The fourth iteration of the Sydney parade, in 1981, was held in February instead of June. In the southern hemisphere, February is a summer month and June a winter month, making the parade a summer celebration. It also meant disconnecting the parade from its original roots which connected it to Stonewall and aligning with the world's larger Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro. Ironically, in 1981 the weather was so rainy that the event had to be postponed.
