CAROLINE SAVOIE | Staff Writer
CarolineLSavoie@gmail.com
LONGVIEW — Northeast Texas’ oldest and largest LGBTQ Pride celebration returns this month with an expanded lineup of family-friendly fun, vibrant performances, and the event’s first-ever tethered hot air balloon rides.
Pride East Texas Longview will host Soarin’ with Pride on Saturday, June 28, at the Maude Cobb Convention Center from 3-8 p.m.
Mark Vinson, president of the city’s Pride festival, said the annual event will keep its tradition of celebrating LGBTQ culture and community connection in one of the state’s more conservative regions.
Pride came to East Texas in 2014 with a rally Parents, Friends and Family of Lesbians and Gays organized at Longview’s Heritage Parks. News articles from the day said it drew hundreds of people — and some protestors — but ended without incident.
Since then, residents say Pride has its own culture in the region. One resident recalled local milestones, like raising the Pride flag for the first time on a city pole in 2019 at that year’s festival.
“The great energy and liveliness you bring to Longview adds to everyone’s shared experience,” Vinson said in an open letter. “Let’s let our pride soar.”
Vinson said this year’s theme is more than symbolic. Tethered hot air balloon rides, provided by AubreyAire, will launch from the back lawn of the Maude Cobb Convention Center starting at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $25, and people can get a $10 walk-about balloon experience in case of rainy weather.
The balloon rides give a nod to Longview’s aviation history. In 1978, the Great Texas Balloon Race was born when world-record balloon pilot Dr. Bill Bussey flew a hot air balloon over the city to advertise the Longview Mall’s opening. Two years later, the city saw its first Balloon Glow, when Bussey and fellow pilots illuminated their tethered balloons in a nighttime show.
The tradition continues today.
Inside the convention center and across its campus grounds, guests will find live music, local vendors, drag performances, and food trucks. Family activities include “Mermaid Story Hour” with local mermaid Mesmer and a variety of kid-friendly games and crafts.
Drag queens from RMC will host a performance from 5-7 p.m., and DJ Frazier will keep the crowd dancing throughout the evening.
Local vendors and sponsors include Books & Barrels, Shmacks Bakery, CowboySam’s RMC, and Seasoned Simplicity, with food and drink from favorites like Kona Ice of Longview, Ram’s Sweet Treats and Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck.
In a nod to its roots, the festival will also present The Cunningham Award, an annual honor named after Craig Cunningham, whose support made the city’s first Pride possible. The award recognizes a local resident for outstanding service to the LGBTQ+ community.
Organizers said that Longview Pride is a safe, inclusive space for all and will not tolerate harassment or discrimination of any kind. The group’s #Pride365 campaign encourages continued support for LGBTQ rights year-round.
“Pride isn’t just about a single day,” Vinson said. “It’s about creating a more just, open, safe, and supportive community for all.”