Ballarat Pride Month to celebrate LGBTIQA+ community

A month-long celebration of the LGBTIQA+ community is coming to Ballarat.

Ballarat Pride Month will be officially held for the first time in June this year, which will be the biggest event of its kind in the city.

It will involve more than 35 events throughout the month all with one common theme – recognising and celebrating the LGBTIQA+ community.

Internationally, Pride Month is held every June and this year, Ballarat will become a sea of colour as lively events flood the city.

The full program of events has now been released, with more detail available on the Pride Month website.

Highlights of the month include: a Yarnbombing Project, the Pride Month Market, a Pride Swim and Gym night, an ‘Ageing with Pride’ Q&A event at Ballarat Library, and the ‘Queering the Collection’ online exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ballarat.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said the Council’s LGBTIQA+ Action Plan identified a need for events such as Pride Month to celebrate the city’s diversity.

“It is crucial that as a city we proudly celebrate the LGBTIQA+ community and the contribution they make to Ballarat,” he said.

“It’s exciting to see the event evolve and grow so quickly, which shows our ongoing commitment to celebrating diversity.”

Ballarat Pride Month is a City of Ballarat initiative, organised in conjunction with the LGBTIQA+ Advisory Committee.

A particular focus of Pride Month will be promoting a healthier lifestyle from members of the LGBTIQA+ community, particularly around healthier eating, active living and reducing harm from smoking/vaping.

There will be a range of methods used to encourage a healthier lifestyle throughout the month, including:

• Providing healthy food options at all events.
• Hosting a range of events that encourage physical activity.
• Ensuring all events are smoke and vape free.

LGBTIQA+ Advisory Committee member and Ballarat-based drag king Lance DeBoyle, who also hosts award-winning LGBTIQA+ variety show Lance TV, said visibility was a key part of Pride Month.

“Ballarat is home to approximately 11,000 people who identify in some manner as a member of the rainbow community,” Lance said.

"Our community is thrilled to be celebrating Pride Month 2024 with the wider Ballarat community, our friends and allies.

“The City of Ballarat has worked inclusively over recent years to ensure that LGBTIQA+ people feel seen, respected, and heard. The collaboration with their LGBTIQA+ Advisory Group is testimony to that work.”

Pride Month will be officially launched at 10am on Saturday 1 June in the Humffray Room at the Ballaarat Mechanics Institute, which will be open to the public.