Pride Cultural Heritage District

The new Pride Cultural Heritage District which encompasses the North Main Avenue corridor of San Antonio is home to historically significant LGBT homes, businesses, events, and organizations. The new District as a permanent symbol of San Antonio’s LGBT presence, engagement, history, longevity, and integrity.  

Among the notable events and organizations that have had their home or origin in the District are the Pride Bigger Than Texas Festival and Parade, the San Antonio QFest LGBT International Film Festival, Fiesta Frenzy, sporting events by the San Antonio Pride Softball League and the San Antonio Diablos, organizations such as the  San Antonio Gender Association, Pride Center San Antonio, Texas Gay Rodeo Association, and the Royal, Sovereign, and Imperial Court of the Alamo Empire.  Today the District is home to many businesses that are owned by or serve the LGBT community and are members of the San Antonio LGBT Chamber of Commerce.   

The Pride Cultural Heritage District comes to life as a result of years of community engagement to find ways to recognize the significant LGBT history of the North Main Avenue Corridor.  The District is bound by Elmira Avenue to the south, Mistletoe Avenue to the north, North St. Mary’s Street on the east, and San Pedro Avenue on the west.  The District includes portions of the Monte Vista Historic District, the Tobin Hill Historic District, the campus of San Antonio College, and the San Antonio “Gay Strip” where there has been a long history of notable LGBT businesses as well as being the home to the famed San Antonio Rainbow Crosswalks. 

Pride San Antonio began a path of discovery after noticing various visible cultural claims of space in various regions of San Antonio. The Pride Cultural Heritage District comes as part of a visionary path to recognize the cultural diversity of this region of San Antonio and follows the installation of the Rainbow Crosswalks at Evergreen and North Main and the installation of the One City, One Community, One PRIDE banners along the North Main Avenue corridor.  The LGBT community’s claim for recognition and space is a hallmark of the STONEWALL Rebellion of 1969 at the STONEWALL Inn of New York City.  San Antonio’s LGBT Community is a historic, creative, diverse, and vibrant entity with an incredible history and legacy and the dedication of this District is the embodiment of the San Antonio LGBT Community’s Past, Present, and Future.  It serves as a live, visible, and memorable connection to our community as a place of honor, safety, and integrity.