Since 1978, Pride Houston has organized a week of celebrations for the LGBT community. This year marks the 33rd year of the parade and, according to the website, was the first Pride parade in the United States to be held at night. | Nine Nguyen/The Daily Cougar
The annual Houston Pride parade filled the Montrose streets with celebration this past weekend.
The Montrose area is well-known for its tolerant culture, especially for being a gay and lesbian-friendly neighborhood.
This festivities kicked off Friday and concluded Sunday. Montrose was filled with not only Houstonians, but people from all over Texas.
There were hundreds of exhibitors, multiple concert stages and Montrose-area businesses celebrating with Pride Houston.
It was estimated that over 100,000 people were in attendance.
The Houston Pride parade is the biggest LGBT event in Texas. Hordes of people flocked to the streets of Montrose to celebrate their identity.
It was clear that not everybody there adorned rainbow flags all the time, but rather people letting loose and having a fun-filled weekend.
“What is a party without a little glitter and mayhem,” attendee Nathan Starmbrough said.
Saturday was the much-anticipated parade, as festival patrons waved rainbow flags in pride while they marched and smiled in the streets.
Though it looks like all fun and games, a lot of work went into organizing the Pride festival.
Information on the progress of the parade and affiliated events are easily accessible on a website where patrons can find information on the musicians playing, as well as times of events.
People interested in volunteering to help the parade are encouraged to visit the page.
“This is my second year working on Pride,” volunteer Michelle Kay said.
“I work and live in the area. Though I am not gay I fully support the festivities — who am I to judge?”
Though many share Kay’s view, many do not and choose to stay away from the area over the weekend themselves.
Houston is a city with an incredibly diverse culture — Houston embraces not only differences in racial culture, but gender and sexual orientation as well.
At a small bookstore in the area, many gathered to speak about New York’s recently-passed marriage law and chatted on how they hope the rest of the states are not too far off on allowing gay marriage.
“I don’t understand why people are still afraid of us,” attendee Isreal Pena said.
“We love the same just as everybody else.”
This year marked the 33rd annual Pride parade in Houston.
The LGBT festival has really come a long way over the years, and now has huge community sponsors like 104 KRBE and The Houston Chronicle.
Every year the festival has a theme, and this year’s theme was “Live. Love. Be.”
Not only does the theme sum up the mood of the whole weekend, but it is something that can be carried throughout the rest of the year.
The University of Houston, specifically the LGBT Resource Center and Gamma Rho Lambda, walked in the parade this year! The fact that we have a LGBT Resource Center and LGBT affirming sorority makes me incredibly proud to be a part of this university.