Midsumma Festival
Midsumma Festival is a celebration of LGBTQIA+ arts and cultures held annually for 22 days over January and February in Melbourne, Australia. The festival began as a one-week celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride in 1989. The festival has since expanded to a three-week (four weekend) event that attracts over 240,000 people each year. Although the primary festival is held in the summer, Midsumma works year-round to provide artists, social changers, and culture makers with support and tools to create, present, and promote their work. Midsumma is an open-access festival. The program is made up of diverse art forms and genres, including visual arts, live music, theatre, spoken word, cabaret, film, parties, sport, social events, and public forums

Midsumma's visual arts program features exhibitions in and around Melbourne from local, national and international LGBTQIA+ artists. The festival's performing arts program includes musicals, theatre, cabaret, film, spoken word, music events, and dance parties. These performing arts events are largely produced by local community members. Midsumma Carnival 
Midsumma Carnival is held during the event's opening weekend and is traditionally held in Alexandra Gardens with stalls, food, and entertainment from 11am to 10pm. The main stage includes entertainment from the upcoming festival program to showcase and promote later events. The day is brought to a close with the T Dance, Midsumma's dance party under the stars. Stages: Main Stage and Picnic Stage

Precincts: Sports, Youth, Family, Tea Tent (for older audiences), and a Chill Out Zone

Open-Access Events
The majority of Midsumma Festival events are within the umbrella events program, which are created, produced and funded by independent third parties who pay fees for inclusion in the Midsumma Festival. In 2023 there were approximately 200 events. Midsumma Boards and Management
 Midsumma Festival Inc. is an incorporated association
 The Chair of Midsumma Festival is Judy Small AM
 The CEO is Karen Bryant. 2019

 Chief Executive: Karen Bryant 
 Programming Manager: Daniel Santangeli 
 Finance & Office Manager: Angus Li
 Marketing Manager: Felicity McIntosh
 Administrator: Matt Hirst 
 Communications & Website: Alan Drummond

2011
 Chair: Lisa Watts
 General Manager: Adam J Lowe

2010
 Chair: Lisa Watts
 General Manager: Adam J Lowe

2009
 Chair: Lisa Watts
 General Manager: Adam J Lowe

2008
 Chair: Lisa Watts
 General Manager: Jarrod Hughes
 Festival Administrator: Molly Whelan

2007
 General Manager: Jarrod Hughes
 Festival Administrator: Molly Whelan

See also

 List of LGBT events
 Australian Queer Archives holds archival material relating to the Midsumma Festival

References

Gallery 

Festivals in Melbourne
Pride parades in Australia
Organisations based in Melbourne
1989 establishments in Australia
Recurring events established in 1989
LGBT culture in Melbourne
Festivals established in 1989

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