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New Mardi Gras (NMG) has announced the creation of a Rainbow Zone around this year’s Parade route, and has unveiled a vastly improved Parade start area.

The changes will mean that Parade Entrants will have a much more comfortable, relaxed start to the night, volunteers will more easily be able to get their jobs done, and that audience members will enjoy a much broader experience of the Parade.

The two announcements are part of a series of measures to reinvent the Parade, ensuring the improvement of audience and Entrant experience, and the enhancement of artistic quality in this world-famous event.

Rainbow Zone will see the creation of a zone of celebration, hosted by the GLBTQ community, in the area surrounding the Parade route. All of the streets approaching the Oxford Street and Flinders Street portions of the Parade will be closed from 5pm on 5 March, the day of the Parade.

Many of these closed-off streets will form the borders of the Rainbow Zone, and will be staffed at various entry points by fabulously attired welcome teams, who will act as hosts to the Rainbow Zone - welcoming audience members into the celebrations, guiding them to the best areas for viewing the Parade, and helping them to avoid already congested areas.

NMG is calling for members of the GLBTQ communities to volunteer for the Rainbow Zone welcome teams – visit www.mardigras.org.au to sign up.

NMG is also encouraging businesses and venues in the Rainbow Zone to enter into the spirit of celebration and to fly rainbow flags.

The Rainbow Zone will also benefit from an enhanced police presence, ensuring that the area around the Parade is kept free from anti-social behaviour and making Mardi Gras night safe for everyone, including local residents and businesses.

NMG CEO Michael Rolik said: “Parade is a major Sydney event and, hosted by the GLBT community, it showcases the diversity and tolerance of our city to the world. We are delighted that, with the introduction of Rainbow Zone and a vastly improved start area, we’re able to offer a better than ever experience for our Parade 2011 audience and our Parade Entrants and volunteers.”

NMG Co-chair Steph Sands said: “The Rainbow Zone is a place of celebration, hosted by the GLBTQ community, and we welcome into this area anybody who wants to celebrate with us. It’s a chance for the GLBTQ community to take over hosting the area around the Parade, and to show that we give a welcome like nobody else does.”

NMG Co-chair Pete Urmson said: “Volunteer for one of the Rainbow Zone welcome teams and give a big, gay welcome to the hundreds of thousands of audience members who come to celebrate with us on Mardi Gras night.”

NMG is also delighted to reveal that this year’s Parade start area is significantly larger than ever before, with vastly improved amenities.

The City of Sydney has made available the south-east portion of Hyde Park exclusively for the Parade start area, which will also encompass Liverpool Street and College Street. This start area will be closed off with a secure perimeter, and will also benefit from enhanced police presence, ensuring a reduction in anti-social behaviour in Hyde Park and the surrounding areas.

There will be food and drink vendors, and more toilets than last year, and there will be areas of Hyde Park exclusively set aside for Entrants to sit and relax while they wait for the Parade to begin.

NMG Parade Producer Vicktor Petroff said: “We are grateful to the City of Sydney for making available to us such a spacious and well-situated start area, and we support the NSW Police in their continued efforts to address public order issues in the area and to keep Hyde Park safe, so that everybody can enjoy Parade night.

“We recognise that last year’s start area made it very difficult for Parade Entrants and volunteers, although it significantly aided the police in their efforts to combat anti-social behaviour. This year, we’ve worked with the NSW Police and the City of Sydney to come up with solutions that build on the successes achieved by the police last year and that provide a better space for Parade Entrants. So, while Parade Entrants are waiting for everything to kick off, everyone can be comfortable and safe, grab a bite to eat, and have a great start to the night. Bring a blanket, and chill out in the park before the show begins – or between rehearsing your dance routines!”

Assistant Commissioner Alan Clarke, NSW Police Force said: “Police have been working with the organisers of this year’s event to ensure the safety of entrants and the audience alike. The significant changes will assist the police in ensuring this year’s event is safer and more enjoyable for all.”

Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said: “The City has continued to work closely with New Mardi Gras and Police to introduce improvements to the start of the Parade to help make it a safe and enjoyable night for everyone.”

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