RGV PRIDE

RGV PRIDE, formerly Pride in the Park, is the longest-running Pride event in the Rio Grande Valley. It was led by the Valley AIDS Council from 2013 to 2024, and the South Texas Equality Project took over as lead organizer in 2025. STEP describes it as the largest annual Pride event in South Texas.

RGV PRIDE began in 2013, when local community members, advocates and leaders came together to create an annual Pride event for the Valley. Attendance has grown from an estimated 300 people to about 3,000. The South Texas Equality Project, which now leads it, is a small nonprofit run almost entirely by volunteers.

STEP was founded in 2014 by four member organizations and now includes more than 40 groups in its STEP Up Coalition. Year-round it hosts educational forums, support groups, fundraisers, social meetups, book clubs and town halls, holds monthly coalition meetings open to anyone, and works with local media to broaden coverage of sexuality and gender diversity in the Rio Grande Valley.

The Pride celebration itself has several parts: educational workshops on LGBTQIA+ Latinx culture, community and identity, social meetups for different identities within the community, a resource fair featuring affirming service providers and local businesses, and entertainment shows with local performers.

Pride events celebrate LGBTQ+ people and mark the Stonewall uprising of June 1969. Most combine a parade or march with a festival of performers, community groups, vendors and food.

RGV PRIDE has included festival.

RGV PRIDE was first held in 2013.

The organizer has not announced dates for 2027 yet.