Hero Parade facts for kids

The Hero Parade was a big celebration that happened almost every year in the 1990s. It was a parade for gay and lesbian people through the streets of Auckland, New Zealand. The last Hero Parade took place in 2001.

This parade was the main event of the Hero Festival in Auckland. The Hero Festival still happens today. The Hero Parade and Festival usually took place in February. This was often a week or two before the famous Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Australia.

What Was the Hero Parade?

The Hero Parade was a very popular event. Many people came to watch it each year. From 1992 to 2001, over 100,000 people attended annually. At its most popular, as many as 200,000 people came to see the parade.

Making a Difference

The Hero Parade helped to improve LGBT rights in New Zealand. It brought attention to the gay and lesbian community. This helped people understand and support equal rights.

Political Support

In 1999, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jenny Shipley, announced she would attend the parade. This was a big moment. The leader of the main opposing political party, Helen Clark, had already attended the parade several times. She thought the government should have supported it sooner. The Hero Parade got a lot of attention because of this. The parades in 1999 and 2001 were bigger than ever before.

Challenges and Changes

Even with many people supporting it, the Hero Parade always struggled to find enough money.

Financial Struggles

In 1998, a city group in Auckland decided not to give money to the parade. Someone complained to the New Zealand Human Rights Commission about this. They said it was unfair treatment. The Commission looked into it but did not find proof of unfair treatment.

The parade faced constant money problems. The 2000 parade was cancelled because there wasn't enough organized financial support. The 2001 parade, which everyone had high hopes for, also lost a lot of money. The group that organized the Hero Parade, called the Hero Trust Board, could not continue after that.

City Council Support

By 2001, the Auckland City Council was ready to support the parade. They did provide help for the final event.

The Parade Returns!

In 2013, the Hero Festival returned after 12 years. It came back as the Auckland Pride Festival. The Auckland Pride Festival once again included a parade. This parade took place along Ponsonby Road during the day. There was also a large closing party in Victoria Park, which had been updated.