Austin is in the middle of its Big Queer Weekend, a four-day LGBTQ+ celebration of cinema, music, art, drag and community put on by the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, aGLIFF and SXSW. It runs from Thursday, September 24 through Sunday, September 27, so there is still a good chunk of the program left to catch.
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The weekend opened Thursday night at Galaxy Theatres with a red carpet and a triple bill: The Dads, Lady Champagne and Give Me The Ball!, followed by an after party at Rain on 4th. Friday keeps the focus on film, with screenings of This is Texas: AGMC's Journey to GALA — a 23-minute short about the Austin Gay Men's Chorus and its trans members, moderated by Fiona Dawson — alongside The Dads and Give Me The Ball!, plus a community conversation about the films.
Saturday is the big night out. At 1:00 PM, Galaxy Theatres shows Out Laws as an international matinee, and from 5:00 to 10:00 PM, Drinks Backyard hosts the Pride In Local Music Showcase and Queer Artist & Artisan Marketplace. It is free, though advance online registration is highly recommended. Maxine LaQueene and friends host, with Melissa Carper, Maru Haru, Painterly, Steph Cash and Bboy Wicket Jaochico on the bill, and the night mixes local queer music, drag and a market of artists and artisans. It is all ages until 8:00 PM and 21+ after that, and ASL interpreters from Amber G Productions are on site.
Sunday rounds things out with a mix of active and creative. There is a StartOut & Walk with LGBTQ+ Outdoors through the city, and from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, the Big Queer Creatives Networking Brunch Mixer takes over the pool deck at Hotel Indigo Austin Downtown. A $10 suggested donation to aGLIFF gets you a breakfast taco buffet, complimentary Fara Coffee and a pool pass for the rest of the afternoon, with signature Deep Eddy Vodka cocktails available at the Skyline Bar. In the afternoon, Rashaad Newsome presents Assembly, and at 6:00 PM comes the closing night screening of WICKET, the award-winning documentary about breakdancer Gabriel 'Bboy Wicket' Jaochico and his coming-out process after 41 years, with a live Q&A with Jaochico, director Lily Plotkin and producer Ryland Hormel.
A couple of notes before you go. WICKET is currently sold out, though a limited number of standby tickets may be available at the theater on the day due to cancellations, and ticket holders need to be seated at least 10 minutes early to guarantee admission. General admission film tickets are $20, and the Saturday music and market event is free. The weekend pass is sold out for this edition. The market vendors include Nicky Tovar's Little Art Show, Laura Marsh Jewelry, Pride Socks, OUTlaw Pride, Austyn Heath Art, Topios Provisions, Cedar Park Pride, The Little Gay Shop and BookWoman. For questions, Colton Ashabranner is the contact at 512-761-LGBT, and the full schedule is at bigqueerweekend.com.
Published Date
26 September 2026
