Auckland Pride 2019: Stuff's festival event guide

Friday, 1 February 2019

The Pride festival is traditionally a time for Aucklanders to bust out the feathers, glitter, and sequins.

The biggest weekend in Auckland's month-long Pride festival is now upon us.

Hundreds are set to march up Queen St on Saturday afternoon, and Sunday marks the 20th annual Big Gay Out event.

More than 700 people have registered for the march so far. To keep up with the march, visit our live blog for the latest updates.

The parade became mired in controversy when police were banned from marching in uniform. (Video first published in Jan 2019)

It's set to be a fine weekend weather-wise, save for a bit of cloud, according to the Metservice forecast.

* Pride parade police uniform ban a 'slap in the face'

* 'Repoliticising' Auckland Pride: Moving forward after police uniform ban**

There will be rolling road closures in central Auckland as the march progresses.

Pt Chevalier Road and Bangor Street in Pt Chevalier will be closed between 8am-8pm on Sunday for the Big Gay Out.

There are also parking restrictions in place between 8am-8pm along Pt Chevalier Rd, Boscawen St and Bangor St during the event.

WHAT'S ON DURING PRIDE

Packed with over 80 events from bingo to badminton, theatrical performance to family picnics, and from drag shows to the drawing of drag queens – Pride's venues are spread far and wide across the city.

The Pride board's membership secretary Zakk d'Larté said the number of events on offer was 'very reassuring' in the the wake of the withdrawal of corporate sponsors late last year.

'I am so pumped, it's been great to watch our little community come together since then.'

The corporate exodus that included BNZ, Vodafone, Westpac and the Defence Force came after a decision by the Pride board to ban uniformed police from joining in its annual parade.

Last year Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was the first PM to walk in the Pride Parade.

'Even though there were uncertainties about our future, we've seen new groups rallying their troops to be part of Pride – and we've actually got more voices than have ever been heard before this year,' said d'Larté.

Changes introduced for 2019 include a free-to-join march instead of the traditional parade down Ponsonby Rd, the halving of registration costs for event organisers and the festival going paperless.

Previous years have also seen Pride events concentrated in central Auckland, but this year 'we've really expanded our reach', said d'Larté.

'We've got things happening as far north as Matakana and this will help more people be able to attend the festival.'

Uniformed police will not be allowed to join the march that will replace the Pride Parade of previous years.

Keen to attend? Stuff has selected an eclectic array of ways you can both celebrate and learn about the LGBTQI community every single day of the festival:

Saturday, February 9 - March

This year there'll be a march instead of the traditional Pride Parade.

Starting at 4.30pm, the march will follow the Auckland Central graduation route from Albert Park at 4.30pm.

Albert Park has a storied past in Auckland's LGBTQ+ history, as the site of the first gay liberation protest in 1972.

The march is set to process down Victoria Street, up Queen St and into Aotea Square.

There will be a celebration held in Myers Park at the end of the march, until 9pm.

Those wanting to participate - individuals and groups - are asked to first register, but Auckland Pride welcomes everyone on the day.

Registrations will be open until midnight on Friday.

Drag Bingo is not your typical grandma-centric bingo raising funds for the church. 'If you can't take being picked on, you keep your mouth shut,' is one of its rules, and organisers warn that 'the calls will be naughty'. Experience it for yourself at the New Lynn Community Centre at 8pm.

Sunday, February 10 - Big Gay Out

The Big Gay Out is 'New Zealand's largest and most fabulous Rainbow Community event', a music festival kicking off at midday at Pt Chev's Coyle Park.

More than 10,000 people are expected to attend the event, organised by Ending HIV.

There will an official opening and blessing at midday, with the Mr Gay New Zealand competition, Family Bar's Drag Show and 'Status' a play by Tom Sainsbury to follow in the afternoon.

The Big Gay Out is being headlined by Openside, Jon Lemmon and The Miltones.

An all-star team of LGBT skaters from across New Zealand named Vagine Regime will take on internationally competitive roller derby-ists the Pirate City Rollers at Henderson's Trusts Arena in a full-contact battle of the skates. Doors open at 11.30am.

Monday, February 11

The Big Queer Potluck is a low key event being touted as a 'chance to show off that fabulous brussels sprout cake you have always wanted to make'. Held at the Auckland Old Folks Association, Newton, at 6.30pm.

Tuesday, February 12

Directed by Tom Sainsbury, Karaoke Boiz at Q Theatre 'takes you on a journey down the Waikato to discover new friends, foes and the biggest pop band to ever grace the planet'. It's on at 8pm and will be funny.

Wednesday, February 13

Ever wanted to sketch a 'magnificent drag queen'? Well, there will be one on offer at Queens Wharf along with a still life backdrop and music at 5pm. BYO drawing materials.

Join the New Zealand AIDS Foundation in eating pizza and packing condoms for distribution around the country from 4pm to 7pm at the foundation's headquarters in St Mary's Bay.

Thursday, February 14

Possibly the most wholesome entertainment on offer this Pride, Board GAYmes is fun and snackful option for a Valentine's date at the Pioneer Women's Hall in downtown Auckland at 7.30pm.

For what they're advertising as 'a guaranteed successful relationship', however, No Homo's Pride edition encourages same-sex dates to come along to the the Classic Comedy Club at 8.30pm. 'Straight couples will be turned away at the door go watch Romeo and Juliet or whatever the heteros do for romance,' they say.

Friday, February 15

Have you got what it takes - a fab wig, fake nails, and the ability to do lip-sync battle - to be the Queen of the South? Register for this Auckland Council-run 'showcase of southside drag queen talent and creativity' prior its finale at the Te Puke o Tara Community Centre on Friday night.

For workshops, worship, and the 'addressing relevant issues to the Christian faith in light of sexual diversity', buy tickets the Ponsonby Baptist Church's Awaken Conference.

Saturday, February 16

Bookbinding, crafts, and a zine market, oh my! The Everything and Everyone Art and Zine Market will be held from 9am to 1pm at the New Lynn Community Centre and lets you 'peruse the creations of local rainbow artists'.

Newton's Rainbow Youth Drop-in Centre will host a queer political workshop on the 'concepts of intersectionality and anarchism' at 1.30pm.

The Heroic Gardens Festival is a ticketed tour of gay and lesbian-owned beautiful botanical wonderlands around Auckland and raises funds for Herne Bay House, which provides respite for people with HIV/AIDS.

Over My Dead Body is a black comedy paying homage to those who 'lived, loved and lost' during the '80s AIDS epidemic. Three strangers turn up uninvited to a flat-warming party - find out what happens next at Basement Theatre's Basement studio at 6.30pm.

Sunday, February 17

There are two competing lunch options.

One has been dubbed 'the Gayest Bottomless Lunch' by organiser SkyCity. Somewhat paradoxically, it claims to be both 'never ending' and over within two hours. Hosted by a drag queen and featuring an Italian set menu, reservations - and the forking out of $90 - are essential for this Gusto at the Grand feast.

The other describes itself as a potluck picnic 'by Asians, for Asians' but welcoming of allies. It's run by EquAsian, a support group for LGBTQ+s of Asian decent, and promises 'great conversations'. The venue has yet to be confirmed but it will be held at midday.

For those more into burning than accumulating calories, there's Rainbow Badminton on at the Te Atatu Peninsula Community Centre at 1pm and Jazzercise! at the CBD's Pioneer Women's Hall at 4pm. 'Don't worry if you can't dance – neither can we', assures the latter, which will be blasting '80s music and rewarding the best dressed.