08/22/2026
We want to address some confusion surrounding our recent announcement that Rainbow Drinks is moving to Dry Point Distillers.
First, we owe Salud! de Mesilla an apology.
In our announcement, we used the phrase “everyone has a seat at the table.” Our intention was to communicate that Rainbow Drinks remains an all-ages gathering, particularly because moving to a distillery understandably raised questions about whether community members under 21 would still be welcome. We acknowledge the poor communication and timing of the change and will do better in the future.
We have since learned that, in the context of other conversations happening in our community, this wording was interpreted by some as a criticism of Salud. That was not our intention. We should have been more thoughtful about how our words could be received, and we sincerely apologize to Salud for the confusion and any impression that SNM Pride was making an accusation against them.
So, why did Rainbow Drinks move?
Our decision was based on accessibility, safety, and the experience of our attendees.
During recent gatherings, the extreme summer heat on the outdoor patio created concerns for the health and comfort of attendees. Some people became overheated, while others chose not to attend because of the temperature.
We also heard accessibility concerns about the acoustics of the outdoor environment. For some members of our community who are hard of hearing or have difficulty following conversations in loud spaces, this made it difficult to fully participate in the social experience Rainbow Drinks is intended to create.
Dry Point offered SNM Pride an indoor, air-conditioned space where we believe we can better address these concerns.
This decision was not intended as a statement against Salud or an end to our relationship with them. We are incredibly grateful for the years they have welcomed Rainbow Drinks and for the many memories our community has made there. We value our relationship with Salud and look forward to partnering with them and holding future SNM Pride events there.
Why is Rainbow Drinks now 5–7 PM?
We specifically chose these official hours so that Rainbow Drinks can remain an all-ages event.
Under Dry Point's age policy, guests under 21 are welcome during this timeframe. SNM Pride's official Rainbow Drinks activities will therefore take place from **5–7 PM**, allowing our younger community members to participate alongside everyone else.
At 7 PM, SNM Pride's official programming will conclude. Guests who are 21+ are welcome to stay afterward and continue enjoying their evening at Dry Point.
When we say everyone has a seat at the table, this is what we mean: we want Rainbow Drinks to be a gathering where different generations of our LGBTQ+ community and our allies can come together, connect, and feel welcome.
We appreciate both Salud and Dry Point for opening their spaces to our community, and we look forward to continuing to build relationships with local businesses that support Southern New Mexico's LGBTQ+ community. 🏳️🌈
