Thousands of spectators have descended on Sydney for this year's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade.

There were about 150 floats spanning five kilometres in the parade on Saturday night, with themes covering a range of topics including anti-homophobia in sport and marriage equality.

The event is in its 37th year with more than 10,000 people - and half a tonne of glitter - involved in this year's parade.

Several high profile athletes, including former Olympians and football players, took part in the parade.

The first three floats in this year's parade centred on the success of elite gay athletes, the commitment by Australian sporting organisations to a more diverse and inclusive sporting environment, and the success of the Sydney Convicts, who last year won the Bingham Cup - the world cup of gay rugby.

"This fight against discrimination in sport is part of the great civil rights struggle that Sydney's Mardi Gras has led in Australia for 37 years," Ignatius Jones, Mardi Gras' senior parade creative consultant, said.

"As long as even one gay or lesbian kid is afraid to play sport, one of Australia's defining activities, for fear of being denounced, Mardi Gras has a purpose."

This year's parade also saw the largest number of Defence Force members ever to take part in the event.

The ADF officer in charge of the parade, Squadron Leader Vince Chong, said the growing participation showed that Defence culture was changing for the better.

Parade chief Michael Rolik said while the recognition of equality for the gay community had greatly improved, there were still many prejudices prevalent in society.

"There are a lot of battles. We're one law reform short from equality - for marriage equality," he said.

"But that doesn't mean that attitudes are in sync with equality and diversity and I think our biggest challenge is really shaping attitudes, homophobia in schools, and the whole coming out process for vulnerable people ... they're the issues."

Assistant Commissioner Alan Clarke said police were pleased with the behaviour of the crowd.

"We had an extremely busy night, but overall a very successful night," he said.

"We made around 30 arrests and they were for a range of offences, but there was no seriously violent issues."

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