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A tale of 2 different Pride/Mardi Gras Parades...
9 years ago
General
Earlier this year, I mentioned about attending/getting to some... different/other types of events that's not a furry convention or meet-up. The opportunities arose and before I knew it, ended up participating in 2 similar yet different events, the New Zealand Pride Parade in Auckland, and the Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade in Sydney.
In fact, most would be surprised to know that I have not been to any sort of LGBT(Q) pride parades in the past, either actively participating or spectating.
Auckland Pride Parade (25th February, 2017)
Thanks to the inquisitiveness of
TheShadowCheetah, somehow managed to get us marching in on the official title-bearing float near the front as a pair of carnival ponies. The route was an easy, flat 2km trot down the suburb of Ponsonby in Auckland, and in the end I'd estimate at most a turnout of ~10,000 people.
Definitely a laid back, easy-going and ultra friendly affair, and awesome costumes/get-up throughout. The crowds were very well behaved, maybe a tad subdued, and that's apparently a very "Kiwi" thing.
Photos here:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22739896/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22739919/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22739946/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22739984/
Would I go again, oh yes, perhaps roping in some more ponies or rubber critters to go along!
Sydney Mardi Gras Parade (4th March, 2017)
Having knocked out the first parade just the week prior, I thought this would be similar...
... and boy was I wrong.
Was it fabulous? Oh yes definitely
Was it a friendly, all-inclusive atmosphere? You betcha
However that's where the similarity ends.
I was told that the parade participants alone number well in the 10,000s, with ~200 groups/floats participating, as for the crowd... well, easily 20x (or even 30x) that of Auckland the previous week... in the region of 200,000 - 300,000.
Oh boy.
Seeing as my planning skills can sometimes be... "let's wing it", at around the 2 weeks mark was trying to scope out a group to join onto, initially aiming for any rubber/latex/kink and the pup-play groups... and failed.
Managed to get in touch with the OzFurs group who runs a float for the past many years, and secured myself a spot on their float.
It was interesting bumping into some people I know, and of course none of them expected to see me there. After mingling with the people at the prep-area (and getting many compliments on my Rubber Snow Spottykitty outfit ^_^ ), elected to walk on the ground instead of riding on the float. Afterall, shaking your latex-wrapped butt and getting up close to the crowd seemed way more fun.
Utter euphoria is how I'd describe the crowd. They waved, they cheered, and most of them screamed their lungs out... I have seen images like these on TV, but never up close and personal. It's a stark contrast to the parade the week prior.
Of course, during the walk (or more fittingly butt-wiggling, twerking, bouncing up and down to the music) the Rubber Snowkitty got close to the fence and started high-fiving those who stuck their arms out... most of them are well behaved enough... but a fair few people would try to grab my hand and actually started PULLING ME INTO THE FENCE/CROWD (none succeeded thank goodness). That, was actually scary. During certain points along the route where it's narrow, and I had to walk maybe half-an-arm lengths from the barriers, felt a few touching and grabbing at my shoulders, upper arms...
Utter, crazy, Aussies.
Even though the route was just over 1km long (half the length of Auckland parade), it took twice as long.
It was fun, and despite the craziness mentioned above, would definitely go back to do it again.
"Highlight" (or another crazy) moment of the day:
During the pre-parade prep and while mingling in the greenzone, many other parade goers came up to take photos/selfies with the Rubber Snowkitty. Many also felt/touched/groped me saying "omg you're in rubber... you must be so hot", with a pair of glitter & paint covered boys outright squeezing my nipples through the latex asking "can you feel that", getting them hard then saying "omg you can, you're getting hard" >.> <.<
Photos here:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22811188/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22811203/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22811218/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22811232/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22835281/
So, that was my 2 back-to-back weekends of random craziness! How about yours? ;)
In fact, most would be surprised to know that I have not been to any sort of LGBT(Q) pride parades in the past, either actively participating or spectating.
Auckland Pride Parade (25th February, 2017)
Thanks to the inquisitiveness of
TheShadowCheetah, somehow managed to get us marching in on the official title-bearing float near the front as a pair of carnival ponies. The route was an easy, flat 2km trot down the suburb of Ponsonby in Auckland, and in the end I'd estimate at most a turnout of ~10,000 people.Definitely a laid back, easy-going and ultra friendly affair, and awesome costumes/get-up throughout. The crowds were very well behaved, maybe a tad subdued, and that's apparently a very "Kiwi" thing.
Photos here:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22739896/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22739919/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22739946/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22739984/
Would I go again, oh yes, perhaps roping in some more ponies or rubber critters to go along!
Sydney Mardi Gras Parade (4th March, 2017)
Having knocked out the first parade just the week prior, I thought this would be similar...
... and boy was I wrong.
Was it fabulous? Oh yes definitely
Was it a friendly, all-inclusive atmosphere? You betcha
However that's where the similarity ends.
I was told that the parade participants alone number well in the 10,000s, with ~200 groups/floats participating, as for the crowd... well, easily 20x (or even 30x) that of Auckland the previous week... in the region of 200,000 - 300,000.
Oh boy.
Seeing as my planning skills can sometimes be... "let's wing it", at around the 2 weeks mark was trying to scope out a group to join onto, initially aiming for any rubber/latex/kink and the pup-play groups... and failed.
Managed to get in touch with the OzFurs group who runs a float for the past many years, and secured myself a spot on their float.
It was interesting bumping into some people I know, and of course none of them expected to see me there. After mingling with the people at the prep-area (and getting many compliments on my Rubber Snow Spottykitty outfit ^_^ ), elected to walk on the ground instead of riding on the float. Afterall, shaking your latex-wrapped butt and getting up close to the crowd seemed way more fun.
Utter euphoria is how I'd describe the crowd. They waved, they cheered, and most of them screamed their lungs out... I have seen images like these on TV, but never up close and personal. It's a stark contrast to the parade the week prior.
Of course, during the walk (or more fittingly butt-wiggling, twerking, bouncing up and down to the music) the Rubber Snowkitty got close to the fence and started high-fiving those who stuck their arms out... most of them are well behaved enough... but a fair few people would try to grab my hand and actually started PULLING ME INTO THE FENCE/CROWD (none succeeded thank goodness). That, was actually scary. During certain points along the route where it's narrow, and I had to walk maybe half-an-arm lengths from the barriers, felt a few touching and grabbing at my shoulders, upper arms...
Utter, crazy, Aussies.
Even though the route was just over 1km long (half the length of Auckland parade), it took twice as long.
It was fun, and despite the craziness mentioned above, would definitely go back to do it again.
"Highlight" (or another crazy) moment of the day:
During the pre-parade prep and while mingling in the greenzone, many other parade goers came up to take photos/selfies with the Rubber Snowkitty. Many also felt/touched/groped me saying "omg you're in rubber... you must be so hot", with a pair of glitter & paint covered boys outright squeezing my nipples through the latex asking "can you feel that", getting them hard then saying "omg you can, you're getting hard" >.> <.<
Photos here:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22811188/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22811203/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22811218/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22811232/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22835281/
So, that was my 2 back-to-back weekends of random craziness! How about yours? ;)
haal
∞haal
It was great to see you there!
lyctiger
~lyctiger
OP
Same here! :)
Kolossal
~kolossal
Do Toronto next!
