FAQs

Who organises Big Gay Out?

Burnett Foundation Aotearoa took over the organisation of Big Gay Out in 2003 and have been putting on the event ever since.

Burnett Foundation Aotearoa is a charity organisation dedicated to ending HIV transmission, building a world where people living with HIV can thrive, and providing great sexual health for all rainbow & takatāpui communities.

​Why does Burnett Foundation Aotearoa organise Big Gay Out?

Big Gay Out provides a space for the communities we serve to come together and express and celebrate our authentic selves, as well as connect with services and organisations working for us.

It's also an annual opportunity to advocate for the progress we need to ensure Aotearoa is a safe and supportive place for our communities.

Who is Big Gay Out for?

Big Gay Out is an event for the rainbow communities of Aotearoa and our allies.

That includes people who identify as lesbian, gay, bi or pansexual, transgender, intersex and asexual, as well as takatāpui, irawhiti, MVPFAFF+, nonbinary, and a wide range of other queer identities.

While we welcome our allies with open arms, please note that our first priority is to ensure Big Gay Out remains a safe space for our community members.

What is an ally?

An ally is anyone who doesn't identify as a member of our communities, but is active in supporting us.

Allies keep themselves informed of the issues facing our communities, and use their voices to advocate for policies that protect our rights to live safe and fulfilling lives.

Allies enjoy certain privileges not afforded to members of our communities. They can use this privilege not to speak over our own voices, but to advocate for us in the spaces where we can't otherwise be heard.

Who pays for Big Gay Out?

Burnett Foundation Aotearoa doesn't receive funding to organise Big Gay Out, but we aim to keep the event free to attend by partnering with organisations and granting bodies for funding.

This gets harder every year as costs continue to rise, so you can help us keep it free by making a donation. You can donate online, or via one of our friendly volunteers at the event.

How do I get there?

Our Big Gay Buses are the best way to get to the event. Buses run approximately every 20 minutes from Britomart & Karangahape Road from 11:30am to 3:20pm. Check out our Big Gay Buses page for all the info and to book your tickets.

There are also public buses to Point Chevalier available from Auckland Transport, if you don't mind a short walk to the park.

Cycling is another great way to get to Big Gay Out while reducing the event's carbon footprint. We have large cycle bays at the entrance of Coyle Park to park your bike for the day.

If you absolutely have to drive, please arrange to carpool with friends, and note that parking is extremely limited in the area.

Do I need a ticket to attend?

Nope! Big Gay Out is free to attend and no tickets are required.

If you're intending to travel to the event on our Big Gay Buses then you will need to buy your bus ticket, which you can do here.

What should I bring with me?

We're hoping for fine sunny weather, so please come prepared with a water bottle and appropriate protection from the sun, including sunscreen, hats and sunglasses.

There will be stations at the event to refill water bottles, and sunscreen available to re-apply over the course of the day.

Please bring your EFTPOS card for any purchases, and your ID if you wish to access R18 areas like the Big Gay Dance Party or Big Gay Bar.

What should I wear?

We encourage everyone to express yourself however you want, as long as you're sun-safe and with appropriate footwear.

We're proud to provide a safe space to express your pride in the open, although we do remind attendees that families with young children are welcome to attend Big Gay Out too, so please plan your look with that in mind.

To help with our sustainability mission, we encourage the use of glitter but ONLY if it's biodegradable.

Can I bring my own food and drink?

You certainly can bring your own food and drink with you!

Coyle Park is not a liquor ban area, so you are welcome to bring your own drinks as long as you consume responsibly and are mindful of other attendees. Drinks can also be purchased at the R18 Big Gay Bar next to the mainstage.

Please take care to minimise picnic waste by bringing compostable, reusable or recyclable materials, and for everyone's safety please do not bring glass bottles.

Do I need to bring cash?

We encourage you to bring your EFTPOS card for any purchases. There are no cash-out facilities on site and cash will not be accepted at the Big Gay Bar.

Some of our smaller stallholders may not have EFTPOS facilities, so we encourage bank transfer where necessary.

Does Coyle Park have good mobile coverage?

Unfortunately not. Mobile coverage at Coyle Park can be patchy at best on a normal day, but Big Gay Out attracts over 10,000 people to the area, so it will certainly be slower than you're used to.

Make sure to familiarise yourself with our site map, and make plans to meet your friends & whānau at appropriate meeting spots.

Is there water and shade at the event?

There is some shade under the trees around the park, which you can see indicated on our site map. However, the park is largely exposed to the sun so we do encourage attendees to plan for this.

We do allow people to bring their own sun shades & small marquees from home, although we reserve the right to move any that are obstructive for event staff or other attendees.

We will have water stations and free sunscreen which you can find indicated on the site map or at the event information tent.

What happens if it rains?

Unfortunately we no longer plan back-up days for inclement weather due to the logistical challenges of scheduling our fabulous performers and event suppliers.

We're of course hoping for a lovely sunny February day, but can cope with a bit of wind or light rain too. If there's extreme weather forecast, we will make a call at least 3 days prior to the event, and communicate the cancellation as soon as possible.

Where are the toilets?

Wharepaku are located around the outskirts of the event, with a block of toilets under the trees near the food stalls, and another behind the main stage.

Accessible toilets can be found in the permanent toilet building near the park entrance, as well as behind the main stage.

What facilities are available for people with accessibility needs?

Mobility parking spaces are located right next to the park entrance. These fill up quickly so make sure to come down early to secure a spot.

Wide concrete accessways can get you around the park, and we also keep wide grass accessways free between zones to move freely around the event.

There are four large accessible toilets that fit electric wheelchairs, located in the toilet block at the park entrance as well as behind the mainstage. Please refer to the event site map to find these on the day.

If you have any other questions or accessibility issues on the day, please come to the event information tent at the park entrance, where our friendly volunteers will be happy to help!

Can I bring my pet?

Dogs are quite welcome at Big Gay Out! It gets hot in the sun all day so please bring a water bowl from home, and fill it at the free water stations at the event.

Can I smoke or vape at Big Gay Out?

Big Gay Out is a smoke and vape-free event.

For those wanting to smoke or vape, please leave the park and head down Pt. Chev Road, and please be considerate of our neighbours who welcome Big Gay Out into their community.

Where is the after party?

While there is no official Big Gay Out pre- or after-party organised by Burnett Foundation Aotearoa, there are plenty of events happening around Tāmaki Makaurau for our communities on the same weekend.

Our friends at Auckland Pride have a full schedule of event programming available on their website if you want to keep the party going!

Can I hand out flyers at Big Gay Out?

We try to avoid too many handouts at the event for sustainability reasons, so where possible if you can direct people to a QR code or website that's our preference.

If you must hand out flyers, please distribute them only to people who are definitely interested in keeping them.

What is Big Gay Out doing to be more sustainable?

We're on a mission to make Big Gay Out as environmentally sustainable as possible, but it takes all of us to make it happen.

For our part, we require all stallholders to use compostable serviceware and avoid single-use items in any giveaways. We also provide staffed compost, recycling and landfill bins around the park to ensure all waste can be disposed of correctly.

We also ask our attendees to think carefully about what you bring to the park, and what you leave behind (ideally nothing). Please avoid single-use drink bottles, bags & coffee cups by bringing reusables, and please check you're disposing of any waste in the correct bins.

Will there be politicians at Big Gay Out this year?

We're not hosting any politicians on the Big Gay Out mainstage this year, just community members and performers.

Burnett Foundation Aotearoa is navigating a change of leadership this year, and taking the opportunity to review how best to engage politicians at our events, in a way that ensures not just the advancement of our advocacy efforts but also the safety of our community in attendance.

Politicians are more than welcome to attend Big Gay Out, and political parties will be briefed on our advocacy priorities for the event, as well as the key community and health promotion activities on the day. However, this year our stage is just for talent.

We are of course continuing to advocate directly for the issues that impact our communities through our organisation's policy.

Is there a Big Gay Out hashtag for social media?

We'd love to see your photos and videos! Use the hashtag #BGO2025 and tag @burnettaotearoa across all social platforms.

What if I don’t want to be filmed at Big Gay Out?

We have photographers roaming Big Gay Out to capture the magic of the event for sharing with you on social and promoting future events.

If you're not comfortable appearing in this content, please make this known to any photographer or videographer who approaches you on the day.