Keiynan Lonsdale, Casey Donovan To Headline One-Day Pride Street Party In Melbourne
Image: Keiynan Lonsdale and Casey Donovan. Images: Facebook.
Love, Simon star Keiynan Lonsdale and Australian Idol star Casey Donovan will headline the day-long street party in Melbourne that will close Victoria’s Pride celebrations in February 2023.
Following the inaugural Melbourne Pride in 2022 to mark 40 years of decriminalisation of male homosexuality in Victoria, the Daniel Andrews Labor government announced last year that the state’s newest LGBTQI Pride event would be an annual affair and renamed it Victoria’s Pride.
The state-wide Pride festival, which kicked off in November 2022, will conclude with a one-day party along Gertrude and Smith Streets in Fitzroy and Collingwood on Sunday, February 12, 2023, a week after the Midsumma Pride march in St Kilda.
“Beyond excited and ready to bring some divine and electric colours to the Victoria Pride stage. Let’s dance,” Lonsdale said in a statement. The Australian actor, dancer, and singer-songwriter is best known for his roles in Love, Simon and The Flash. Lonsdale is also scheduled to co-host and perform at the closing concert at Sydney WorldPride 2o23.
The Best LGBTQI Artists And Performers
The street party will feature two stages that will showcase some of the best local musicians, comics, circus and drag artists. The line-up includes Australian pop artist Banoffee, Filipino-Australian singer and songwriter Chela, and Perth-based queerlectro pop band Alter Boy led by trans/hard-of-hearing vocalist, Molly Priest.
The other performers at the event are artist and advocate Jaguar Jonze; Melbourne-based queer bubblegum punk band Cry Club; DJ drag queen duo Jawbreakers and all-women band The Lost Girls.
“Victoria’s Pride will showcase some of the very best LGBTQIA+ artists, performers, and musicians. Across two stages there will be non-stop arts entertainment for ten hours as we celebrate pride,” said Karen Bryant, CEO, Midsumma, which will be delivering the event on behalf of the government.
‘Pride Can Change Lives’
Victoria’s Pride will feature 14 events across regional areas like the inaugural rainbow ball in Shepparton, a family-friendly pride festival in Gippsland, Summer Frolic in Ballarat and ‘That’s Soo Gay’ art exhibition in Kyneton.
“Pride can change lives through visible love and support of our communities, and the inner north street party is the perfect end to our state-wide celebration of who we are – Victoria’s Pride,” Minister for Equality Harriet Shing said in a statement.
The Andrews government had announced that it had set aside around $6.8 million over the next four years for Victoria’s Pride. This is in addition to the $22.25 million it pledged to support LGBTQI community organisations in the state.
