{"id":157470,"date":"2026-02-16T18:50:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T18:50:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/157470\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T18:50:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T18:50:14","slug":"winter-pride-st-pete-2026-is-underway-after-a-successful-kickoff-party","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/157470\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Pride St. Pete 2026 Is Underway After a Successful Kickoff Party"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1370\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/HEADLINER-scaled.jpg\" class=\"attachment-253820 size-253820 wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" large=\"\" decoding=\"async\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/winterpridesaintpete.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Winter Pride Saint Pete<\/a> officially launched with an exceptional kickoff party that set the tone for the week ahead\u2014welcoming locals and visitors alike for an evening centered on community, celebration, and connection.<\/p>\n<p>The kickoff event brought together a diverse crowd ready to start the week on a high note. With the kickoff party now behind them, Winter Pride Saint Pete moves into a full schedule of events spanning arts, nightlife, culture, and community-focused programming. The week offers something for everyone\u2014from immersive theater and live performances to themed parties, signature nightlife events, and the much-anticipated Drag Race on Central.<\/p>\n<p>Check out photos from Winter Pride St. Pete\u2019s Kick-Off Festival by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wmnf.org\/events\/the-big-gay-radio-show\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Big Gay Radio Show<\/a> host <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/florida_turtle\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Chris Gorman<\/a> and a full schedule of the <a href=\"https:\/\/winterpridesaintpete.com\/events\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">weeks events<\/a> below! <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"253843\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3850-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253843\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"253841\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3951-1024x768.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253841\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"253827\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3841-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253827\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"253842\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3811-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253842\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"253826\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3838-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253826\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"253828\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3844-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253828\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"253821\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3808-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253821\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"253824\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3820-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253824\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"253822\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3818-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253822\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"936\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"253836\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3931-936x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253836\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"253823\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3819-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253823\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"253834\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3920-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253834\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"253829\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3864-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253829\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"767\" data-id=\"253825\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3826-1024x767.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253825\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"253830\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3867-1024x768.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253830\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"805\" data-id=\"253838\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3935-1024x805.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253838\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"253833\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3913-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253833\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"253832\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3909-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253832\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"253844\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3869-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253844\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"253831\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3905-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253831\"  \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"767\" data-id=\"253845\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_3879-1024x767.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-253845\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>Winter Pride St. Pete 2026 Event Schedule<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventeny.com\/events\/winterpridediveinmovie-21239\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Winter Pride Kaleidoscope \u2013 A Colorful Evening of the Arts<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Monday, February 16, 2026 \u2014 Freefall Theater<br \/>A multi-media drag production that blends performance, narration, and visual design into a vivid journey through the meaning and power of color.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventeny.com\/events\/winterpridetransndance-21240\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Winter Pride Trans-N-Dance<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Tuesday, February 17, 2026 \u2014 The Ball St. Pete<br \/>A celebratory dance night designed for the trans community and loved ones, featuring music, entertainment, and a welcoming space to connect.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventeny.com\/events\/winterprideonelove-21241\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Winter Pride One Love<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Wednesday, February 18, 2026 \u2014 Green Bench Brewing<br \/>Hosted by Veronica Foxx, this cultural showcase highlights the global diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community through performances, art, and food.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventeny.com\/events\/winterpridesnowbunnies-21242\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Winter Pride Snow Bunnies<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Thursday, February 19, 2026 \u2014 Good Night Johnboy<br \/>A themed 80\u2019s-inspired ski lodge party for queer women, featuring burlesque, cocktails, and a night built around fun and nostalgia.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventeny.com\/events\/winterprideprideinplaidpresentedbymistr-21245\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Winter Pride: Pride in Plaid &amp; Polar Plunge (Presented by Mistr)<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Friday, February 20, 2026 \u2014 Cocktail St. Pete &amp; The Wet Spot<br \/>A high-energy bear celebration with DJs, dancers, and an expanded pool party component, complete with a kilted dress code.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventeny.com\/events\/winterpridepelicanballpresentedbypearlmantrialgroup-21244\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Winter Pride Pelican Ball \u2013 Winter Nights in Monte Carlo (Featuring Plasma)<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Friday, February 20, 2026 \u2014 Floridian Social<br \/>An upscale evening inspired by Monte Carlo, featuring an open bar, immersive art, a live auction, and headliner Plasma in support of Winter Pride\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventeny.com\/events\/winterpridedrippingindiamonds-21247\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Winter Pride Dripping in Diamonds (Featuring Eliad Cohen)<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Saturday, February 21, 2026 \u2014 Thirsty First<br \/>Winter Pride\u2019s signature circuit party featuring DJ Eliad Cohen, high-impact production, and a night built around nonstop movement.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventeny.com\/events\/winterpridedragracepresentedbyinclusivecaregroup-21248\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Winter Pride Drag Race (Presented by Inclusive Care Group)<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sunday, February 22, 2026 \u2014 2800 Block Central Ave.<br \/>Featuring Jan Sport, this Central Avenue tradition includes drag race teams, vendors, food trucks, celebrity judges, and a $5,000 charity donation prize.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventeny.com\/events\/winter-pride-afterglow-21382\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Winter Pride Afterglow (Presented by Pearlman Trial Group)<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sunday, February 22, 2026 \u2014 The Wet Spot Pool<br \/>A closing pool party to wrap the week with entertainment, dancing, and one final celebration.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Winter Pride Saint Pete officially launched with an exceptional kickoff party that set the tone for the week&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":157471,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[202,204,203,199,201,200,3700,69073],"class_list":{"0":"post-157470","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-st-petersburg","8":"tag-st-pete","9":"tag-st-pete-headlines","10":"tag-st-pete-news","11":"tag-st-petersburg","12":"tag-st-petersburg-headlines","13":"tag-st-petersburg-news","14":"tag-the-big-gay-radio-show","15":"tag-winter-pride"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157470","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=157470"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157470\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/157471"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=157470"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=157470"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=157470"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}