SpringOUT Pride Festival has started. Offering more than 40 events celebrating the capital’s vibrant LGBTIQA+ community and welcomes everyone to join. Choosing which events to attend is a hard task; however, here are some highlights you won’t want to miss.
Art takes centre stage early in the program with two powerful conversations. On 9 November, Canberra-born artist eX de Medici, known for using her work as a mirror to society’s injustices, shares insights into her life and radical practice. Two days later, Bangladeshi filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist Dipa-Mahbuba-Yasmin explores how queer presence can be reclaimed through folk art traditions. Dipa’s collaborative work with painters inserts queer bodies and love stories into a heritage that once erased them, proving that when speech is forced down, art must speak.
From contemplation to competition, the festival offers something for every energy level. Sport Your Pride (14-16 November) is a celebration of movement under the theme ‘Move, Play, Belong’. The three-day extravaganza kicks off Friday night at the National Hockey Centre with Pride Hockey and a Friday Night Lights gathering. Saturday brings free come-and-try sessions from touch football to CrossFit, plus the launch of Canberra’s LGBTIQA+ice hockey team. Sunday wraps with roller derby in Denman Prospect.
Humour and heart collide on 21 November when the SpringOUT Comedy Gala showcases the capital’s finest queer wit. From trans icon Holly Hazlewood’s sharp observations to RAW Comedy National Finalist Caitlin Maggs’ effortless charm, the lineup spans whimsical storytelling, irreverent philosophy, and performers proving that aging disgracefully is an art form.
Loud & Proud on 23 November breaks new ground as Canberra’s first all-ages, all-trans and non-binary live music concert. Featuring Stella Eve, Transista Groove, nonbinarycode, Shoeb Ahmad, and Kalokairi, the evening promises powerful voices and big feels.
The festival brings pride to retail on 28 November at Westfield Belconnen for Pride-Day Night Shopping. DJ CandyCane spins live alongside MC Wayne Herbert while shoppers hit the Black Friday sales, proving that pride and retail therapy make perfect partners.
The festival culminates on 29 November at The VAULT, with One Night in HEAVEN 2, a nostalgic dance party honouring Canberra’s legendary gay nightclub from 1993 to 2001. Expect original Heaven DJs spinning 90s/00s anthems, drag performances, and psychedelic visuals.
Visit springout.com.au to explore the full festival program.
