Samantha Endres waves a pride flag while riding on the Salon MINK float in the 2017 SMTX Pride Parade. Daily Record file photos by Denise Cathey
SMTX Pride returns for 5th year
SMTX Pride is celebrating five years of painting the town with color, celebrating acceptance and giving the city’s LGBTQ community an event where they can show their pride.
SMTX Pride was launched in 2014 by local Sylvia Sandoval, but the impetus of the event goes further back than that. In 2010 Sandoval started "Rainbow Night.” It was a night that the San Marcos LGBTQ community could have a social outing at one of the bars around town and feel accepted and have fun – everyone was welcome regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
When Stonewall Warehouse opened in late 2014, Sandoval thought her mission was done – the LQBTQ community had a homebase in town. But she was approached by members of the San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship saying she needed to help bring a Pride event to the city – a first for the San Marcos LGBTQ community. Sandoval had never even attended a LGBTQ Pride event in another city. It was a first for her, but she dove head first into the endeavor.
“I did my research, I learned all I could about it. Then I gathered as much money as I could with fundraisers and I threw that first parade,” Sandoval said. “I was going to be happy if just my friends showed up, but 300 people showed up the first year. I got pretty emotional. It was the best experience I ever had and after that, I had to keep the tradition I had started alive.”
Sandoval became an active participant in other cities’ Pride events and started promoting the San Marcos Pride event at Corpus Christi Pride, San Antonio Pride and anywhere else she could. Austin Pride took Sandoval and SMTX Pride under their wing, and started promoting the event, advising Sandoval, and even donating money, according to Sandoval.
Sister Genie Inna-Tuaca Bottle and Sister Leigh Viticus of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence-Weird City Sisters wave to the throng of parade watchers as they march down S. LBJ Drive.
Sandoval planned the SMTX Pride festivities to occur right after students move back into the city for the fall semester as a welcome home event. But she has also strived to make the event something for families and those that grew up in San Marcos, like herself.
“I moved it to September so it could be like a welcome home party for the new and returning students coming into Texas State, as well as the ones that have left us,” Sandoval said. “We have a lot of people that are from San Marcos that have left us because they were not comfortable coming out here. Now they can come home and hang out with their families for the weekend because it is a family affair.”
Sandoval grew up in San Marcos, but like many she wasn’t able to come out until later in her life, in 2010. For her, SMTX Pride is more than colorful flags, drag queens or a day of fun. It’s a day of acceptance for people in her community from the city she was raised.
“Coming out of the closet for me was very difficult,” Sandoval said. “I grew up with all of these people and I didn’t want to have stones thrown at me by friends I’ve had since kindergarten. To be able to walk down these streets proud of who I am, proud of what I’ve accomplished and to have friends that I’ve known from kindergarten on up, be by my side, it’s worth every bit of heartache I’ve gone through to have them walk beside you and have the people from San Marcos support you.”
Last year the parade and festivities brought out about 2,000 attendees, and Sandoval expects that many, if not more, this year.
This year the SMTX Pride Parade will be on Saturday, Sept. 8 and will start at 10 a.m. at Dunbar Park and end at San Marcos Plaza Park, where the rest of the SMTX Pride festivities will take place starting at noon and going until 6. There will be food vendors, organization and nonprofit booths and merchant booths. Mayor John Thomaides will speak at 1 p.m. and will be followed by live entertainment with a drag show and DJ Kira Light. The after party will be at Zelick’s, where there will be drink specials throughout the day. All of the SMTX Pride festivities are free and open to the community.
The SMTX Pride event is still looking for donations to help cover the costs of the event, those that would like to donate can do so online. For more information, follow the SMTX Pride Facebook page.
Twitter: @rachelcantweet
