Mayor Celia Wade-Brown among the crowd Midday: Out In The Square has opened with a glitter bang, and a steadily growing crowd is already filling Wellington’s Civic Square for the capital’s 26th queer fair day. Mayor Celia Wade-Brown was mingling with the crowd before opening the event and had a quick word with GayNZ.com Daily News, where she spoke lovingly about how much the city welcomes diversity. “The world’s not binary,” she said. “Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people all contribute to the rainbow that is Wellington,” the Mayor said. “Also what a day,” she added. “This, the opening [Outgames] ceremony, then I’m judging Queen of the Whole Universe, where of course I’ll be wearing slightly higher heels,” she joked. MC Steven Oates is resplendent in pink After a karakia and waiata, MCs Steven Oates and balloon-adorned Lady Trenyce welcomed everyone along to the event, and then introduced gay Central Wellington MP Grant Robertson and Wade Brown. Robertson introduced himself as the “out and proud” MP for Wellington Central and joked that it was a “fantastic day, a typical Wellington Saturday for all you visitors from afar. This is what it’s like all the time.” He said the fair has a long history and made a special mention of John and Des at the garden stall, who were involved in the very first fair in Newtown. “It’s even better to be here today on the opening of the Asia Pacific Outgames,” Robertson said. It’s a fantastic event. It’s going to go right through the week and you’ll have lots of opportunity to see fantastic athletes.” Wade-Brown then took the microphone and said she had been leaning out the window in her office, which overlooks the square, enjoying the chatter and the coffee smells and the opportunity to see people enjoy themselves. “This is an event for all ages and the glorious rainbow of intersex, gay, lesbian, transgender Wellingtonians and visitors.” The event was then officially opened with a bang, as a crowd of people onstage launched glitter cannons. People from all over the world are now joining locals, straight and queer, watching a running reel of live performances, wandering through the square taking in the many stalls and catching up with friends, as the sun begins to bear down on Civic Square. A parade from the square to the opening ceremony at Te Papa will begin at 4.30pm. GayNZ.com Daily News staff - 12th March 2011
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 12th March 2011 - 12:01pm