Lockhart celebrates second annual Pride Festival

Many came to Lockhart on Saturday for the cities second annual Pride Festival, capping off a week of Pride activities and events.

LOCKHART, Texas - Lockhart held its second Pride Festival, capping off a week of Pride activities.

"There's a large community of queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual, LGBTQIA+ moving from Austin and other areas into Lockhart because of the uniqueness of the community here," event planner Don O'Neil said.

Many came to the event from Austin.

"Just knowing that there is more representation and more visibility for people like us and everybody here. These events prove that we're slowly creeping in the right direction getting to express ourselves and dress how we want and be as friendly as we want and love who we want," attendee DJ Castillo said.

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O'Neil says last year's event was a huge success. This year, there were also plenty of vendors and performances from groups like TealWaves, Creekbed Carter and AlexAlone.

At its core, organizers say it's a celebration despite a political climate they say mischaracterizes their community.

This year's festival was hosted by RuPaul's Drag Race star Cynthia Lee Fontaine.

"We have all those anti-drag and anti-trans bills, and women fighting and advocating for the community. So now this is our month, it's June, it's Pride month, so this is the moment to celebrate and express all the glamour and the glitter and continue to show to the rest of the community that the only purpose of the LGBTQ+ community, it's equality, solidarity, and human rights," Fontaine said.

"It's important for legislators to realize there is no threat from anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community whatsoever. We are not trying to inflict our beliefs on somebody else or "groom" anybody. We are trying to be inclusive, we're trying to be friendly, we're trying to be welcoming," O'Neil said.