St Pete Pride
About This Event
St. Pete Pride in St. Petersburg is widely billed as the largest pride in Florida and the Southeast, and for 2026 organizers projected more than 300,000 people downtown. It started small. After Tampa's pride fell apart in 2002, a group including co-founder Brian Longstreth met at Grand Central Station in February 2003, moved the date to the end of June to line up with the Stonewall anniversary, and held the first promenade on June 28, 2003 in the Grand Central District. Around 10,000 people came.
Today it is a month of events capped by one big weekend. Saturday is the core: festival zones in North and South Straub Parks on the downtown waterfront from 2pm, a Trans March at 5pm and the main parade at 6pm, running from Albert Whitted Park along Bayshore Drive to Vinoy Park with more than 100 groups. The parade moved downtown after it outgrew Grand Central, and the evening start spares marchers the worst of the afternoon heat. Friday has a concert and night market. Sunday takes the street fair back to the Grand Central District, where most of St. Pete's gay bars are.
On the practical side, the 2026 edition ran free parking and shuttles from St. Petersburg High School and Tropicana Field lots, which beats circling downtown. Expect late-June heat, humidity and afternoon thunderstorms. Book early, because downtown hotels fill and Tampa across the bay becomes the overflow.
The 2026 edition ran June 26 to 28 under the theme 'Here Comes the Sun.' The backdrop was tougher than usual: Tampa Pride did not hold a 2026 event, and a Florida law restricting local-government DEI programs takes effect on January 1, 2027, which could change how the city supports the event, though St. Pete Pride itself is not banned. The 2027 dates hadn't been announced when we checked, but the event has kept to the last weekend of June since 2003.
Parade Route
Where to stay during St Pete Pride
via Stay224 gay bars, clubs & saunas from our guide
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2027 Sunday Street Fair on Central
🚨🌈 Your donation. Double the impact! 🌈🚨 We’re committed to making St Pete Pride happen in 2027. With a prior generous donation from Scott Simon, w...
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St. Pete Pride Parade 2026 🌈 | Florida's Largest LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration
