Midsumma Festival 2020

The biggest event of Melbourneâ€™s queer calendar.

Every year the Midsumma Festival kicks-off its three-week celebration with the annual Carnival which has become an icon in Melbourneâ€™s LGBTIQA community. The Carnival is a huge, family-friendly single-day event happening this Sunday (Jan 19) with activities and performances for everyone, starting at 11am and ending at around 10pm (that is if you donâ€™t end up at one of the after-parties) in Alexandra Gardens in Melbourneâ€™s CBD.

As you may know by now we love a good picnic! So you will find us either at a shared stall with the Australian LGBTIQ Multicultural Council AGMC or nibbling on dip and crackers around the picnic area under the trees. This is a great opportunity to kick-off a year of activities with our group, to get to know other members of our community and to work on that tan! (remember to put on and reapply sunscreen throughout the day!).

What can I expect?

The Midsumma Festival is Australiaâ€™s premier queer arts and cultural festival which brings together a colorful mix of artist, performers, communities and audiences. Thereâ€™s an explosion of activities over 22 days of summer, the first one being The Midsumma Carnival.

We put together a couple of must knows for those â€˜Carnival-virginsâ€™ so you know what to expect this Sunday, but as always, feel free to contact any of us if you have any questions regarding this or any other upcoming events. We canâ€™t wait to see you there!

Join us for the carnival! We will be holding:

12.30pm – Picnic in the grass
3.20pm – Latin Queer Dancing (Sports precinct)
Stall with Multicultural Groups (AGMC)

Important things to know…

Food Yes! A diverse selection of food trucks will be available located at different locations throughout the precinct. If you are coming to our picnic you can just bring and share your own food and drinks. Remember NO GLASS. Midsumma Carnival has a strict no glass policy across the site.

Drinks. Hydration stations and bubblers are provided so please bring your own reusable water bottle and remember to stay hydrated! There is a Midsumma-operated bar as well, in order to gain entry to the bar, you need to obtain a proof of age wristband, available beside the Main Information Tent or near the entrance to the bar.

Transport Midsumma Carnival is held at Alexandra Gardens (opposite Arts Centre Melbourne), which is a short walk from Flinders Street Station. As parking is limited, we recommend taking a train to Flinders Street Station or any tram along Swanston Street or Flinders Street.

Wheelchair Accessibility All of Alexandra Gardens are wheelchair accessible. We recommend visiting their Website for a comprehensive description of the accessibility features provided. Check this link for more details. (https://www.midsumma.org.au/info/midsumma-carnival-accessibility/)

Weather and air quality Check the weather and air conditions in advance and prepare for the day. So far thereâ€™s a 70% chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening (but itâ€™s Melbourne after all and anything can happen). Keep an eye out for updates from The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology Website.