pride houston 2022

Show your pride with these 12 vibrant Houston events, from parades to parties

The fun lasts all month.

Photo by F. Carter Smith

June means Pride is in full swing, meaning month-long celebrations, parties, activities, and more. Look for music, fashion shows, hot parties, art exhibits, an annual run, the annual parade, and even a hangover "cure" for the day after the city's official celebration (often much-needed).

Here's a quick roundup of some fierce and fab events to celebrate with pride.

Wednesday, June 15

The Moody Center for the Arts will have a special performance from the Pride Chorus Houston, bookended by happy hour tunes from DJ GNDRBNDR. From Elton John to Lady Gaga, the Pride Chorus Houston's song selections will highlight queer artists and Pride anthems old and new. 5 pm.

Thursday, June 16

Walking Stick Brewing Company, known as "a Texas brewery with Rocky Mountain roots," will be throwing a Pride night in their establishment. There will be a vendor market, music from DJ Raqqcity, food from Fusion Confusion Food Truck, a photo booth with props and — we love this— free Mom hugs. 6 pm.

AvantGarden will host the official Grand Marshal reception for the Houston LGBT+ Pride Celebration Festival and Parade. Each year, the Grand Marshals perform ceremonial duties, lead the parade and serve as Pride ambassadors year-round, advancing the causes they hold dear. 7 pm.

Saturday, June 18

Houston Eagle will be having its annual Pride Bike Ride Bike Parade. Come and support the LGBTQ community by going on a social bike ride around the Montrose neighborhood. All methods of non-motorized vehicles are welcome to join. We're talking bikes, roller blades, skates, skate boards, etc. 2 pm.

Hardy & Nance Studios will have a Pride Art Show, featuring artists who created pieces of art as a positive form of expression against discrimination & violence. The pieces will also promote dignity and equality within the community, and celebrate social change through art. 5 pm.

Thursday, June 23

RISE Rooftop will host the annual Rock the Runway 2022 fashion show. Some of the hottest models in Houston will be walking the catwalk in this summer’s latest styles in casual wear, ladies' evening wear, and more. 6 pm.

Friday, June 24

GreenStreet will have a Pride Market, supporting local LGBTQ artists and vendors. Come out, support the Houston LGBTQ community, and even enjoy a yoga session on the green. 5 pm.

Discovery Green will present Rainbow on the Green, its annual, citywide LGBTQ celebration with electrifying entertainment. This year, the event will honor the courageous families who have spoken out against legislation meant to deny medical treatment to transgender children. 7 pm.

Saturday, June 25

The Pride Run will be going down for all the fitness-friendly folk. Houston's inclusive synchronized 5k/10k walk and run is dedicated to bringing people together, having fun, being active, and supporting the diverse community. 7 am.

The 44th Annual Official Houston LGBT+ Pride Celebration will take place downtown at Houston City Hall. This is Houston's premiere event of the Pride season, featuring outdoor concerts, various entertainment, DJs, and a Family Fun Zone, as well as exhibition and vendor booths. Noon.

Star Sailor HTX will have a day-long Pride extravaganza, benefitting the Montrose Center. Snag Records, Team Jemini, TX Brew Hopper, Backseat Love and Constellation Coffee will be some of the vendors on hand. Mermaid Mystik Leah will also be around to sink in the dunk tank. Noon.

Sunday, June 26

Buddy's Houston will have a Pride Survivor Party, a hangover cure for the previous day's Pride Celebration. DJ Easton will be spinning the music, while drink specials will be served. 4 pm.

festivals charity event-planner nightlife

Movie Review

Daniel Craig shines in Queer, an unapologetic tale of love and loss

Photo courtesy of A24

Drew Starkey and Daniel Craig in Queer.

As recently as the late 2010s, if a movie was made about an LGBTQ+ character, it was more than likely about their coming out experience. Romance, if it existed, was typically chaste, and actual sex was almost completely out of the question. Things have changed dramatically in the 2020s, to the point that a major movie star has no issue starring in a film called Queer.

Based on the 1985 novella by William S. Burroughs, the film features William Lee (Daniel Craig), whom everyone calls just Lee, a writer living in 1950s-era Mexico City who spends most of his time haunting local bars with friends like fellow writer Joe Guidry (Jason Schwartzman) and hitting on younger men. His early interactions in the film seem to indicate that Lee has a bad reputation within the local gay community, as multiple people avoid him or give him odd looks.

Lee senses an opportunity when he encounters a newcomer, Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey). Despite some awkward interactions, the two of them start spending time together, although Lee has much more invested in the relationship than Eugene does. Their hit-and-miss bond continues until Lee, who’s starting to get into drugs in addition to the booze, convinces Eugene to accompany him on a trip to South America.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Justin Kuritzkes (making their second straight film together after Challengers), early on the film seems to be mostly about the divide between an older person who’s grown comfortable in his ways and a younger person who’s living a relatively carefree life. The introduction of drugs into the plot changes things, though, with Lee searching out more ways to open his eyes to what the world has to offer.

Guadagnino and his team use some interesting visual storytelling techniques to introduce ideas that may not be present in the actual script. The most successful, demonstrated in multiple scenes, is the superimposition of movements by Lee over what’s actually taking place in the scene. The subtle overlay gives the audience insight into Lee’s true feelings, showing what he can’t or won’t say out loud.

Music also plays a big part in how the plot is perceived, with the use of anachronistic songs from Nirvana and Prince serving to heighten certain moments. The score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is not as in-your-face as the one they did for Challengers, but it complements the film well, especially when the plot starts to get trippy in its final half hour.

Craig, who appears sweaty and disheveled for much of the film, is about as far from the suaveness of James Bond as you can get in this role. He takes multiple risks with his performance and almost all of them pay off. Starkey’s character is subdued by comparison, but still comes off well. Schwartzman and Lesley Manville are given showy roles, with both using altered appearances that make them nearly unrecognizable to deliver memorable performances.

Queer is not as accessible as Challengers was storytelling-wise, but the fact that it tells a story about gay men living their lives as they see fit with no interference or questions shows how far the film world has come in a short period of time. It also continues Guadagnino’s streak of making audacious films in a way that few other filmmakers are willing or able to approach.

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Queer is now playing in theaters.

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pride houston 2022

Show your pride with these 12 vibrant Houston events, from parades to parties

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Movie Review

Daniel Craig shines in Queer, an unapologetic tale of love and loss

CultureMap Emails Are Awesome
Get Houston intel delivered daily.