SAN ANTONIO – Fiesta season in San Antonio is known for its color, culture and community. One organization is sharing that spirit to make a difference for LGBTQ+ youth across the city and South Central Texas.
Fiesta Youth, San Antonio’s premier LGBTQ+ youth program, has been offering weekly programming and a safe, welcoming environment since opening its doors in September 2013.
“And throughout the year, we just provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth to come be themselves, hang out, have fun,” organization co-founding board member Darrell Parsons said.
Parsons remembers the night Fiesta Youth first opened its doors.
“We were waiting around waiting for youth to show up, and the first one came through the door. And 10 more came through the door that night,” Parsons said. “And since then, we probably have between 30 and 50 youth attending weekly programming.”
Organizational growth has been more than just numbers.
“So to see it go from just a small organization to what it is now, it’s been heartwarming. It’s been really nice,” Parsons said. “I wish I would have had this when I was a kid, but you know, we have it now, and that’s what matters.”
Crystafer Stone, a volunteer who has been involved with Fiesta Youth for eight years, echoed that sentiment.
“To see that there’s something now for the kids that are out there today, it’s a life-saving place for these kids to be,” Stone said.
Midnight in Garden of Good and Evil: A party with a purpose
One of Fiesta Youth’s biggest annual moments is its signature fundraising event with humble beginnings.
“This event actually started in the backyard of two of our supporters,” Parsons said. “They wanted to have a Fiesta event. We wanted a Fiesta event that was a fundraiser. So, we got together, and we said, ‘Let’s do it at your house.’”
The Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil masquerade extravaganza has outgrown a simple backyard entirely. Now in its 12th year, the event takes over The DoSeum, a popular San Antonio children’s museum, and transforms it into an adults-only playground for the night.
“We get to play around on everything that’s open out here at the museum, so we get to bring out our inner child,” Stone said.
The event — open to guests 21 and older — includes dancing, drag performances, food and drinks all covered in the total price of admission. Every dollar raised goes directly back to supporting LGBTQ+ youth programming.
“We raise close to about $80,000 every year, and that has a huge impact when it comes to programming,” Parsons said.
Scholarships, community and Fiesta spirit
The fundraiser also serves as the platform for another cornerstone of Fiesta Youth’s mission: scholarships.
To date, $86,000 in scholarship money has been given to LGBTQ+ and allied youth.
For Parsons, the event — and Fiesta itself — represents something bigger than a party.
“You know, we’re a diverse community here in San Antonio, but we have a cause that brings us all together with Fiesta,” Parsons said. “Fiesta Together means we’re going to do this together. We’re in this together.”
“These nonprofit organizations — they depend on the community. They depend on Fiesta San Antonio to survive and thrive and Fiesta Together means that we’re all in this together and we support each other,” Parsons added.
How to get tickets and support Fiesta Youth:
🗓️ April 18, 2026
📍The DoSeum
🎟️ $100+ includes food, drink, parking and more
To make any purchases or get more information, click here.