Feather boas at the ready as Bendigo Pride Festival gets underway

"I'm not saying that everything is for everyone, but I'm hoping that everyone can find something that will really excite them," he said.

Mr Richards officially launched this year's festival with a flag raising at the Bendigo Library Gardens on Wednesday, March 13, alongside the City of Greater Bendigo mayor Andrea Metcalf, festival sponsors and drag queen Polly Filla.

Mr Richards said the 40-event program was a "celebration of the breadth of the LGBTQIA experience".

"It's not all dance music, it's not all drag queens... it's interesting that there's a lot to explore and I'm hoping we're opening doors and windows to show different experiences."

Marquee events include the exclusive Australian premier of Musik: The Billie Trix Story featuring original songs by Pet Shop Boys, and a special performance by The Rocky Horror Picture Show star Nell Campbell.

Mr Richards said Bendigo Pride Festival wanted to celebrate 50 years of Rocky Horror.

"That was such an important film for a lot of queer people," he said.

"It's more contemporary now in a way, because it's not a gay or a lesbian film or even a bisexual film, it's very much a queer film, it's very fluid in its sexuality and gender."

Other events included the return of Pride in the Park at Rosalind Park on Saturday, March 16, featuring musicians, drag performances, and the annual dog show.

Polly Filla said she had recently been on a bit of a pride excursion across the country from Mardi Gras in Sydney to Chill Out in Daylesford.

She was excited to celebrate in her hometown.

"I find you get the younger ones who have grown up here finding themselves," she said.

"It's really important for that, for us to have that representation showing that you are not alone in the community."

Polly would be at Pride in the Park, and also present her special event Kitsch in Synch, an entirely lip-synched theatre show.

She said Bendigo Pride was for all queer people, from workers to students and older people who grew up in Bendigo and moved back.

"It's just really bringing the community together and celebrating the fact that we get to just be ourselves," she said.

For the full program of events visit bendigopridefestival.com.au.