Call it a festival, a celebration, or a destination (a press release does all three). Whatever you land on, the inaugural Big Queer Weekend is taking over from September 24-27, showing off LGBTQ+ film, music, and visual arts. Plus, there will be plenty of opportunities to hang out with other community members.
The event is organized by the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce and aGLIFF (Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival) in partnership with South by Southwest (SXSW). Among the many offerings in the above categories, there will be conversations with filmmakers, drag shows, an artist and artisan marketplace, networking events, and more.
"The Big Queer Weekend represents the next evolution of queer arts programming in Austin," said Todd Hogan — both the chamber's president and CEO and the film festival's president — in a press release.
Hogan continued, "For nearly four decades, aGLIFF has introduced Central Texas audiences to groundbreaking LGBTQ+ cinema. By bringing together the Austin LGBT Chamber, aGLIFF, and a partnership with SXSW we're expanding that vision into something much larger — a citywide celebration where film, music, visual arts and entrepreneurship intersect to celebrate our community's creativity."
The four-day weekend will include the following programming, and a lot more:
- Opening night: The Southwest premiere of comedy Lady Champagne by drag artist D'Arcy Drollinger, and the Austin premiere of the short documentary The Best Little Tiny Park in Texas by Margaret Barry.
- Closing night: The Texas premiere of documentary Wicket by Lily Plotkin, about dancer Gabriel “Bboy Wicket” Jaochico, and the Southwest premiere of short film Aiden & Dean Don’t Fall in Love by John La Costa.
- Music: The 7th annual Pride in Local Music outdoor showcase, a free event featuring Melissa Carper, Maru Haru, Painterly, and Steph Cash. The event is hosted by Maxine LaQueene & Friends and features an artist and artisan marketplace.
- Social: The Big Queer Creatives Brunch ($10) brings attendees together for a breakfast taco buffet and a pool party at the Hotel Indigo.
"The Big Queer Weekend isn't simply about watching films," said Hogan. "It's about creating a space where queer artists, musicians, filmmakers, entrepreneurs and audiences can gather, collaborate and celebrate everything that makes Austin one of the most vibrant creative cities in the country."
A limited number of weekend passes ($50) are available online. Tickets are also available for individual film screenings ($20) via the same link. No tickets are needed to attend the Pride in Local Music showcase, which is open to the public.
ACL Fest 2023Courtesy ACL Fest
