WASHINGTON — The pomp and circumstance around the presidential inauguration, and everything that comes with it in Washington, will be largely missing because of the public health crisis and the recent attacks on the U.S. Capitol. But some Texans in Washington D.C. are determined to celebrate their pride and culture, even if it will not be in person.
No matter who the inaugural celebrations are for, the Texas State Society throws a Texas-sized ball of its own in Washington every evening before the presidential inauguration. Four years ago, 15,000 guests showed up to the quadrennial Texas Black Tie and Boots Ball. Just as soon as one ends, the social organization starts planning for the next.
“There's going to be a party next week that's going to celebrate the history, the culture and the heritage of Texas, all of Texas,” Ryan Thompson, the Texas State Society’s chair for the 2021 event, told Spectrum News 1’s Reena Diamante.
Much like this year’s presidential inauguration, Black Tie and Boots will look different, shifting to a virtual gathering. This year’s ball was supposed to be at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on the inaugural parade route.
“I was disappointed earlier last year when we had to pivot to a virtual event. But given the events of last week, and as you know, being in Washington right now yourself, Reena, the city is a fortress,” Thompson, a Texas native, said.
While you might not hear the Texas-inspired music and see the dancing in person, Thompson said the group is still incorporating a variety of acts that hail from different parts of the Lone Star State.
“We're going to have musicians that look and sound like Texas. We have artists such as Lecrae lined up. We have Los Texmaniacs out of San Antonio that are a Tejano conjunto band, and they are a ton of fun to watch. Of course, it wouldn't be Texas without a little red dirt country. So we've got Pat Green and the Josh Abbott Band lined up,” Thompson said.
For the first time, the Texas State Society is also going to incorporate a virtual conference with sponsors during the day of the gala. That conference will involve Texas-elected officials and other special guests to discuss current affairs.
Thompson, a Texas A&M University graduate, said he hopes to make the most of the membership. The Aggie from Austin has been to every ball since 2005 and he said he saw how the society swelled in numbers following the inauguration of President George W. Bush.
“Really, it's just a way for the folks from Texas that live and work in and around the nation’s capital to have a social network and to have friends, where they can hear people that sound like them,” Thompson said.
At its core, the group is bipartisan and with little to celebrate lately, a Texas-theme party might be what everyone needs.
“We throw this party, we throw this event to celebrate Texas, so regardless of who gets elected, regardless of what party that nominee comes from, this party is going to happen,” Thompson said.
And even if that party is online, everything Texas is bigger. As this year’s Black Tie and Boots theme goes, it is even “bigger from home.”
For full lineup and more information on the Black Tie and Boots Ball visit: https://texasblacktieandboots.com/