ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Pride Month got an early start in St. Petersburg Friday night. St. Pete Pride’s street fair drew residents and vendors to kick off the annual celebration of the LGBTQ community. 

Pride kick-off is usually First Friday, but we’re like, ‘Why wait?’” said Dr. Byron Green-Calisch, president of St. Pete Pride’s board of directors.

Green-Calisch said 350,000 people are expected to attend Pride events throughout the month.

“Pride is the celebration of a riot. It is pushing back on an oppressive government that would not allow people to be out and celebrate in their queerness. Being in this moment right now is a reminder that we stand on the shoulders of our forefathers and foremothers who fought and were resisting an oppressive government. Now, we are back in those moments. We are back facing governments that are looking to oppress, make it harder for us to live out loud,” he said.

Florida has passed laws in recent years that have impacts felt in the LGBTQ community, including those dictating pronoun use in schools and defunding diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at state universities and colleges.

Rainbow flags, outfits, and decorations were everywhere on Central Avenue. On Friday, a few days shy of the official start of Pride Month on June 1, crowds flocked to the Grand Central District to shop local vendors, grab a bite to eat, and more.

Dr. Byron Green-Calisch, president of St. Pete Pride’s board of directors, said that 350,000 people are expected to attend Pride events throughout the month. (Spectrum News/Sarah Blazonis)

“I think it’s awesome. I always love being at Pride events and being in places where it’s so welcoming,” said Taylor Emery, who set up a booth at the street fair.

For Emery, it was also a chance to give her gender-neutral clothing line, Merakitay, a chance to draw in shoppers. 

“A lot of it is just trying to break barriers within the LGBTQ community,” said Emery, who said Merakitay’s clothing tries to find a happy medium between the fit of men’s and women’s styles. 

Emery also took Merakitay to last year’s Tampa Pride and said it was sad to hear it wasn’t returning this year.

“I’m not surprised, if I’m being honest,” said Emery. “I’m kind of always expecting something bad to happen at this point with things going on with DEI and things like that, but I’m definitely happy that St. Pete Pride is coming in, stepping in.”

Tampa Pride said cuts to county, state, and federal grant funding and the discontinuation of DEI programs under Gov. Ron DeSantis were behind their decision to sit out 2026. Green-Calisch said his group has experienced similar challenges.

“So, we have some health organizations that lost funding for HIV support, and they were unable to give dollars to us. We have some sponsors that are unable to have Pride on their books or they were concerned about retribution,” he said.

According to Green-Calisch, several individual donors stepped up this year. He said that’s support they’re relying on going forward. He told Spectrum News that St. Pete Pride is grateful for those people and groups standing beside them.

“Because again, this is not just about the happy-go-lucky moments. It is actually about the fight,” said Green-Calisch.

In Tampa, a newly-formed group known as Pride of Tampa did hold a number of events in March. Green-Calisch said he was excited to see those activities happening across the bay. He said the hope is that more people will continue to donate to St. Pete Pride to help keep it going and free to the public.