Support Queer Arts at Oak Lawn Band’s Volunteer Day

Supporting queer arts does not always mean buying a ticket or stepping onto a stage. Sometimes it means offering your time, sharing a skill, or helping a community institution prepare for what comes next.

The Oak Lawn Band has been part of Dallas LGBTQ+ history since 1980. The organization began when six gay men decided that Dallas’s returning Pride march needed a gay marching band. That 1980 gathering was only the city’s second Pride march—and the beginning of the annual tradition that followed. The band’s full history connects its formation directly to that pivotal moment in Dallas.

More than four decades later, Oak Lawn Band continues to serve the LGBTQIA+ community through concerts, Pride appearances, community events, and musical fellowship. Its work has also carried Dallas queer culture far beyond Oak Lawn, including performances at presidential inaugurations, Gay Games, and the March on Washington, according to Pride Bands.

On Saturday, July 25, Oak Lawn Band is opening its doors to the people who want to help carry that legacy forward.

You Do Not Have to Be a Musician

The All Hands Volunteer Day is a working session for current volunteers, former members, community supporters, and people looking for their first opportunity to get involved.

Participants can learn about the organization’s committees, meet the people leading its work, and connect with practical opportunities in areas such as:

• Event planning and production

• Marketing and public relations

• Fundraising and sponsorships

• Community engagement

• Member support and social activities

• Administrative and behind-the-scenes work

You do not need to play an instrument or perform with the band. Friends, family members, arts supporters, and anyone willing to contribute their experience are welcome.

This is an opportunity to support more than a concert season. It is a chance to strengthen a queer arts organization born alongside Dallas’s modern Pride movement and help ensure that its music, history, and community presence continue. CSMA recently highlighted that ongoing role through the band’s spring concert, which brought LGBTQIA+ visibility and community connection to the Moody Performance Hall stage.

All Hands Volunteer Day

Saturday, July 25, 2026
1:30–5:00 p.m.

Meadows Hall
Sammons Center for the Arts
3630 Harry Hines Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75219

Schedule

• 1:30 p.m. — Welcome and All Hands Day introduction

• 2:00 p.m. — Committee chair introductions and calls to action

• 3:00 p.m. — Wrap-up and next steps

• 3:30–4:30 p.m. — Individual committee meetings for those already registered

An informal after-party will follow at Cidercade.

Visit the Oak Lawn Band website to learn more about the organization. To RSVP for Volunteer Day, send an email to info@oaklawnband.org.

Bring your experience, your ideas, or simply your willingness to help. Queer arts endure because communities choose to sustain them.