Victor Hugo tries to pop a bubble produced by Rowan TwoSisters of Punk Rock Hoops.
Texans from across the Big Bend region and beyond celebrated Pride Marfa over the weekend with a community block party at the Presidio County Courthouse, dance parties and drag performances.
Ahead of the celebrations, former Marfa resident Chris Gonzales, one of the volunteers who put on the event, told Marfa Public Radio he had high hopes for Pride Marfa.
“There [are] celebrations of all different types of culture in Marfa, and everyone’s always getting uplifted, and we just wanna make sure that option is there for maybe people who don’t have access to it in West Texas," said Gonzales.
Photojournalist Sarah Vasquez captured the weekend's events for Marfa Public Radio.
Sarah Vasquez for Marfa Public Radio
Big Bend residents and visitors from across the state played drag lotería during Saturday's block party on the Presidio County Courthouse lawn.
Sarah Vasquez for Marfa Public Radio
Left: James Scott and Brian Sensabaugh with their son Jacob at the Pride Marfa block party. Scott, a Marfa High School graduate, and Sensabaugh were the first same-sex couple to legally wed in Presidio County after the Supreme Court decision in 2015. Right: Amber Olvera reads a speech she wrote honoring Ben Castro, a Marfa resident who passed away last year. Castro debuted his drag persona, Koko Flan, at a drag show in Marfa in 2019.
Sarah Vasquez for Marfa Public Radio
Event organizer Paul Chavarria paints Becca Bright's face at the Pride Marfa block party at the Presidio County Courthouse.
Sarah Vasquez for Marfa Public Radio
Austin musician p1nkstar performs on the Presidio County Courthouse lawn.
Sarah Vasquez for Marfa Public Radio
Pride Marfa organizers called Saturday's dance party the celebration's "big blowout event.” There were drag and dance performances and several DJs played throughout the night at the Sentinel.
Sarah Vasquez for Marfa Public Radio
Pride Marfa organizers called Saturday's dance party the celebration's "big blowout event.” There were drag and dance performances and several DJs played throughout the night at the Sentinel.
Editor’s note: Elise Pepple, Executive Director of Marfa Public Radio, is one of the organizers of Pride Marfa.
