23 Feb 2023, 09:41
Victorian Legislative Council, Melbourne

Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan)

It was such a pleasure to attend Victoria’s Pride block party on Sunday 12 February. A one-day street party held in Melbourne’s iconic Gertrude Street and Smith Street precinct as part of Melbourne’s Midsumma Festival.

With multiple live music stages and performances from local musicians and artists, this celebration of Victoria’s diverse LGBTIQ+ communities was inclusive, accessible and a lot of fun.

Some of the highlights of the event were performances by cabaret superstar Reuben Kaye and Grumble Boogie, hosted by the formidable Betty Grumble. Betty’s enthusiastic approach to moving your body through dance, movement and play set the scene for an afternoon of celebration and connection.

Midsumma Festival does so much to make the many diverse queer communities of Victoria more visible and provides a platform for creative voices and stories that are often not heard or otherwise seen in the broader community.

It is a festival that intrinsically creates safe and inclusive places for communities with diversity at its very core. I congratulate Midsumma on hosting such a spectacular event.

[ENDS]