Out on the town: Where to celebrate Pride Month in San Antonio
San Antonio is set to be filled with events celebrating Pride Month this June, bringing drag shows, parades, philanthropy, themed markets and more to the city. While Pride celebrations began nationwide in 1970 following the Stonewall Riots of 1969, San Antonio’s Pride celebrations kicked off in 1982 at the Bonham Exchange, and the first large Pride parade in San Antonio sashayed through the city in 1998. This year, San Antonio’s LGBTQIA community offers an array of events hearkening back to Pride’s roots, while looking forward to a bright future.
Pride River parades
June 1 kicks off a month of festivities, and the River Walk will be abuzz all evening long with celebrations. From 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., impersonators, dancers and other performers will take the stage at La Villita’s Ameson River Theater. Starting at 7 p.m., the Pride River Parade will make its way through, with more than 17 barges. The parade will have two showings — the Museum Reach route will take place at 6 p.m. and the downtown route at 9 p.m. Whichever way you choose to view it, it’s free to enjoy from any spot you can find along the routes.
Queer Voices Pachanga
The sixth annual Queer Voices Pachanga will feature a clothing swap and market, followed by live drag and burlesque, music, poetry readings and more. The event will run from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on June 1 at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center and is free to attend. The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center is a space that fosters cross-cultural collaboration and understanding through the arts, providing a haven for the LGBTQIA community and for other marginalized groups. To that end, the clothing swap will allow those in the LGBTQIA community to find gender-affirming clothing in an accepting environment, while performers showcase their talents.
Drag Me to the Hall
On June 1, the Mission Reach stretch of the River Walk Pride River Parade stops at San Antonio’s newest music venue, Stable Hall, for an after-party. Trinity K. Bonet, a contestant on season six of “Ru Paul’s Drag Race,” is the main attraction, but this queen is joined by multiple performers and a live DJ. Tickets start at $49, and doors open at 8 p.m.
Pride & Pop Stars candle making
From June 1 through 15 at Mission Crafts Chandlery, crafty folks can celebrate LGBTQIA musical icons and support the community at the same time. Choose a pop icon to decorate a candle jar, then add colorful dyes, glitter and accessories for some extra sparkle. A percentage of proceeds will be donated to the THRIVE Youth Center, a nonprofit that serves the homeless LGBTQIA community in San Antonio.
PRIDE Pageant
Only the best kings and queens get crowned, but the Bonham Exchange is hosting any and all levels of drag performers — amateur and professional alike — on June 8 for the 2024 PRIDE Pageant. Performances start at 7:30 p.m., with special guests Paige Taylor and MC Alayna Marquez, and at the end of the night, Mister and Miss and Mr. and Ms., San Antonio Pride will be chosen.
Pride Night at Culture Commons Gallery
While the word “drag” usually brings an image of queens to mind, drag kings are not to be forgotten. On June 13, Latine drag kings Sir Gio and Gacho Marx of drag troupe Los Mentirosos will perform from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Culture Commons Gallery. Drag queen Jazmine Diamond Fillups rounds out this royal court. Also on the show bill are readings by LGBTQIA poets and a printmaking workshop with artist Ernesto Olivio. The event, which is free to the public, centers around the theme “Resilient and Responsive: Artists and the Environment,” an exhibition on display at the gallery until January.
Out at the Tobin Pride Brunch
Prepare to witness the fiercest drag show in town on June 15 at the Tobin Center as Ra’Jah O’Hara, a two-time “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” contestant, headlines in the H-E-B Performance Hall. The brunch is hosted by Kristi Waters, the city’s voted best drag performer since 2020, and the self-proclaimed “most expensive water in San Antonio.” Don’t drag your feet — the show begins at 10:30 a.m. and tickets start at $35. This brunch is a catwalk with a cause, as a portion of all ticket sales benefits the THRIVE Youth Center.
Six Flags Fiesta Texas Pride after-hours splash
On June 15 and 22, Six Flags Fiesta Texas is keeping the park open late to celebrate Pride. Featuring live music, dance areas and specialty food and drinks, Hurricane Harbor is open exclusively for Pride night from 7 p.m. to midnight. Combo tickets for either weekend are $39.99 and include admission to Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Hurricane Harbor. The waterpark-only tickets for either weekend are $19.99.
San Antonio Pride Fest and Pride Bigger Than Texas
They say everything is bigger in Texas, and this Pride celebration is bigger still. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 29 in Crockett Park, the official Pride festival of San Antonio rages on. The festival features food, performers such as Liz Garcia, Cuban Diva and Trinere, a drag queen high-heel race and more. Tickets are $12 online and $15 at the gates, and those under 11 years old enter for free. Following the festival, the official Pride parade of San Antonio kicks off at 9 p.m. The parade runs from Dewey Place to Maple Street downtown, and is free to view along the route — a colorful conclusion to the month.