Everything you need to know about St. Pete Pride
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo: Courtesy of Dave Decker/Creative Loafing
St. Pete Pride is back to bring rainbows and queer joy to Tampa Bay after a cloudy, tumultuous year for Florida's LGBTQ+ community.
Why it matters: The event is one of the largest Pride celebrations in the South, with about 100,000 people expected to attend the parade.
- And it's the first big Pride festival to navigate the waters of new legislation on drag performances.
🎉 The big events
Idina Menzel starts the weekend off with her headlining concert 7–10pm Friday ($35) at Jannus Live. The night also includes performances from local drag artists and musicians. Doors open at 6pm. 18+
The Pride Parade on Saturday is preceded by a festival in Vinoy Park starting at 2pm and running well after the parade until 10pm.
- The parade will start at the Albert Whitted Airport and end at the Vinoy (the opposite of last year’s route). It's free, but you can get $75 VIP "Glamstand" tickets.
- The Trans March kicks off at 5:30pm. Sign up here.
- Plus: Pridetopia in the Edge District hosts its first free after-parade party from 8pm to midnight.
The Pride in Grand Central Street Fair on Sunday will include free concerts by Sheena Easton and 1980s star Tiffany.
🚦Before you go
Ride with Pride: All Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority bus routes will be free on Saturday. Consider park & ride options.
- The St. Pete High Park & Ride is free and will run 11am–11pm. Cars must be out of the lot by midnight.
- Cocktail will offer a free shuttle service from its location to and from the parade running 3pm–midnight.
Don't forget: The Rays have home games at Tropicana Field this weekend, so parking and driving downtown could be difficult.
- St. Pete Pier parking will be open, but your car will be stuck there from 4pm until after the parade.
💦 Be prepared: You'll want to bring an umbrella, sunscreen and a water bottle to outdoor events on Saturday.
- Where there's rainbows, there's rain! Showers and thunderstorms are likely Saturday afternoon and evening. Otherwise, it'll be mostly sunny, with a high near 90. The event is rain or shine.
- There will be water filling stations near the parade.
🚨 Of note
Security: St. Petersburg Police are working with state, federal and local partners to secure the parade, with officers working on the ground, from the water and remotely with cameras, St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway said at a press conference last week.
New laws: St. Pete Pride Executive Director Nicole Berman told WTSP she doesn't anticipate that any of the weekend's performances will violate new laws restricting drag.
- "We've reached out to all of our performers and are pretty clear on what is and isn't allowed," Berman told the station. "And again, this is not any different than years past."
- Holloway told the station his officers are ready to enforce the law. "We've already worked things out [that] if we see an issue, my team and I will contact Nicole," Holloway said. "Nicole has her marshals throughout; she will give them a warning... Then after that, we'll take action that needs to be taken."
🗓️ More Pride events
🖼️ Pose: An LGBTQIA+ Art and Drag Show: Friday 7–11pm at Costal Creative. $15.
📚 Sidewalk Social: Saturday 10am–9pm at Book + Bottle. Free rosé tasting from 2 to 4pm.
🏳️⚧️ Transtastic: A celebration of Tampa Bay’s trans and nonbinary community. 6–9pm June 28 at the Museum of Fine Arts. $15.
🎤 Queer-E-Okee: Celebrity host Carson Kressley returns for a hilarious and love-filled evening of music and camaraderie at the Palladium Theater. 7pm June 30. $20–75.
😲 Pride Immersive Experience: The Fairgrounds Mermaid Star Motel attractions will shine in an array of new colors. A new installation, "Shrimpfinity," gives a glimpse of larger-than-life spangled shrimp. Runs through June 30. $19–27. Kids 3 and under get in free.