Sawt Falasteen - Sydney Mardi Gras celebrates inclusion in sea of glitter and feathers

More than 10,000 people -- many of them painted in glitter makeup -- and 180 floats rolled down a packed Oxford Street, lighting up the vibrant heart of Sydney's LGBTQ scene.

Mardi Gras is a highlight of the city's social calendar, with this year's theme "free to be" celebrating freedom, authenticity, and the right to live openly and proudly, organisers said.

The roar of dozens of motorbikes carrying women and rainbow flags, or "Dykes on Bikes", kicked off the parade, followed by the First Nations Community Float and the 78ers -- a group of activists who marched in Sydney's first Mardi Gras event in 1978.

Dylan Hoskins, who was with the First Nations float, said the evening was more than just an event, it was about bringing people together during a time of division.

"Mardi Gras is about inclusion. It's about celebrating identity, expressing identity, and like, celebrating human nature," he told AFP before the march.

Kyle Schneider, who was on the Sydney Opera House float, said he was "really excited" to attend his first Mardi Gras.

"It's just a great time for everyone to come together and celebrate and allow everyone to be who they are. It's such a beautiful experience," he said.

Huge crowds packed the streets to watch this year's celebrations.

Although the event has firmly embraced its boisterous party atmosphere, Sydney's Mardi Gras originally grew out of a 1978 gay rights protest that ended with dozens of arrests.

The parade is still used as a vehicle for protest, with floats this year pushing for LGBTQ rights.

F.Qawasmeh--SF-PST