The faces of 2017 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade

The 39th annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade saw 250,000 spectators taking to the streets last Saturday to watch more than 12,000 participants in one of the world’s biggest celebrations of the LGBTQI community.

Under the theme of “Creating Equality” the event aimed to champion creative self-expression and promote equal rights.

The 2017 parade involved 185 entry floats/groups, close to four hours viewing time, 300 bikes, more than 150 vehicles or pushables, more than 10,000 walkers and more than 1,300 riders.

“The passion and enthusiasm of the Parade participants and spectators made for a truly show-stopping experience,” said Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras CEO Terese Casu.

“While we celebrated our wonderfully colourful community, we also had a number of floats dedicated to important issues. Marriage equality, refugees, mental health and the recognition of transgender rights were all represented widely in this year’s Parade, and we were thrilled to have the First Nations people, who worked together with the original 1978 Mardi Gras marchers to begin the Parade,” she added.

While Australia is generally regarded as one of the most LGBT-friendly countries in the world, it has still not legalised same-sex marriage rights.

Check out a photo gallery of the 2017 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival Parade below, courtesy of photographer Jeffrey Feng and the organisers.