Mardi Gras to shine as rain clears HEAVY rain has cleared just in time as thousands of people gather to celebrate Sydney's Mardi Gras, the Australian gay and lesbian community's night of nights. Feathers, wigs and ponchos are the most common accessories on Oxford Street. Spanish tourists Mark and Agnela began lining up early on Saturday afternoon to grab a spot and say they're shocked by the turnout. "We have similar parades in Barcelona but they're quite new and not this big," Mark told AAP. He said it was nice to see gay people celebrated and accepted in the event. Being gay is not something that is unusual any more. Things have changed for the good. Around 10,000 performers are taking part in the event which celebrates the parade's 35th anniversary. A key feature of this year's "Generations of Love" theme will be the participation of people who took part in Sydney's first Mardi Gras in 1978. The float would be surrounded by young protesters carrying parade "season posters" from 1978 up to 2013. The two key "1978ers" participating in the parade would be media personality Julie McCrossin and the "godfather of Mardi Gras," Ron Austin. Every major political party has entered a float this year and for the first time, the armed forces will be marching in uniform in the parade. A number of "Bob Katters" will also take part in the parade, organisers have revealed, with performers dressing up like the maverick Queensland MP. A record 110 floats are expected to roll down Oxford Street in the harbour city's second biggest night after New Year's Eve.