The sea turtle patrol drives along the sand as beachgoers sit under umbrellas recently at city beach on South Padre Island.(Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
South Padre Island is welcoming the LGBTQ community with open arms to Splash Unity, a four-day bash headquartered at the Holiday Inn Resort and featuring some of the biggest names in gay entertainment.
“It’s a great getaway, otherwise known as a ‘gaycation,’” Paul Magee, event organizer and producer, said Tuesday from the road on his way to the Island. “The famous Splash Unity South Padre Island is back with a bang after being away for two years.”
Magee said unity is part of the event’s name for a reason.
“I believe that we need to unify people and that’s whether youre black, white, gay or otherwise. If you’re a good person, you’re a good person and it’s time to unify this country, if not this world,” he said.
Headlining an all-star Splash Unity cast will be Willow Pill, the newly crowned Season 14 winner of “Ru Paul’s Drag Race,” the most prestigious and visible drag queen event in the United States, according to The Denver Post.
Willow Pill is the first out trans winner of a non-All Stars season of American Drag Race, “a title she wears proudly,” Entertainment Weekly wrote, but has said in the past that it can feel overwhelming to be “hoisted into the spotlight as the face of representation for any community,” The Post reported Tuesday.
Willow Pill is to appear Thursday at the kickoff Fusion Fashion Show/Welcome Party from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m at Sea4Ever at at the Holiday Inn Resort.
Splash Unity registration is online at SplashSouthPadre.com Guests are picking up credentials at a table in the lobby of the Holiday Inn Resort. Magee said VIP registrations had closed as of Tuesday but that limited general admission tickets were still available. He said he expects as many as 2,000 to attend Splash Unity over four days of events.
“We’re expecting record crowds,” Magee said. “The outpouring of support has been overwhelming. It’s four days of so much to do. Splash is now at the biggest resort on the Island, the Holiday Inn Resort. That’s going to be our base. Basically people can get their tickets online and pick up their credentials at the table in the lobby on Thursday and Friday.”
The party moves into full swing Friday from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. with the Ru Paul To the Beach event at Clayton’s. It features Willow Pill, along with drag performers Jasmine Kennidie and Daya Bittie, according to an event poster provided by Magee.
“Saturday we’ve got a long day with the Splash Pool Bash at the Holiday Inn from noon to 5 p.m.,” with pop-up performances and hosted by Kitana York and DJ DannyDesmadre, Magee said. The VIP-only Splash Party Cruise is from 5:30-7 p.m.
“Saturday night we’ve got ‘A Night in White’ at Louie’s Backyard, where people come all in white. The event is hosted by Carson Kressley, with Alondra Garabay making a guest appearance as Gloria Trevi.” Kressley is well known as a celebrity judge in Ru Paul Drag Race competition and as a television personality on CBS, Magee said.
The event features performances by Katelynn & Kathlynn York, music by DJ Radar, and additional performances by Miss Splash and Miss Splash Newcomer. This event is also from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The Splash Farewell Party is from 1-6 p.m. Sunday at Clayton’s. Performers include DJ Radar and the RGV All Stars.
