Queerguru has always been a big fan of the guys who run Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, but now we really LOVE them after we read their latest announcement.  They are turning up the heat this February with HOT TRANS MARDI GRAS, placing trans and gender-diverse artists, performers, and communities at the centre of the 2026 Festival.  This is the most perfect time to make this addition when the rights, safety, and visibility of trans and gender-diverse communities are under increasing attack – through misinformation, legislative rollbacks, exclusion from public life, and disproportionate levels of violence/

Hot Trans Mardi Gras provides free access for events created by and for trans and gender-diverse communities to enter the Mardi Gras festival program. Hot Trans Mardi Gras centres trans leadership, culture and creativity across ballroom, performance, markets, cabaret and community spaces – affirming, unequivocally, that trans people belong everywhere. Trans people belong at Mardi Gras.  

There will be a a powerful suite of signature and community-led events, created by and for trans and gender-diverse communities – including the return of the fan-favourite Sissy Ball and the debut of the uncompromising new event Black Cherry, alongside events including Queens of Colour, Summer Spandex, Drag For Good and the Sock Drawer Heroes & Friends Laneway Market.  

SISSY BALL | 27 Feb | Marrickville Town Hall, Marrickville
The Southern Hemisphere’s biggest vogue ball returns this February. Led by Ballroom Australia in collaboration with Inner West Council, Sissy Ball brings sweat, spectacle and high-stakes ballroom energy as trans and gender-diverse performers take the floor to serve excellence across the many categories.

“The Sissy Ball is a celebration of self-expression, performance and community,” Clr Jess D’Arienzo said. “Hosting it in the Inner West makes it more accessible to local queer communities and opens the door to involving young people and emerging creatives in a safe, inclusive and joyful way. This partnership builds on our ongoing support of our local queer community, including our popular Trans Swim Nights we have been running since 2022.

BLACK CHERRY | 14 Feb | National Art School, Darlinghurst
Black Cherry makes its Mardi Gras debut as a trans-diverse night rooted in redemption, transformation and rebirth. Produced by Mother Kianna Louboutin Oricci, the event draws on milestones trans people were denied, creating space to reclaim what was missed and live fully in the present.

Kianna Oricci said: “Black Cherry will be such a unique experience. It is a journey of healing through music, performance art, and community whilst feeling sexy. Having such amazing BIPOC artists in the line-up is a blessing, and I can’t wait for everyone to experience Black Cherry.”

The full Hot Trans Mardi Gras program can be accessed on the Mardi Gras App. 

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Sydney Mardi Gras is an active, year-round advocate for trans and gender-diverse communities – not only during Festival season, but every day. Mardi Gras work closely with LGBTQIA+ organisations in Sydney, across Australia and internationally to understand the evolving challenges facing our communities, align advocacy priorities, and use the Mardi Gras platform to amplify collective impact and drive change.

Mardi Gras regularly supports and participates in public advocacy campaigns that advance the rights, safety and dignity of trans and gender-diverse people. Most recently, they have joined Equality Australia’s campaign calling for stronger protections for LGBTQIA+ people against hate speech, and the Inner City Legal Centre’s open letter urging the NSW Premier and Attorney General to invest in a dedicated LGBTQIA+ legal centre. Mardi Gras also consistently advocates on issues affecting trans communities through our ongoing engagement with government, funding bodies and corporate partners – ensuring that trans voices are heard in the spaces where decisions are made.