Unlike most Pride events, the 2025 Fort Bend County Pride Festival is traditionally held in August, but as the organization's director of community engagement Chris Pino explained, it's important to celebrate the LGBTQ community beyond June.
"I think that there is time for Pride across the entire year," Pino told ABC13, adding that the community doesn't and shouldn't have to travel elsewhere to feel seen, safe, and heard.
"What we've seen for the longest time is we haven't felt like this place is a home for us. We felt like we'd have to drive an hour to Montrose or two-and-a-half hours to Austin just to feel like we have a place," Pino said. "The days where we have to go to Montrose or Austin to feel like we have a home are over. Fort Bend County is big enough for everyone."
Fort Bend County, located southwest of Houston, is fast approaching a population of one million people. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 32% of the population is foreign-born, compared to 26% in Harris and 15% in Montgomery counties.
According to Fort Bend ISD, it's one of the most culturally diverse school districts in Texas.
But the county's reach goes beyond the Lone Star State. The population there has been named one of the most diverse in the nation.
"Once upon a time, I was that gay kid growing up right here in Fort Bend County, and I felt so alien, so othered," Pino said, adding that the perception now "that this county is not welcoming to people who are gay, trans, or otherwise LGBT is false. This county is big enough for everybody."
That's where having an event like Fort Bend County Pride comes in.
It celebrated its first Pride in 2024 with a mission "to educate the broader community, promote equality, and foster civic involvement and responsibility in Fort Bend County and neighboring areas," according to the website.
This year's festival theme is "Superheroes of Pride," and all are encouraged to dress as their favorite hero, whether that's someone with superpowers to defeat bad guys or bigotry.
"We want everybody to be their authentic selves," executive director Hunny Phillips said. "We want them to come dressed up as their favorite superhero, their favorite LGBTQ icon. It's just superheroes with pride, moving forward, pressing on. We have the strength to do it."
Phillips added that the festival is for all ages, from toddlers to seniors.
It will also feature live entertainment, gender-expansive performers, local vendors, community resources, youth and family-friendly activities, food trucks, and more. It's also the only local Pride event that features air conditioning - a must in the Houston summer heat.
But the goal above all is to honor the individuals and organizations who champion equality, inclusion, and progress.
As Phillips noted, allies, businesses, and local leaders are onboard, having officially declared Aug. 11 Fort Bend County Pride Day.
"We started Fort Bend County Pride... to create a space where everybody is able to their authentic self," Pino said, adding the group was also formed to "raise awareness - to work with our medical providers so they know how to treat us, to work with our small businesses so they know how to serve us and to work with our elected officials so they know how to represent us."
The Fort Bend County Pride Festival is taking place on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds in Rosenberg, Texas.
For more information and to take part in events leading up to the festival, visit the FBCP website.
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