Singer and actress Cher will headline
Sydney's 40th annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras on
Saturday, March 3.
Cher hinted in a tweet last month that
she was headed to Australia in March: “OK … YOU BOYS [rainbow
emoji] KNOW WHERE I'LL [bee emoji] IN MARCH
#PutSomeShrimpOnTheBar[bee emoji].”
According to Australia's ABC News, the
group behind the festival has confirmed that the 71-year-old pop and
gay icon will headline the festival.
“These things do take time and a lot
of negotiation, and so it's been a pretty rollercoaster ride over the
last couple of months, but we can definitely [say], it's official and
Cher is coming,” Mardi Gras creative director Greg Clarke announced
on ABC Radio Sydney.
“Mardi Gras has been trying to get
Cher to Mardi Gras for so many years,” he
added. “They tried about five years ago and couldn't pull it
off, but we've done it this year.”
Cyndi Lauper performed at the event's
30th anniversary.
With the recent legalization of
same-sex marriage in Australia, this year's festival promises to be
the year's must-attend event. Citing safety and security concerns,
organizers have already said that they would not be able to
accommodate all those interested in participating in this year's
parade.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is a
parade that winds down Oxford Street on Saturday, March
3 to Moore Park, where a two-day festival is held.