Mr Gay World joins winter party

The LGBTI community has spoken: Queenstown is out-gaygeous.

Even tractor drivers are tooting support for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual and Intersex community, which has spent the week in Queenstown partying for the Winter Pride 2018 festival.

Mr Gay World and 2016 My Kitchen Rules star Jordan Bruno was one of the 2000 people taking part in the largest winter pride event in the southern hemisphere, which comes to an end after eight days on Sunday.

Bruno said it was his third time at Winter Pride and it was one of his favourite weeks of the year.

‘‘The sense of inclusion in this town is absolutely amazing,’’ he said. "You get to see people living with pride, living visible in a diverse life which is what it is all about and what I represent so I love being here.’’

A new world had opened up for the Perth chef after competing in Australia’s MKR television show and ‘‘giving back’’, he said.

‘‘Pre-MKR I was working in finance and I was quite miserable. I have always had a passion for food and . . . now I do private dinners, cooking classes and LGTBI cooking classes as well for troubled youth. I have been very privileged and now it is my time to give back.’’

Winter Pride festival director Martin King said the week had been unbelievable. ‘‘The Festival in the Park has captured the essence of what pride was all about . . . celebration, love . . . Queenstown should be super proud to host such an epic pride event.’’

About 2000 travelled to the resort town for the eight-day, seven-night festival that had more than 60 events during the week.

Festival stars Kola Gin, of Auckland, and Nova Star, of Wellington, were also impressed with the local support.

‘‘Queenstown is amazing as it is but when you put something like Winter Pride into Queenstown it becomes out-gay-geous ... Everyone seems to be quite supportive. We were walking from the QT Museum Hotel down to this wonderful extravaganza down here on the waterfront and we got tooted by a tractor.’’