Media Release | “These are the days of our lives”

OUTintheOPEN 2023 is coming this November! Join us from the 10^th – 19^th November for a variety of diverse festival events, gatherings and experiences centring around our 2023 theme, “these are the days of our lives”. Our main event, Carnival Day, is back in the Queens Gardens on Saturday November 18^th, hosted by the fabulous Frock Hudson. Free for all of community to experience, Carnival Day includes market stalls to grab some pride merch, local inclusive organisations and businesses, activities for all ages, food trucks and our onsite, immersive Queer Museum. Carnival Day also boasts an all-day line-up of live music from LGBTIQA+ artists and we are thrilled that Bec Sandridge will be headlining.

With over 20 events for OUTintheOPEN 2023 we are excited to invite you to ‘mask up’ in style this year for our opening night event, Masquerade at the Museum. Held on level four of our prestigious Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) overlooking the beautiful Victoria Park Lake at sunset, the event is sure to surprise and excite this year’s festival goers with entertainment, networking, and celebrations. We are also excited to have GLOBE coming to host another networking event at Eve’s Bar and Café to bring local LGBTIQA+ business’ together from across the Goulburn Valley region.

For the more relaxed event, check out the Shepparton Queer Film Jamboree, which will see a line-up of LGBTIQA+ films with a twist shown at various locations throughout Greater Shepparton over the entire length of the festival. The Queer Film Jamboree includes films such as the Matrix and Speed Racer, celebrating queer culture through cinematic experiences.

Keen for some entertainment and drag? Join us this year at the Drag Bingo Spectacular, hosted at Bohjass or Sunday Serve with Gabriella Labucci (Drag Race Down Under Season 3) and Daisy Chain, our closing event at the Aussie Hotel. Rainbow Storytime is also back at the Shepparton Library for another year on Thursday 16^th November for our rainbow families and allies to enjoy. Food more your thing? Join us for our Q+ Hub pop-up at the Fryer Street Food Festival in Shepparton on the 11^th November or for our rainbow social brunch.  

“This year’s festival theme reminds me that we stand on the shoulders of giants with a strong and proud queer history that no one ever gets taught. ‘These are the days of our lives’ allows us to explore and savour our pioneers and all that has gone before us in the time that we are living in – in a fun way.” says GV Pride President, Deb Chumbley (she/her).

With just over two months to go we invite you all to join us in regional Victoria and celebrate pride  and community diversity, however you like to be ‘out, in the open.’ Visit http://outintheopen.org.au/events-2023/ to check out all the events for #oito2023 or contact Georgina Poort (she/her) on 0401 168 229 for more information.