- 8 Nov Fairday
- 28 Nov Parade
- Free After Party
- 1 month of Pride
Clear your November, Perth. Pride WA has locked in the big dates for PrideFEST 2026, and this year’s theme couldn’t be more relevant: “Side by Side: Every Identity. One Community.”
Pride WA says the theme is both a celebration and a reminder that the rights our community has today were won because people stood together, spoke up and kept pushing, and that the push for safety and reform isn’t over. Very us, and the same energy that made MELT and Laneway 2026 feel so special. (More of our queer coverage lives here.)
Side Quest What Did the Very First Pride Flag Look Like?
Artist Gilbert Baker’s first Pride flag in 1978 had eight stripes, each with a meaning, including hot pink for sex and turquoise for magic and art. Pink and turquoise were dropped over the years, partly because the fabric was hard to get.
Fairday Has a New Home
Fairday, the big community day with LGBTQIA+ stallholders, entertainment and the famous Fairday Dog Show, is on Sunday 8 November. It’s moving from Supreme Court Gardens (which is being renovated) to Moort-ak Waadiny (Wellington Square) in East Perth.
Pride WA says the move came from community feedback, too. More shade, room for more stalls, and a playground right there in Koolangka Koolangka Waabiny. And the name fits beautifully: Moort-ak Waadiny means a place of family gathering. Chosen family very much included.
A place of family gathering. Chosen family very much included.
Moort-ak Waadiny
Then the Parade
The PrideFEST Parade closes out the month on Saturday 28 November, marching through the streets of Northbridge. Afterwards, Russell Square turns into the free PrideFEST Parade After Party, presented by the City of Perth.
- Fairday: Sunday 8 November, Moort-ak Waadiny (Wellington Square), East Perth
- Parade: Saturday 28 November, Northbridge
- After Party: straight after the Parade, Russell Square, free
- Still to come: the full program, plus transport and parking details. Pride WA says these are on the way, so sign up for their updates
Also Coming: the Gay Games, in Perth
That Pride WA sign-up form has bigger news behind it. Perth/Boorloo is hosting Gay Games XIII from 9 to 16 March 2030, the world’s largest sporting and cultural event for LGBTQIA+ athletes and artists, and Pride WA led the winning bid alongside Team Perth. Thousands of people from all over the world, competing and performing on Whadjuk Noongar boodja. I am still not over it.
It isn’t only for the sporty, either. There’s a cultural program, and the organisers want volunteers and partners as well as competitors. You can register your interest on the Perth 2030 Gay Games site.
Sensory Survival Tips
Pride is joyful, and it can also be a lot. If big crowds, loud music or long days tend to fry you, a little planning goes a long way:
- Pack your ears. Loop-style earplugs or ear defenders take the edge off parade music without shutting the world out.
- Go early to Fairday. Mornings at big outdoor events tend to be calmer, before the crowds build.
- Pick a regroup spot. Agree on a meeting point with your people before you head in, so getting separated isn’t a crisis.
- Shade, water, snacks. November in Perth is no joke. The new Fairday spot has more shade, so use it.
- Leave when you need to. Nobody hands out medals for staying to the end. Pride will still count.
- Want more? Our festival survival guide has plenty more tips for big events.
Side Quest When Did Perth First March for Pride?
- Perth’s first protest march for LGBTQIA+ equality was in 1989, and Pride WA was founded the following year.
- PrideFEST is returning to a full, month-long festival across November.
- The 2026 theme, and the reasons behind it, come from Pride WA’s own theme announcement, and the Fairday move was announced back in April.
See you side by side. Stay unruly.
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