ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida’s largest Pride celebration returns to downtown St. Petersburg as the 2026 St. Pete Pride Parade and Festival gets underway this weekend on June 26 through 28.
With their theme, “Here Comes the Sun,” event organizers are inviting everyone to come and enjoy a variety of events, along with their iconic parade.
If you’re heading to the festivities, here are some tips on parking, transportation, safety, and how to prepare for the weekend.
The Parade and Festival 🥁🎶🎉
Pride weekend opens Friday night with a concert and a market on the waterfront featuring local vendors at Al Lang Stadium from 4 p.m. — 10 p.m. It’s $85 to attend.
The St. Pete Pride Parade and Festival runs from 2 p.m. — 9 p.m. Saturday, June 27 at North Straub Park. The parade itself kicks off at 6 p.m., but there will be plenty of live entertainment, community groups, and more leading up to the main event. It is all free to attend.
Guests can enjoy performances by “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 17 contestant Sam Star and musical artist RealXman in the VIP area, located at South Straub Park. Those who attend will need to purchase a VIP ticket, which is $80.
A Trans March will begin in Vinoy Park from 2 p.m. — 5 p.m. before the parade in honor of visibility and authenticity.
The Street Fair on Central is happening on Sunday from 12 p.m. — 5 p.m. at the Grand Central District. Attendees can enjoy live entertainment, hundreds of vendors, food, interactive carnival games and street performers with community partners. This event is also free and open to the public.
Road Closures ⚠️🚧⛔
Saturday
Bayshore Drive, from Albert Whitted Park north to 5th Avenue NE, will be closed at 1 p.m. until the parade concludes.
Bayshore Drive, from Central Avenue to 5th Avenue NE will remain closed until 11 p.m. when activities end in North and South Straub Parks.
Sunday
Central Avenue and all cross streets between 1st Avenue North and 1st Avenue South will be closed starting at 20th Street and ending at 31st Street from 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. All side streets will be blocked at the alleys.
Transportation 🚕🚋🚲
PSTA is offering free Park & Ride options.
Saturday
St. Pete High School (2501 5th Ave. N): 11 a.m. — 12 a.m. Cars must be out of the lot by midnight. No overnight parking.
Pasadena Community Church (227 70th St. S): 11 a.m. — 12 a.m. Park & Ride users looking to go into Downtown St. Pete from this lot must look for “‘BURG BOUND” in the head sign. When users are looking to get back to their car from Downtown St. Pete, they must look for “BEACH BOUND” in the head sign.
SunRunner: On parade day, take the SunRunner to 6th Avenue South (USFSP), 3rd Street South or 1st Street North to get closest to the parade route. The best departure stop is 1st Avenue North and 1st Street North.
The SunRunner will depart approximately every 7 minutes from the Park & Ride locations. The last SunRunner departs at 11:30 p.m. to ensure all riders are able to get back to their cars before the lots close.
Free PSTA Service: The SunRunner, PSTA’s Route 5, The Central Avenue Trolley and The Looper will be fare free and run from 11 a.m. to midnight.
Sunday
SunRunner: Stops east and westbound at 22nd Street on 1st Avenue South and 1st Avenue North.
Central Avenue Trolley: Will be free to use, but will be impacted by road closures. The Central Avenue Trolley will run on 1st Avenue North and South in the closed section of the road.
Full fare will go into effect on all PSTA routes on June 29. Get additional information on PSTA’s website.
Parking 🚗🛣️
Saturday
Parking garages at Southcore and Sundial parking garages offer the most convenient access to the parade route.
The Pier will remain open, but vehicular access and parking will be suspended from 4 p.m. — 9 p.m. Vehicles already parked there will not be able to leave until the Pier reopens at 9:30 p.m. Please note that Doc Ford’s will be closed on Saturday.
Sunday
Consider downtown parking lots and garages. Please be considerate of residential property if parking on neighborhood streets. A secondary parking option will be along 1st Avenue North and 1st Avenue South.
The city of St. Petersburg recommends ride sharing for the events. City officials also suggested taking a bike or scooter, but some downtown scooter and bike hubs will be closed due to the festivities. Get city guidelines on scooters and bikes.
Security 🚨👮🆘
There will be handheld metal detectors scanning attendees for guns or knives at event entrances. St. Pete Pride officials said the event has a zero-tolerance policy for hate, discrimination, or threatening behavior, and reserve the right to refuse entry or remove anyone who jeopardizes the safety or well-being of others.
If you see any safety concerns, report them to event staff or security immediately.
Extra things to know💡💭
Hydrate! This weekend is going to be a hot one, with highs reaching the 90s. Be sure to pack a fan. Cooling bandanas/towels are also encouraged.
Plan ahead for the weather. According to our Spectrum Bay News 9 meteorologists, there is a 40% chance of rain, so you may want to bring a poncho or umbrella. Track the weather with Klystron 9 by downloading our Spectrum News app.
Attendees can bring coolers and chairs, but be mindful of obstructing someone else’s view.
Establish meeting places. Cell phone service may be limited due to the number of people at the park, or if you and your group split up on wanting to do different activities, it’s important to have a place where you can all meet back up at afterward.
Pets are welcome at the event, but must remain on a leash at all times. Officials said the asphalt on the streets can become dangerously hot and may cause serious harm to your pet’s paws. To prevent painful burns and injury, ensure your pet has proper paw protection.
Get additional details on all the Pride events by visiting the St. Pete Pride website.