THREE-day Rainbow City Festival, a proposed Mardi-Gras LGBTQIA+ event for the city, was never able to get off the ground; with the event being cancelled for its third consecutive year.
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"When we first started out, the world was a very different place, and what Orange was looking for seemed very different to where we are now, and what can be sustainably delivered on in the current environment," the event committee posted regarding its cancellation.
"While the possibility of a future festival is not completely off the cards, we will be focusing on trying to build more opportunities for community to come together, grow connections, and recharge for the future."
In 2020 and 2021, the same pandemic-driven concerns also came into play, pushing the pink economy to the corner at its inception.
Committee members say they'll focus on smaller scale, more frequent events throughout the year now, attributing the Rainbow City Festival's online page to "locals and visitors to the area to find local gatherings to attend, catch up, and get involved with community" from now on.
"The first of these opportunities will be our monthly Beers for Queers events, held on the first Sunday of the month," the statement continued.
"So, stay tuned for more updates on things to do in the Rainbow City. The festival may be gone, but the events we had lined up are certainly not forgotten."
With the city's neighbouring cites, such as Bathurst and Dubbo, hosting annual Mardi Gras event, it still begs the question from the LGBTQIA+ community in the colour city; why isn't Orange celebrating?
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