Parade, block party draw increased Pride 2023 crowds

The Dykes and Friends on Bikes were the first to emerge through the purple-pink smoke at the start of Pride Corpus Christi's parade Saturday evening.

The pride-flag-draped group on motorcycles was followed by trailers full of waving figures in shirts with messages like "Free Mom Hugs" and "Proud Mom, this year's grand marshals and newly formed group Parents with Pride.

Tossing out flags, beads and other goodies, dozens of parade participants followed including students, faith groups and businesses from across the community. Families lined the parade route, backs to Corpus Christi Bay to watch the procession as it headed to Water's Edge Park where the event continued with a block party featuring vendors, drag performances and live music.

For attendee Stella Barrera, who drove more than an hour from Premont to attend, the event was emotional. Barrera only recently came out to her family as bisexual.

"I wanted to come," Barrera said. "I didn't care if it rained."

Though a few drops of rain did fall as parade participants gathered, the event stayed mostly dry and cool.

Barrera was reminded during the event of a beloved deceased family member who was also a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

"I could feel him looking down on me and smiling with his beautiful smile," Barrera said.

Adair Apple, parent of two LGBTQ+ teenagers, rode on the Parents with Pride float.

"We're parents who love our LGBTQ children and want everybody to know it," Apple said. "We're here in community together just to show there are lots of us out there who love our children."

The group is newly formed with a private Facebook group that parents in the community can join.

"I hope more parents as the years go by come out and join us," Apple said. "I'd like to see more and more parents participating and active locally as we're seeing so many attacks on the LGBTQ community and we want to help."

Blaze Johnson, one of the motorcycle riders at the front of the procession and a Pride Corpus Christi board member, said this year's event was larger than last year's, with more participants, more sponsors and more entertainment.

The best part of the event, Johnson said, is being together as a community, "being out, being proud and being our authentic selves."

"We're trying to make sure this is an established event," fellow board member Roger Montelongo said, adding that the board hopes the event will attract visitors to the city each year.

St. Paul United Church of Christ has participated in Pride since the beginning of the event in Corpus Christi, church member Jim Murphy said. All Saints Episcopal Church also participated.

"There's so many people out there that don't realize that there's a church that's friendly towards the gay and lesbian community," Murphy said. "We just really want people to know, God does love everybody."

When 18-year-old Del Mar College student Kendra Tracy moved to Corpus Christi, finding an inclusive community was important. That's why Tracy, who identifies as bisexual, was excited to participate in the parade and happy to have found St. Paul's.

"I've never actually been to a Pride parade," Tracy said. "This is my first, and with my church."

Many attendees came draped in colorful outfits. Atop a pair of roller skates and decked in all orange with a pair of monarch butterfly wings, Ciera Polhemus marched in the parade with Grounded Beauty Studio, a local salon.

"To the people who don't feel comfortable yet, just know that everybody's out here and you'll find your type of weirdo," Polhemus said.

Students from King High School's Mustang Pride Club also found their spot in the parade.

"To be free to be who you are without judgement or limitations is so important," King High School senior Beetle Molina said.

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Pride Corpus Christi celebrates LGBTQ+ community with parade, party