Austin Pride returns with fewer sponsors
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An ACT UP poster by Keith Haring in New York in 1989. Photo: Rita Barros/Getty Images
Amid a national pullback in corporate support for LGBTQ+ events, organizers of this weekend's Austin Pride tell Axios they'll have a pared-down festival because of their own decline in sponsorships.
Why it matters: The downturn in Austin reflects a notable shift for corporate America, which faces mounting pressure to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs — a key target of the Trump administration.
Driving the news: Austin Pride kicks off this weekend, bringing hundreds of thousands of attendees downtown for the city's annual festival and parade.
- The free celebration starts at 11am Friday at Fiesta Gardens, followed by a parade at 8pm at the Capitol.
- This year's Pride theme is "Silence = Death," the theme of protests by AIDS activists starting in the 1980s.
What they're saying: Micah Andress, president of the Austin Pride Foundation, which organizes the Pride festival, tells Axios the event has "absolutely" seen a pullback in sponsorships in a difficult political climate.
- Sponsors who previously backed the festival are "apologetic" but "most have said their budgets are just cut," Andress says.
- This year will have no out-of-town entertainment since organizers could afford only local talent, Andress tells Axios.
- Andress declined to name sponsors that had pulled out.
Between the lines: This week the Texas Senate passed an anti-transgender restroom ban for a third time, reigniting a debate that directly impacts Austin's LGBTQ+ communities.
What they're saying: "In 2025, our voices are more vital than ever," Pride event organizers posted on the festival website.
- "Silence = Death isn't just history — it's a warning. Attacks on our rights, our stories, and our very existence are escalating. But we've been here before. And just like those who came before us, we won't be erased."