This year's Bendigo Pride Festival will expand into bigger venues with almost 50 events included in the 2022 program.
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Bendigo Pride Festival launched on Friday afternoon ahead of its first weekend of events on March 19 and 20.
Festival director John Richards said being able to scale up the festival was exciting.
"This is bigger in terms of we have never used Ulumbarra before and never had a party in Rosalind Park," he said. "We are still a volunteer organisation, run by volunteers who want to make everything better."
Mr Richards said COVID was still affecting the festival in minor ways but being able to return after a successful 2021 event was important.
'Everything has been delayed (by COVID) but the festival is great and has a fantastic program," he said.
"This year was meant to be our first big year back and we have a huge amount stuff on. There have just been delays in locking events in."
Mr Richards said everyone was welcome to the festival.
"It is open for all our allies. It's not a siloed off experience, we want allies to come," he said. "We also always wanted to tell our local queer they are welcome in any part of Bendigo.
"We want to celebrate Bendigo and the thing we always say is in defining pride - it is pride of the local queer community and pride of living in Bendigo - Bendigo is a great place full of amazing stuff.
"There has been dark times in Bendigo in terms of LGBTQIA+. Only 10 or 15 years ago people had to leave to be themselves.
"Now we have people moving back and embracing the place they have grown up in because there are positive connections now. (The festival is) helping breaking down the harm and hurt and prejudice."
The Pride Festival program will be held across three weekends from March 19 and 20.
Headlining the festival is the Pride in the Park party at Rosalind Park on March 19, a Racism in the LGBTQIA+ Community Forum and Uncle Jack CHarles in Converation event both at Ulumbarrra.
"There is so much amazing stuff happening. We are making sure no one misses out," Mr Richards said. "Pride in the Park is the first carnival day we have run and the racism in LGBTQIA+ forum and Jack Charles event are looking at the big issues and ideas, which is amazing."
"Bendigo is full of talent. We're doing Transmansplaining again, which is always a sell-out show, and Bent Broadway Bendigo where people from the theatre community performing works normally done by the opposite gender."
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