith, CEO of Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, states, “Our [FREE TO BE] theme is about making a statement to embrace and rejoice in our unique individually as well as our collective identity”
JUNIPERO will curate the Ground Level of The Lansdowne, featuring DJs spinning pop music, while MUVA will take charge of Level 1, showcasing DJs specialising in techno. The rooftop will be transformed into an open-air chill-out space with a vibrant floral disco theme.
MUVA and JUNIPERO are vibrant queer parties dedicated to creating a safe haven for the queer community in New South Wales to enjoy the dance scene. JUNIPERO specifically emphasises inclusivity for Lesbian, Queer Women, Non-Binary, and Trans individuals, while MUVA combines techno music with performance art, providing a safe space to be expressive for all queer individuals in the region.
Support and collaboration for the event feature Crown Street’s hidden gem for fashion enthusiasts, HighHeels.com.au, which has been styling Australia’s drag community and beyond for many years, and community and sporting group, kickball.com.au, who are an inclusive sports community aimed at better connecting and empowering LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies through fun, accessible safe spaces and team sports.
Tickets for the Free To Be Fruity Fair Day After Party begin at $20. The funds generated from ticket sales will go towards compensating the performers, DJs, photographers, designers, and hosts.
