Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has announced the winners of its 2026 Community Awards, inducting two new community members into the Mardi Gras Hall of Fame, honouring the best Parade floats, the most fabulous Fair Day stalls and its volunteers of the year.
“The Community Awards is our chance to celebrate everyone who made the 2026 season so extraordinary. ECSTATICA lit up the city for 17 spectacular days and ignited our community’s spark with joy and power, and we got to say thank you to the people who made that possible,” said Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras CEO, Jesse Matheson.
“From our Fair Day stallholders to our parade performers, our 1700+ incredible volunteers to our newest Hall of Fame inductees, this community never stops showing up for each other. They make Mardi Gras what it is today. Thank you!.”
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Damien Hodgkinson and Mark Barraket were inducted into the Mardi Gras Hall of Fame, the organisation’s highest community honour. Liz Carter received the Special Award for 10+1 Years of Volunteer Excellence Achievement.
PARADE
LatinX in Sydney won Best Choreography, with GlitterBabes and Lifesavers with Pride as runners-up. KathnJen claimed Best Satirical/Activist Entry ahead of The Itty Bitty Titty Committee, while OzFurs took Best Float Design.
You are Unique won Best Individual or Small Group. The Fabulous Queer Upcyclers received the Ron Muncaster Award for Best Costume. Support agency coalition for forcibly displaced LGBTQIA+ people and Trans Pride Australia both won the Spirit of 1978 award, recognising courage and activism in the Mardi Gras tradition.
Free, Gay N Happy won the prestigious Ron Austin Award for Most Fabulous Parade Entry, with Trans Pride Australia, FLAGCOM and BuildingPride named as runners-up.
FAIR DAY
YHA took out the Fair Day Stall of the Year, with the Australian Museum named runner-up. Hams Made claimed Most Fabulous Stall, while Pride Morris won Best Community Stall and Shuttle Swingers took Best Sports Stall. Special Commendation was awarded to Every Body Welcome by The Butterfly Foundation and the University of Sydney.
VOLUNTEER AWARDS
James Taylor and Paul McInerney were recognised for Excellence in Service. Pip Hopkins and Darren Mills won Excellence in Teamwork, Thomas Palmer and Peter Springolo took the Innovation award, and Acacia-belle McCormack and Meredith Nigh were honoured for Excellence in Leadership.
Nevena Jakovljevic and Thomas Barker won Best Newcomer, Ty Murnain and Jay Chin received the ICARE Award, and Crispin Rice and Marcos Esgueva were given the Special Acknowledgement Spirit of the Season. Craig Giles and Katherine Stapleton were both named Volunteer of the Year.
For more information about Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, visit: www.mardigras.org.au for details.
Image: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Awards 2026 (supplied)