Venus Mantrapp in the crowds at the Big Gay Out festival at Coyle Park In Pt Chevalier.
Photo / Jason Dorday
It's feeling pretty blustery out there, and who knows what the weekend weather holds, but we're planning a big colourful weekend of action anyway.
Happy and gay
Auckland's Pride Festival, running in various forms since the 90s, is three weeks of celebrating gay culture. Serious, funny, clever and always with huge style. Tonight's champagne corks at the opening Gala is sophisticated theatre - dress up, Alison Mau hosting, dazzling circus, burlesque, Mika and more.
Sunday's LYC Big Gay Out - try to ignore the tiresome floods of politicians there for their photo ops, it's election year, folks - and focus on the pumping dance tents, headline performances from Good Shirt, Kittens of the Internet, and Lavina Williams, our favourite drag queens (now called 'community acts') market stalls, food, retail, and one big happy crowd. (Head back to Life & Style on Monday for a gallery of all the street style from the event in Style File.)
Details: LYC Big Gay Out buses from Family Bar, K' Road to Coyle Park every 20 minutes from 11.30am - with the last bus returning from Coyle Park to Family Bar at 8pm. $2. Visit the website here.
Auckland's first Ciclovia
