The massive Mardi Gras party has wrapped up for another year leaving a trail of glitter through the Sydney CBD and more than a few sore heads among punters. More than 12,000 revellers turned out for the city's annual celebration of all things LGBT on Saturday night. The volunteer heroes of Australia's bushfire crisis were crowd favourites among the 191 floats decked out for the parade. NSW Rural Fire Service volunteer Sarah Paterson was one of about 80 RFS members taking part. "After fighting fires through summer it's good for us to let our hair down," she said. "I missed Christmas and New Years Eve because I was fighting fires, so this is like Christmas to me." As per tradition, the "dykes on bikes" kicked off the parade on Saturday evening. The parade drew a high-visibility police presence, with the riot squad assisted by members of the sniffer dog unit. Grammy Award-winning UK singer Sam Smith headlined the afterparty alongside American pop performer Kesha and Brazilian drag queen Pablo Vittar. The Sydney Mardi Gras commemorates the '78ers, a group of protesters who were arrested and beaten by police when they tried to march as part of international gay celebrations back in 1978. Australian Associated Press
More than 12,000 people turned out for theGay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade on Saturday night.
The massive Mardi Gras party has wrapped up for another year leaving a trail of glitter through the Sydney CBD and more than a few sore heads among punters.
More than 12,000 revellers turned out for the city's annual celebration of all things LGBT on Saturday night.
The volunteer heroes of Australia's bushfire crisis were crowd favourites among the 191 floats decked out for the parade.
NSW Rural Fire Service volunteer Sarah Paterson was one of about 80 RFS members taking part.
"After fighting fires through summer it's good for us to let our hair down," she said.
"I missed Christmas and New Years Eve because I was fighting fires, so this is like Christmas to me."
As per tradition, the "dykes on bikes" kicked off the parade on Saturday evening.
The parade drew a high-visibility police presence, with the riot squad assisted by members of the sniffer dog unit.
Grammy Award-winning UK singer Sam Smith headlined the afterparty alongside American pop performer Kesha and Brazilian drag queen Pablo Vittar.
The Sydney Mardi Gras commemorates the '78ers, a group of protesters who were arrested and beaten by police when they tried to march as part of international gay celebrations back in 1978.
