It was party time for Melbourne’s LGBTIQA+ community as they celebrated the 30th year of Midsumma Pride March, which continues to provide a shining light in dark times. As the temperature rose to 33 degrees before midday, the hottest accessory on Fitzroy Street in St Kilda was no longer a sequined headpiece or rainbow boa. Instead, handheld fans and water guns were the saving grace of a celebratory and sweaty crowd.
The Fresh Rollerskaters ready to glide through St Kilda during Midsumma Pride March on Sunday. Credit: Wayne Taylor But that’s not to say the fashion wasn’t immaculate: Drag queen Vin Tagè turned heads in a dress made of 500 recycled express Australia Post bags, which took her two weeks to create. “I like using unconventional materials like rubbish bags in my drag.
Once I even used a Christmas tree,” she said. “Today we’re marching for everyone’s rights and for equality, and we have a great time doing it!” Chloe and Brooklyn travelled from Geelong for the spectacle, and said their first ever Midsumma Pride had “amazing vibes”. “It’s nice to see so many people who are like us, because sometimes it feels like there’s not a big community in Geelong,” Chloe said.
Drag queen Vin Tagè during the Midsumma Pride March. Credit: Wayne Taylor Some marchers had tongues firmly planted in their cheeks. One group dressed as doctors and nurses wheeled a hospital gurney down Fitzroy Street, with an ocker-looking man hooked up to an IV drip of Vict.