Features

About the Pride Festival

GLBT Health and Wellness Pavilion and the Legal Advice Tent are cornerstones silvermanof the 2009 Pride Festival.

Walgreens Health & Wellness Pavilion
Stonewall Law Association Legal Advice Tent
Festival Facts: Festival Date & Hours, Location & Directions, Street Closures
Entertainment
Family Retreat
Festival Latino
Gender Block
Community Street
Kids’ Zone
Rules & Guidelines
Transportation
Parade Viewing TIPS and ADVICE


Walgreens Health & Wellness Pavilion

Pride Houston is teaming up with Walgreens to present the GLBT Health and Wellness Pavilion at the Pride Festival on June 27, 2009, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., located on Yoakum Street, just south of Westheimer.

Admission to the festival is free, and the pavilion is planned to be the largest health event in Houston for the LGBT community, offering personal consultations, an open forum discussing many issues facing the community today, health screenings, and other health-related topics such as nutritional and mental health. In partnership with Legacy Community Health Services, participants get information on funding for preventative care, and can schedule appointments for more in-depth attention.

Other healthcare providers exhibiting in the Walgreens Health & Wellness Pavilion are the Montrose Counseling Center, the City of Houston Department of Health, and the Houston Buyer’s Club.

Stonewall Law Association Legal Advice Tent

In partnership with the Stonewall Law Association of Greater Houston, Pride Houston features the Stonewall Law Association Legal Advice Tent during the GLBT Festival on June 27, 2009, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., located just south of Westheimer on Yoakum Street.

Admission is free, and this tent is intended to give legal advice to members of the LGBT community featuring private, one-on-one consultations with top attorneys and judges from the Greater Houston area on specific topics, including probate l aw, rights in the workforce, and family law.

Festival Facts

The following list includes a quick answer to the most common questions people have regarding the Pride Festival.

• Admission is FREE, courtesy of our generous sponsors (sponsors page on 101).
• Easy access parking available throughout nearby neighborhood streets. Please avoid parking in private lots, such as the Hollywood Video and Radio Shack parking lots, as your vehicle may be towed.
• ATMs available onsite.
• Bicycle racks available at entrance located at Westheimer and Commonwealth.
• Music schedules available at participating bars, the Pride office, or at information booths throughout the festival.
• Festival food and beverage exhibitors accept cash only.
• Lost Children and the Festival Lost and Found is located along Mt. Vernon, next to Copy.com.

Festival Date & Hours

The 2009 Houston Pride Festival will be held on Saturday, June 27, 2009. Festivities begin at 11 a.m. and end at 7 p.m. in preparation for the night parade.

Location & Directions

The Pride Houston Festival is located in the Montrose neighborhood south of Westheimer along the streets of Commonwealth and Yoakum.

Directions:

From: Northeast: Highway 59 South. Take the exit onto Interstate 10 West. Take the left lane exit onto Interstate 45 South. Take the left lane exit onto Allen Parkway. Take the Waugh exit, turning left onto Waugh. Waugh becomes Commonwealth. Continue on Commonwealth until you reach Westheimer.

From North/Northwest: Interstate 45 South. Take the left lane exit onto Allen Parkway. Take the Waugh exit, turning left onto Waugh. Waugh becomes Commonwealth. Continue on Commonwealth until you reach Westheimer.

From South/Southeast: Interstate 45 North. Take the left lane exit onto Allen Parkway. Take the Waugh exit, turning left onto Waugh. Waugh becomes Commonwealth. Continue on Commonwealth until you reach Westheimer.

From Southwest: Highway 59 North. Take the left lane exit TX 527 Spur. Turn left onto Elgin. Elgin becomes Westheimer. From West: Interstate 10 East. Take the Studemont exit. Turn right onto Studemont. Studemont becomes Montrose Blvd. Take Montrose Blvd. to Westheimer.

From East: Interstate 10 West. Take the Heights Blvd./Yale St. exit. Turn left at Heights Blvd. Heights Blvd. becomes Waugh. Waugh becomes Commonwealth. Continue on Commonwealth to Westheimer.

Street Closures

The following streets are closed from Friday, June 26, at 7 p.m., until Sunday, June 28, at 3 a.m. Yoakum Blvd., between Westheimer and Hawthorne; Lovett Blvd., between Graustark and Montrose; Commonwealth Blvd., between Westheimer and Lovett; Mt. Vernon, between Westheimer and Lovett; California between Waughcrest and Commonwealth.

Entertainment

Pride Houston is honored to spotlight LGBT and straight supporting performers for the 2009 Pride Festival. We are celebrating diversity in music and feature hundreds of local, regional, and national performers in genres including everything from alternative, country, R&B, and reggae to blues, zydeco, rock, pop, Latin, and others. Past performers included Neimisis, Josh Duffy, Kimberly Caldwell, and Taylor Dayne.

The schedule and selection of performers will be presented at a later date as the Festival draws closer.

The 2009 festivities provide exciting and affordable entertainment for all ages and musical tastes, plus a variety of food and market space.

The festival grounds are divided into cultural areas with a variety of events happening in each area:

Family Retreat: The Family Retreat is the only alcohol-free space, and is situated along the parade route and reaching into the festival. LGBT family oriented exhibitors and family friendly music from local musicians. Food and beverage stands provided.

Festival Latino: Festival Latino, located in the heart of the festival, features performances by local Latin music talent and promotes LGBT Latin exhibitors. Latin rock, salsa, pop, and traditional music are just a few of the diverse sounds featured on the Latin Stage. Traditional Latin cuisine is showcased to satisfy any appetite.

Gender Block: Aimed at serving the transgender community of Houston, the Gender Block displays prominent information on transgender issues. In addition, this section features transgender friendly and sponsored exhibitors, as well as performances by those of the community on the Transgender Stage.

Community Street: Everyone is welcome on Community Street. Home of the Main Stage and Houston’s most LGBT supportive exhibitors, Community Street houses the Oasis, an expansive food court, crafts, and more.

Kids’ Zone: The Kids’ Zone allows kids to b e kids, featuring a giant rock wall, inflatable bouncers, face painting, food and beverages geared toward children of all ages. Special activities, games, balloons, and fun!

artSpace: LGBT and supportive artists display their works of art to the community at the LGBT artSpace. Exhibitors showcase handmade crafts, artwork, and sculptures.

Rules & Guidelines

In the interest of public safety, please refrain from bringing the following items into the festival grounds:

• Alcohol and other beverages
• Food
• Coolers
• In-line skates
• Laser pointers
• Radios
• Skateboards
• Fireworks
• Weapons
• Audio recording devices for recording of any live performance
• Professional camera equipment
• Video recording equipment
• Pets (we love animals, but please respect the general public in keeping the festival animal free)

Transportation

Pride recommends taking Metro to get to and from the festival. Bus stops are conveniently located along Westheimer for quick access. Please call 713/635-4000 or visit Ridemetro.org for information on routes, schedules, and all of Metro services.

Parade Viewing TIPS and ADVICE

1. Make sure you arrive early, especially if you want a good view of the parade. The crowd starts to form as early as 10 a.m., and becomes more crowded as parade time nears. Visit the Pride Festival throughout the day for snacks and beverages.

2. Pride Houston advises people to leave folding chairs at home. They become cumbersome when the crowds start filling up the sidewalk.

3. We all love animals, but it’s always a good idea to leave these loved ones at home.

4. Children love beads (well, some grownups do, too), so please be cautious of children throughout the day as exhibitors pass these out. When parade time comes, make sure they stay off the street and away from floats. Try the Family Retreat area, it’s great for kids (and free from all alcohol).

5. Don’t forget to dress for the warm weather, and wear plenty of sunscreen. It can become pretty warm after a couple of hours outside in June (okay, after a couple of seconds).

6. June in Houston means two things: heat and rain. The Pride Oasis, as well as food vendors serving beverages, will keep you cool and hydrated. Don’t forget to bring an umbrella.

Comments

Leave a Review or Comment

Back to top button