Last night was the launch of PrideFEST 2014, meaning that this year’s program has been released! Here’s what you can look forward to as we celebrate the LGBT community this year.

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From November 14th to 23rd, Perth will be packed with parties, performances and activities for everyone to enjoy.

This year’s parade will be the culmination of the festival, returning to an evening slot on November 22nd, followed by parties at The Court, Connections, and the Urban Orchard. During the week you can also party at Lesbian Mud Wrestling, Swagger Supersized Year 3000,  POP!, and finish it off at the PrideFEST wrap up party at a very special Love Sunday and Luxe Bar, and Loton Park Tennis Club will

You can get cultural throughout the week at the PrideFEST International Micro Film Festival, dance performances ‘Articulating Landscapes II’ and ‘Synchronicity’, theatre works ‘Joey: the mechanical boy’, ‘Conversations with the dead’ and ‘Those Who Fall In Love Like Anchors Dropped Upon the Ocean Floor’.

You can also drop in on an open dance rehearsal with Michael Schumacher on Thursday the 20th of November, theatre work ‘A Saucy Little Secret’ on the 19th  and enjoy some real life stories at a very special ‘Barefaced Stories: Pride Edition’ on the 21st.

Have a laugh at The Big HOO HAA on the 14th and 22nd, enjoy bingo like you’ve never seen before at Megabingay on the 20th and experience a pop culture showdown in ‘Adam Peter Scott’s Trivia Death Match: Queer Edition’.

If you’d like to get musical, there’s local and independent acts at ‘Lickmypalooza’ on the 21st, jazz divas Libby Hammer and Ali Bodycoat go ‘Over the Rainbow’ performing gay anthems on the 15th, the Gay And Lesbian Singers of Western Australia give us the ‘Best of Broadway’ on the 15th, and enjoy some sweet sounds for free at Northbridge piazza on Sunday the 16th.

There’s also heaps of community events including including social group 3rd Wednesday (meeting at the Brisbane on, you guessed it, the 3rd Wednesday of November), a Pride celebration at Parliament on the 20th, Beaufort Street Festival on the 15th, and you can also give dancing a crack in a friendly environment at an event called ‘Come and Try OUTdance’ on the 18th.

Curtin University show off their credentials after being named the Highest Ranking University for LGBTI Equality at the national Pride in Diversity Awards, displaying a rainbow crossing throughout October and hosting a free Rainbow Light Installation on the 20th, on the same day they raise the Pride flag on one of the main flagpoles. You can come back the following day for a Pride BBQ breakfast.

GRAI will be hosting a chilled out sundowner at the Urban Orchard on the 21st. PrideFEST will be having a community breakfast at Russel Square on the morning of the 15th, following which you can check out the Freedom Centre as they open their doors to the community to see what’s been happening over the year at their open day. The Freedom Centre will also host QCulture, a session for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and culturally diverse LGBTI people under 26.

November 20th is Transgender Day of Remembrance. You can attend a candlelight vigil at the Urban Orchard that evening from 6pm-7pm. The following Saturday Equal Love WA will be hosting a march for marriage equality and queer rights.

But you don’t have to stay in Perth to celebrate Pride, GFest will be bringing some spectacular performances to Geraldton and there’ll be a free screening of 52 Tuesday in Bunbury on the 14th.

Also, don’t forget to keep an eye out for Pride mascot Famous Sharron! We hear she’ll be popping up for a selfie all over the place.

Find out more about this year’s PrideFEST at pridewa.com.au

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