WHAT do Drag Bingo, a Mardi Gras pride parade, a Queer Screen Film Festival, and Rainbow Storytelling have in common?
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Well, they'll all be happening in Bathurst during the month of April as part of Pride 'n' Stride.
Organised by headspace Bathurst, in conjunction with a number of other community organisations, the event is all about encouraging acceptance for those who identify as LGBTQIA+.
And, according to headspace Bathurst community engagement coordinator Sam Bolt, it will all kick off on Thursday, April 11, with a Queer Screen Film Festival.
This will be held from the Ponton Theatre at Charles Sturt University, and will feature six of the best and brightest queer films from this year's festival.
"That's going to be a way to open the Pride 'n' Stride event. It's going to feature a host of short films sponsored by Queer Screen which is a short film festival organisation based in Sydney," Mr Bolt said.
Following the film festival, there will be a Drag Bingo night at the Greens on William, which will be hosted by local Drag Queen, Betty Confetti on Friday, April 12.
Then on Saturday, April 13, the official Pride 'n' Stride event will take place.
"It will start with a Gala community event on the Bathurst Library forecourt from 2pm until 5pm, so it will involve live music, a host of organisations with stalls, and there will be a storytelling event in the library," Mr Bolt said.
"Following that there will actually be a one-hour street parade, which will be from the Railway Station to the Library forecourt."
This parade will be assisted by road closures in the area to ensure the safety of all participants, and will be followed by an after party at KeyStone 1889.
"It's like watering a plant"
Last year, an event of the same nature was held from the Keppel Street location, and for Mr Bolt, the aim for 2024 is to go bigger and better.
"We had a turnout of 70 people to that, and this year we just wanted to go one better," he said.
"To us, it's important to have this ground work to build on this event for success for years to come. It's like watering a plant."
And, according to Jonathan Hosking, otherwise known as Betty Confetti, hosting pride events has definitely had a positive response from the community.
In recent years, he said that attitudes toward the LGBTQIA+ community in Bathurst are changing for the better.
"Times are changing. I have definitely seen a positive shift in the last few years, and I think that shift is continuing with events like this," he said.
And these events help to enhance this even further.
"With continued events and continued visibility, we will see more of a positive change," Mr Hosking said.
"These events are super important to show that Bathurst is a loving, accepting and inviting place for all walks of life including the LGBTQIA+ community."
For more information regarding the Pride 'n' Stride event, check out the headpsace Bathurst Facebook Page.