Downtown Houston is set for a double dose of Pride celebrations.
Tens of thousands of Houston-area residents are expected to gather Saturday for the inaugural parade and festival held by Houston’s New Faces of Pride, an upstart nonprofit organization that advocates for the LGBTQ+ community. A similar festival and parade hosted by Pride Houston 365, a longstanding local group that has been holding its Pride events for decades, is scheduled for the following Saturday, June 29.
Will the former event draw prospective attendees away from the latter? Could it be considered a preview or opening act? Perhaps it will merely mark the start of a weeklong celebration for LGBTQ+ residents and their allies.
“The beauty of Pride festivities in Houston is that they’re primarily very well-attended,” said Susan Christian, the director of the Mayor’s Office of Special Events. “I’m doubtful that it will be as large as the one that’s been going on for decades, but more than likely it’ll have a good showing of spectators. The people of Houston love outdoor events, and Pride Month has always enjoyed pretty large audiences.
“I’m sure they’ll both be fabulous,” Christian added.
MORE: Discussion of this story on Houston Matters
It remains to be seen whether being first on the schedule will prove advantageous, according to Andrea Simonton, the communications director of Houston’s New Faces of Pride. But she said the organization is glad to be first up and is “very excited” about its slate of events this weekend.
Pride Houston president Kendra Walker did not respond to messages seeking comment Thursday about the events being held by New Faces of Pride, which tweaked its name last fall after being sued by Pride Houston for trademark infringement.
New Faces of Pride is hosting a “Houston Sapphic Pride” event at 7 p.m. Friday at Pearl Bar, along with the annual fundraising Pride brunch at 11 a.m. Sunday at The Heights Social. There also are two parade after-parties planned for Saturday night, from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. at POST Houston and from 10 p.m.-4 a.m. at Rich’s Houston.
Houston’s New Faces of Pride via Facebook
The organization’s first Pride festival is scheduled from noon-6 p.m. Saturday outside Houston City Hall and will feature LGBTQ+ musicians Billy Gilman, Chris Housman and Lauren Sanderson as entertainment headliners, along with an indoor VIP area. The downtown parade will follow from 7:30-10 p.m. and will include about 60 participating groups, according to Christian.
Simonton, who did not provide estimates on how many are expected to attend the festival and parade, said Thursday that New Faces of Pride had nearly sold out its festival vendor spaces and will have about 150 of them. The parade is free to attend, general admission tickets for the preceding festival are $3, and VIP experiences are $150 for either the parade or festival or $250 for both.
Proceeds from the events will benefit Montrose-area charities Grace Place and Tony’s Place, which support LGBTQ+ youth.
Simonton thanked the city as well as its police and fire departments for helping to coordinate the festival and parade. She also said New Faces of Pride has benefitted from the planning expertise of event directors Monte Bachus and Dustin Sheffield, who previously helped organize the annual events held by Pride Houston.
“It’s coming together and we couldn’t be happier,” Simonton said. “Party smart, be inclusive and respectful, and come out and celebrate Pride.”
Simonton said New Faces of Pride has had to provide clarification to community members about the back-to-back parades and festivals and which organizations are hosting which. Mayor John Whitmire and some city council members said earlier this year it would be preferable, and less taxing on the city and its resources if the competing nonprofits could work together and hold joint festivals and parades.
Christian echoed that sentiment Thursday while noting that attendance at Houston’s Pride parades and festivals in prior years has averaged about 75,000.
Simonton said the possibility of collaborating could be addressed after this year’s round of Pride parades and festivals, adding that such a dialogue has not yet taken place between Pride Houston and New Faces of Pride. Christian said she also has not yet discussed that prospect with either group.
“We would love for everyone to be in unison,” Christian said. “That would be the best thing for Houston.”
