News Houston Pride Festival and Parade Guide: Everything you need to know, from parking to planned festivities

[KPRC2]

This ⠀ you need to know about the 44th Annual Houston Pride Festival to be held this weekend in downtown Houston.

What is it? 🏳‍🌈​

The Houston Pride LGBT+ Celebration Festival and Parade is a celebration every year in Montrose or downtown Houston hosted by nonprofit Pride Houston 365 that strives to promote equality and inclusion. The organization plans numerous LGBTQIA+ events all year long to support the community.

When is it? ⌚​

The Official Houston Pride LGBT+ Celebration Festival and Parade downtown at Houston City Hall is on Saturday.

Celebration: 1 p.m.-10 p.m.

• Gates open at 12:00 p.m. (noon)
• Festival hours: 1 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
• Parade hours: 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Where is it? 🗺​

The 44th Annual Official Houston Pride LGBT+ Celebration will take place downtown at Houston City Hall, 901 Bagby Street.

How much is it? 💲​

Festival entry is $5 if purchased ahead of time and $10 if purchased at the gate. The festival, citing the pandemic and inflation, said it plans to use the entrance fees for individuals age 13-59 to pay for expenses and raise funds for scholarships.

General Admission is FREE for children 12 & under and Seniors 60 and older (Free entry does not apply to Main Stage Experience or Celebration VIP.)

The parade is free.

What is this year’s theme? 🌈​

This year’s theme is “Houston: The Beat Goes On.” See the full promotional video for the 44th celebration below.

What are levels of the Pride Festival tickets?🎟​

General Admission - $5.00 plus a $1.90 fee (online pricing ahead of event)

Admission to festival grounds featuring outdoor concerts, various entertainment, DJs, Family Fun Zone as well as exhibition and vendor booths.

Main Stage Experience - $40.00 plus a $3.99 fee (online pricing ahead of event)

Get up close to your favorite festival musical acts at the Main Stage Plaza with stage side viewing. Exclusive entrance to the Festival and exclusive access to the Main Stage Bar.

Celebration VIP - $250.00 plus a $16.59 fee (online pricing ahead of event)

The Ultimate Pride Experience includes:

• Exclusive VIP Entrance to Festival and Parade
• Open Bar in Festival and Parade
• Access to Main Stage Plaza
• Cooling Relaxation Zone in Festival
• Grandstand Parade Viewing
• Cooling VIP Restrooms
• Catered Food
• VIP Swag Bag

Where can I get tickets? 👀​

You can look at all the ticket options here.

What to know about parking?🚗​

There is street parking and downtown Houston parking garage options. See a full map here of those locations. You can also use a car rental service. The parade start is at Smith at Lamar. The festival entrance is at Smith at Walker if you need to let your driver know where to drop you off near those locations.

See the festival map:🗺​

Check out this PDF showing the festival map, including its VIP areas.

See the parade route: 🎉​

Check out this PDF showing the Pride Parade route through downtown Houston.

What events are happening at the festival? 😎​

These are the festival events, including Eden® 2022 | Official Pride Girl+ Party 21+, Pride Run 2022 5k / 10k / 5k Walk and Rich’s at Rise - The Official Houston Pride Afterparty.

Who are the festival performers? 👩‍🎤​

Coi Leray, Cece Peniston, DJ Panda, DJ Uri, DJ Rocabye, Marium Echo and Angelina DM Trailz. Learn more here (pdf).

What to remember at the festival, as shared by the festival organizers: ☀🕶🚰​

• Take care of yourself. Stay hydrated, bring sunscreen, hand sanitizer and wear comfortable clothing/shoes.
• Plan ahead. Purchase your festival tickets now and familiarize yourself with the festival/parade maps. The parade is free for everyone to attend and does not require a ticket.
• Empty, clear bottles will be allowed onto festival and parade grounds to be filled with water.
• No large or oversized bags or weapons. Security will be checking bags before entering the festival. Fanny pack and drawstring size bags are OK.
• Drugs and smoking are completely prohibited.
• Pets will not be allowed to join the festivities.
• Cash will not be accepted for any purchases. Purchases can be made via credit card, Zelle, Venmo, Cash App or Paypal.
• No outside food or drinks allowed.

Are you planning to attend the festival and/or parade? Let us know if you’d like to know anything else and we’ll try to answer your questions and requests to know more in the next update on this article.

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