Ballarat is set to enjoy a a four-day whole-of-community Pride festival of LGBTIQA+ events this Summer as part of Victoria’s Pride – a statewide celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and queer (LGBTQIA+) communities.

Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle today announced that Ballarat’s Frolic Festival will receive a $10,000 grant to support the running of the 2023 Frolic Festival program.

The 2023 Frolic Festival will run 9-12 February and its focus will be “Bringing PRIDE back to Ballarat, and taking Ballarat to PRIDE.”

The festival will feature inclusive entertainment for all-ages that caters to Ballarat’s diverse communities, and the events will be delivered in partnership with local and state-wide LGBTQIA+ organisations.

Victoria’s Pride event locations will span across the state including Wangaratta, Warrnambool, Morwell, Kyneton and Castlemaine and are expected to be enjoyed by tens of thousands of attendees.

The program includes three touring projects which will visit several regional and rural communities in Victoria to help ensure that anyone across the state who wishes to participate in Victoria’s Pride can get involved.

The Victoria’s Pride regional program will kick off in December, with the summer-long festival culminating in a one-day street party in Melbourne’s iconic Gertrude and Smith Street precinct on Sunday 12 February 2023.

The Labor Government provided up to $15,000 of funding to 14 different arts and culture projects that showcase regionally based LGBTIQ+ artists and highlight regional LGBTIQ+ voices and stories, through a grants program run by Victoria’s Pride event partner, Midsumma.

The festival will give people across the state an important opportunity to demonstrate their pride in and support for LGBTIQ+ people and learn more about the great diversity of sexualities, genders and sex characteristics that make up our Victorian communities.

Victoria’s Pride is brought to life through Government funding of $6.8 million, which confirmed this statewide celebration of rainbow communities will be a staple in Victoria’s events calendar for years to come.

For more information on the regional Victoria’s Pride program, please visit midsumma.org.au/regional-activations.

Quotes attributable to Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison

“Congratulations to Frolic on this $10,000 grant from the Andrews Labor Government. Frolic Festival is an opportunity to catch some great shows and experiences, it’s also an opportunity for us to amplify and celebrate LGBTQIA+ culture and our local LGBTQIA+ community.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle

“I am so pleased that Ballarat Frolic Festival can continue to connect our diverse rainbow communities and remind everybody in our region that that they are supported, that they belong, and help them to feel seen and represented.”

Quotes attributable to Frolic Festival Director Jay Morrison 

“We’re excited that the Andrews Government and Midsumma are supporting regional events like our festival that will encourage the celebration of our LGBTIQA+ communities.

We’ve curated an inclusive, welcoming and diverse program this year for the whole community – not just the LGBTIQA+ community.

It’s an honour to be part of Victoria Pride and we can’t wait to bring pride back to Ballarat, and take Ballarat to Pride!”