The sails of the Sydney Opera House will be celebrating an historic first tonight as World Pride opens in the Australian city.

Today marks the opening day of World Pride, the first time the international LGBTQIA+ festival has been ‘downunder’.

Sydney is the first city in the Southern Hemisphere to hold World Pride since it was first held in 2000.

On February 17, from 8.30pm, the Opera House will be illuminated with the Progress Flag to mark the opening night of the festival.

Over the next 17 days, the city is expected to welcome over 500,000 participants. This includes almost 80,000 international and interstate visitors coming to New South Wales.

The Sydney Opera House will light up in Progress Flag colours for the first night of WorldPride. Photo / Philipp Glanz

The rainbow flag has been rolled out across the city, from Bondi Beach to the Royal Botanic Gardens. There is a trail of 45 pride-inspired installations across Sydney, including “progress shark” - a great white wrapped in rainbow colours by the Australian Museum and Luna Park’s Ferris wheel.

In the three-week festival, there is a programme of over 300 free and ticketed events happening across the city.

Aussie pop-royalty Kylie Minogue will be headlining the closing night along with guests Ava Max on February 24. The party will culminate in the city’s annual Mardi Gras parade on February 25.

Celebrating its 45th year the Sydney street party will have more of an international flavour as the centrepiece not only of the Australian Gay calendar but World Pride.

“It is important to take stock and look at how far we have come since the original protest march in 1978″ said Albert Kruger, Chief Executive of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Enjoy a Drag n' Dine night at The Imperial Erskineville in Sydney's inner west. Photo / Sydney Pride

“We have a lot to celebrate, but also much still to be achieved not only in Australia, but for LGBTQIA+ people around the world, so I’m particularly looking forward to attending the Human Rights Conference.”

Sydney WorldPride Chief Executive Kate Wickett said hosting World Pride “will be both a glittering celebration for the global LGBTQIA+ community and a huge opportunity for the city.”

For more information on Sydney’s WorldPride and LGBTQIA+ Nightlife visit: https://sydneyworldpride.com/

Enjoy a Drag n' Dine night at The Imperial Erskineville in Sydney's inner west. Photo / Destination NSW

Sydney’s big, proud LGBT party spots

Darlinghurst and Surry Hills

Oxford Street is home to many gay-centric clubs and bars. At the centre of this is the Stonewall Hotel and Oxford Hotel. The Darlinghurst drag and performances are world famous.

Newtown LGBT Bohemian events

Suburban Newtown is anything but urbane. The colourful King Street is full of rainbow spaces such as the Bank Hotel and Marlborough ‘Marly’ Hotel, which host regular queer acts.

Party like a local

With an influx of tens of thousands of international visitors, World Pride crowd want to get a sense of local culture. Of course the whole event culminates in the Sydney Mardi Gras street party.

There’s plenty happening outside. Try Bear Essentials, Harbour City Bears’ massive pop-up disco held each year for Mardi Gras.