Ah, Uber. They’re pretty much that boo that we can’t quite quit. Honestly, the longest relo I’ve probably had is with the bloke that delivers the char kway teow that I Uber Eats every night. It’s beautiful, really.
But this time, they’ve really upped the game. This Mardi Gras, Uber is slinging a free hop-on, hop-off PARTY bus to take you from A to B — and the bloody Vengaboys are going to be making an appearance.
You can almost hear the collective cries of millennials around the world, cultishly chanting “We like to party! We like to party!”
The Uber Pride Ride is a big bendy party bus that’ll cart you and your mates back and forth between your debaucherous Mardi Gras events. It’ll be running on all the weekends of Mardi Gras, from February 17th to March 5th.
So whether you’ve got a boozy brunch with bottomless mimosas (aka heaven) or are planning to get sweaty on the d-floor, keep your pennies in your pocket bc this bitch is FREEEEE!
The first Uber Pride Ride trip kicks off on Thursday 16th February with the goddamn Vengaboys (my millennial heart is screaming). Yes, the song is 25 years old (and no, I’m not that old) and we’re finally gonna be able to ride a Vengabus, boys.
But they’re not the only people making an appearance. Each ride is set to be an event in itself.
Each night, you can expect a special guest on board who’s fangin’ for a party, including some good ol’ fashioned drag bingo and some classic bus karaoke. I, for one, cannot WAIT to lean into my new obnoxious bus self.
Some of the bus’ guests include RuPaul’s Drag Race: Down Under alumni, Jojo Zaho (robbed!!!), Karen from Finance, Etcetera Etcetera, Coco Jumbo, and Maxi Shield. Other Sydney drag royalty will also be joining in on the fun, including Felicia Foxx and Carla from Bankstown.
Another session will host educational talks from Black Rainbow, who advocate for the voices of First Nations LGBQTIA+ young people. How good.
The bus will be making its rounds in Sydney CBD from 6:30pm — 10:00pm each weekend and will perform a loop-de-loop around Town Hall, Darling Harbour, Central, Surry Hills, Paddington, and Kings Cross. You can check out the full route here.
As if that wasn’t gorg enough, Uber are also kindly covering the cost of Uber Pool trips to the Mardi Gras festy on the weekend of the 24th to 26th of February up to $100. $100!!!! You’ll need to share the car with a stranger, but maybe they’ll be a really hot stranger and you’ll fall in love and spend the rest of the night boning. In which case, I want an invite to the wedding.
It comes as people have called for the NSW government to make public transport free for WorldPride and other major public holidays, especially given that they waived public transport fees last year to encourage people to return back to their brick hellscapes (offices).
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, new research from Business NSW has revealed that the 12-day fare-free period back in April 2022 resulted in a spike in consumer spending, prompting people to question why public transport in the CBD isn’t free, or at the very least, free for major events.
Sydney looks on at the utopic Melbourne — where trams in the CBD are free and everyone is happy — and sheds one single tear.
Until then, our boos Uber have got us. Live it up girls, gays and theys!
