Down Under, photographer C. Moore Hardy has been documenting Sydney’s summertime Mardi Gras celebration for over 40 years.
“Our community celebrates once a year with an almost month-long festival in February/March that culminates with the Parade,” explains Hardy. “Over 200 groups/floats from diverse and different communities dress up and parade through part of Sydney from sunset until 11 pm, when the last groups have marched past — everyone from First Nations people to queer families, fetish groups, Rainbow Families with children, Drag Kings & Queens and many political parties. It’s the once-a-year ‘Xmess’ party for queers of all ages, abilities, ethnicities, and living standards.”
According to Hardy, “themes are a big part of what type of costumes one wears” at Australia’s “biggest celebration of queerness.” In 2021, the concept was “Clowning Around.”
That year, Hardy caught two married friends and their companion pre-parade “finalizing their costumes and all energized before the sun sets.”
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Russ Gluyas and his husband, Alberto Milles (left), were joined by their friend, Stephen Carter.
“Russ and Al have been together for years, and I’ve managed to capture their costumes over the many outfits they bring to life,” Hardy says.
“These three men in the photo,” he says, “represent the color of love and joy of my Sydney queer community.”
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