Houston LGBT Pride Celebration 2016

2016 marks 38 years of the Houston LGBT Pride Celebration. It will again be in Downtown Houston. This event is free and open to the public to attend/watch and open to the public (no age limit). No tickets are necessary except for the VIP area.

The Houston Pride Festival takes place 12-7 p.m. Cross Streets: McKinney St. and Smith St.

This Houston Pride Parade takes place 8:30-11 p.m. It begins at Lamar St. and goes up/north on Smith St. until Walker St. where it will make a right until Milam St. then make a left and continue until Jefferson St. 

A rainbow flag bearing the names of the 49 victims at Pulse Nightclub will be marched through the streets of Downtown Houston during the Houston Pride Parade on Saturday. The Honorary Grand Marshal is Imran Yousuf. Imran is a veteran and a bouncer at Pulse Nightclub. Through his actions on that fateful night, dozens of lives were saved. Guests have a chance to meet Yousuf on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. He will be on the Barefoot Wine & Bubbly Stage in front of City Hall. After the parade, guests are invited to find the flag at the Houston Pride Festival and sign their names. Signatures represent a show of solidarity, strength, hope and love to those affected by the tragedy.

Houston Pride will provide 1000 glow sticks to attendees near the Bud Light stage at Smith and McKinney. Guests are also encouraged to bring their own flashlights or glow sticks. Frankie Quijano, organizer of the Houston Pride Festival, says this regarding the significance of the lights: