This year’s Sydney Festival opened last Saturday, January 5, with the ‘marriage’ of New Mardi Gras Director Greg Small and Avan Tiong.

Held in front of approximately 20,000 onlookers in the middle of Macquarie Street in front of Parliament House, they were one of three couples to publicly exchange vows.

Small, 34, and Tiong, 23, chose the theme ‘it’s not black and white’, and Chinese lion dancers and a drag show featuring Penny Tration, Kitty Glitter and Minnie Cooper opened their ceremony.

A heavily pregnant Holly Ashby also tied the knot with Dan Fish, as did burlesque performer Imogen Kelly and Gerard Mahoney. The event was hosted by Julie McCrossin.

After the ceremonies, the couples walked down the red carpet in procession, followed by their family and friends.

“We’re normal. We’re like everyone else out there – we have normal friends, we fight, we do all the normal things that any couple does. So we definitely want to be recognised in the same way,” Small told SX.

“We’re just two guys who want to spend the rest of our lives together.”

Marriage and civil unions between same-sex partners are currently illegal in Australia.

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