Mayor’s Message - Friday 3 May 2024

This week we launched the inaugural Ballarat Pride Month, which will be a month-long celebration of the LGBTIQA+ community all throughout June.

Ballarat is home to about 11,000 people who identify as a member of the rainbow community.

Pride Month will involve more than 40 events to recognise and celebrate the LGBTIQA+ community.

The City of Ballarat’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.  

It’s exciting to see the event evolve and grow so quickly, which shows our ongoing commitment to celebrating diversity. The full program of events has been released and can be found at ballaratpride.au

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.

The month is being organised in conjunction with the LGBTIQA+ Advisory Committee. 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.

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 and vaping.

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.

- Mayor Cr Des Hudson