Running throughout November, SpringOUT is Canberra’s very own LGBTIQ pride festival – a month-long series of events that celebrate the LGTBIQ community in all its diversity in Australia’s most LGBTIQ friendly city.
The 2018 Festival Season was launched by the ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr who highlighted SpringOUT’s importance to the local community. “SpringOUT is Canberra’s time to get together and share stories, celebrate pride and build on our history of being an inclusive and welcoming city,” said Chief Minister Barr.
As is tradition, the 2018 festival kicked off yesterday with the AIDS Action Council’s CBR Fair Day – showcasing the best of Canberra’s LGBTIQ communities. Throughout November, other annual Festival highlights include the Fruit Tingles Women’s Dance (Saturday 10 November), Canberra’s Gay and Lesbian Qwire (Sunday 18 November), the Big Gay Breakfast (Sunday 18 November), the sold out Bushdance, and the world premiere of David Atfield’s latest play, Exclusion.
This year will also see the return of Yes!Fest on Saturday 17 November – a huge street party on Lonsdale Street that will mark the one-year anniversary of the marriage equality vote. This year also see new additions like the SpringOUT in the Vines weekend hosted by the Makers of Murrumbateman, and an essay competition sponsored by the Equal Rights Coalition.
Closing out this year’s festival will be the SpringOUT Big Community Picnic (Sunday 25 November) which includes a family picnic, arts and music, community games and a good old handbag toss! Dust off those rainbow boas and join our marvellous hosts, Karen from Finance and Cindy Pastel for a day of fun!
SpringOUT Committee Chair, Sean Snell said that 2018 would see the SpringOUT festival go back to its roots. “This year we have decided to take the festival back to where it all started in 1999, but there’ll be a few new elements too,” he said.
“I am really proud of the festival, our Canberra LGBTIQ community and what the SpringOUT Committee has put together for this year’s festival.”
The Canberra SpringOUT Pride Festival continues to Sunday 25 November 2018. For more information and full program, visit: www.springout.com.au for details.
Image: Yes!Fest – courtesy of SpringOUT Pride Festival