The second annual Winter Pride Festival weeklong celebration kicks off Sunday (Feb. 15) with a street festival from noon to 5 p.m. on St. Pete\u2019s Central Avenue. Organizers are hopeful the event could top 100,000 visitors \u2013 but they also hope it will showcase St. Petersburg\u2019s character as a welcoming, inclusive place.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re at a moment in time where people want to be part of something bigger than themselves,\u201d said Rob Hall, Winter-Pride\u2019s co-founder and executive director.<\/p>\n
Describing it as \u201ca powerful reminder of our LGBTQ+ community\u2019s contributions and impact,\u201d City of St. Petersburg LGBTQ Coordinator Nathan Bruemmer added, \u201cThe full week of events will not only bring joy, it will also deliver an economic boost to local restaurants, shops, and small businesses, fueling both community spirit and local growth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hall launched Winter Pride in 2023 with Gabe Alves, and David Fischer, known to St. Petersburg as the owner and proprietor of a number of St. Pete\u2019s signature establishments including Grand Central\u2019s Cocktail bar.<\/p>\n
The three were inspired by traveling to places which, like St. Petersburg, had a welcoming and inclusive LGBTQ+ presence. The city\u2019s annual Pride Festival and parade takes place in June.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018We love Pride in the summertime, but wouldn\u2019t it be great to do something in the winter?\u2019\u201d Hall remembered the group asking each other.<\/p>\n
The trio started planning for the initial event in 2024. Despite the chaos resulting from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and the challenges faced by Pride organizers<\/a> across the state after the 2024 election, the 2025 Winter Pride event was a resounding success. Organizers welcomed almost 60,000 attendees from Florida and beyond across 11 events in February 2025, a number they expect to significantly exceed this year.<\/p>\n \u201cNot only did it go better than planned \u2013 but we were just like, this is amazing! There\u2019s really a need and a desire for this,\u201d said Hall.<\/p>\n \u201cWe started back in September this year to promote every weekend, because we are a new organization. It\u2019s so important for us to be out in the community teaching people who we are and what we do.\u201d<\/p>\n Sunday\u2019s street festival will feature more than 125 vendors along Central Avenue between 22nd and 25th Streets, with a stage across the street from Cocktail.<\/p>\n Daily events will include:<\/p>\n A brand new multi-media drag performance, Prismatic, created by artist Daphne Ferraro specifically for Winter Pride and hosted at freefall Theatre; \u201cProgramming is to incorporate all aspects of the LGBTQIA+ community and make them all feel special,\u201d said Hall.<\/p>\n Winter Pride will conclude the following Sunday, with a \u201cDrag Race\u201d that organizers describe as \u201cthe most fabulous race of the year.\u201d Teams of amateur drag queens will race soapbox cars around an obstacle course for charity, with the winners receiving $5,000 to the cause of their choice.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m super excited for Winter Pride,\u201d said City Council Vice-Chair Richie Floyd. \u201cIt\u2019s a great opportunity to celebrate our city\u2019s LGBTQ community without all the heat, and its growth is great for our city\u2019s economy.\u201d<\/p>\n Agreed Councilmember Gina Driscoll: \u201cWinter Pride is a perfect way to share our light and celebrate the beautiful diversity that our city is built on.\u201d<\/p>\n Business owners shared the enthusiasm for the influx of both community and traffic that comes with Winter Pride. Greg Mikurak, owner of Thirsty First at 515 Central Avenue, will host the \u201cDripping in Diamonds\u201d Circuit Party. Mikurak was excited to become a Winter Pride host in his first year in a new location. \u201cThirsty First has always been a great partner and ally for Pride,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The culmination of Winter Pride will be \u201cThe Global Rainbow,\u201d a laser art installation that will be mounted on the roof of the Marijean Hotel beginning Thursday, Feb. 19. Displayed in cities across the globe, including Paris, Rio de Janeiro, and San Francisco, the laser will be lit at dusk and shine all the way to South Pasadena. Organizers expect it to be visible from up to 60 miles away.<\/p>\n For Hall, and for and Pride organizers, it is a statement of resilience \u2013 and defiance.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is our pushback to our crosswalk, murals being taken away, and all the pressure the LGBTQIA+ community has been under,\u201d Hall declared.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we can\u2019t have the streets, we\u2019ll take our rainbow to the sky.\u201d<\/p>\n Sunday\u2019s opening street festival, 12-5 p.m., takes place on Central Avenue between 22nd and 25th Avenues. Find information about performers and amenities here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nThe 2026 Pelican Ball, \u201cWinter Nights in Monte Carlo,\u201d to benefit Winter Pride, featuring artists Chad Mize and Rhys Meatyard;
\nEvents dedicated specifically to queer men, women, the trans community and communities of color.<\/p>\n