| Pink Loerie Mardi Gras and Arts Festival | |
|---|---|
.JPG) 2014 Pink Loerie festival attendee | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Festival/carnival with LGBTQ Pride parade |
| Date(s) | April/May |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Venue | various |
| Location(s) | Knysna township, Western Cape province, |
| Country | South Africa |
| Years active | 23 |
| Most recent | 2018 |
| Attendance | 25,000-30,000 |
| Website | www |
The Pink Loerie Mardi Gras and Arts Festival is an annual LGBTQ Pride carnival event and parade held in Knysna, a coastal township in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Events include their version of the Wigstock drag queen festival, a bear fest, athletic events, and an art festival.[1] It is one of the country's largest LGBTQ events.[2] Since its start in 2000 it has grown to be a significant event for the town culminating in the grand finale of Pink Loerie, Knysna Pride parade and its 1000-person after-party held on the final weekend with floats, performers, and DJs. The Knysna loerie is a green bird but the color pink has a long association with LGBTQ culture.[3]
Pink Loerie has traditionally been held in late April/ early May but in 2018 was moved to late May. 2020's festivities were cancelled due to the Covid-2019 coronavirus pandemic.[4] It was announced that the Mr Gay World, and Mr Gay All Stars events will be held in conjunction with the 2021 Pink Loerie, with events in both Knysna and Port Elizabeth.[1]
- ^ a b Botha, Ted (2019-11-26). "South Africa Eyes Bigger Share of Global LGBTQI Market". Travel.SAPeople.com. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
masswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Mafika (2015-11-29). "A feast of South African festivals". Brand South Africa. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
- ^ "2020 Pink Loerie Mardi Gras and Arts Festival postponed". Media Update. 16 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-29.