ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — June is Pride Month, and St. Pete is gearing up for another eventful year of hosting Florida's largest LGBTQ+ Pride celebration.
Despite the cancellation of other local pride events over recent Florida laws, St. Pete Pride has a jam-packed schedule of events lined up for the entire month, including a Youth Pride & Family Day, an Idina Menzel concert and the signature Pride Parade.
Here's a guide for everything you need to know about St. Pete Pride 2023.
Do I need tickets?
Some Pride events, including the kick-off party, parade and Juneteenth celebration, are free while others, like the concert and the Stonewall Reception, are ticketed.
You can view prices and purchase tickets on the St. Pete Pride website.
What is the St. Pete Pride event schedule?
Idina Menzel-Friday night concert
June 23
Jannus Live
$35
St Pete Pride Parade, TransMarch, and Festival
2-10 p.m. on June 24
North Straub and Vinoy Parks
FREE*
'Pride In Grand Central' Street Fair
12 p.m.- 5 p.m. on June 25
Grand Central District
FREE
Transtastic
6 - 9 p.m. on June 28
The Museum of Fine Arts
Queer-E-Okee
7 p.m. on June 30
The Palladium
$20-75
Parade route 🏳️🌈
The parade route will run from Albert Whitted Park to Vinoy Park along Bayshore Drive. Leading up to the parade, the TransMarch will start in Vinoy Park.
Click here to register for the 2023 TransMarch.
There will be a variety of local vendors, food trucks, DJs and a beer garden in North Straub Park for people to enjoy throughout the day.
With hundreds of thousands of people expected in downtown St. Pete over the weekend, additional security measures will be taken.
"Not only will we have increased police presence at the free speech zone, which is where people protest the event, but we will have dogs sniffing to make sure that there are no bombs on any of our vendors that are coming in," said Dr. Byron Green-Calisch, the vice president of the Pride board of directors. "We have additional bag checks and security wanding down to make sure that people are not bringing in things [they shouldn't, and we] have additional private security that will be roaming inside the event, as well."
Pride organizers have brought in private security in years past but not to this scale.
"You will see some private security, and you won't see some of the private security that we have here," said Green-Calisch, explaining that some security will be dressed to blend in with the crowds.
Traffic and more 🚦
Parking in St. Pete will be a hot commodity this weekend. Carpooling, ride-sharing, and public transit might be your best bet.
Take the bus
- PSTA is offering free bus routes all day Saturday
- Free shuttle runs between St. Petersburg High School and the parade route from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Cars must be out of the lot by midnight.
- SunRunner will get you closest to the parade route. Take it to 6th Avenue South (USFSP) or 1st Avenue South and 5th Street stops.
Park like a pro
- St. Pete Pier is an option but will be blocked off by 4 p.m., so you can’t get your car until after the parade.
- Parking garages at Southcore and Sundial are closest to the parade route.
St. Pete Pride 2023: Parade, parking and transportation
Do I have to stand for the St. Pete Pride Parade?
Nope.
While there will be standing room all along the Central Avenue parade route, VIP seating is also available for purchase.
You can purchase a Parade GLAMSTAND VIP Ticket for $75. It includes:
- Front-row seating for the parade
- 2 drink tickets
- Private cash bar
- Private restroom
You can also purchase a Parade Day VIP Cabana 21+ for $2,500 for up to 10 people. It includes:
- All-day, exclusive access to elevated and partially-shaded cabana-style seating in Vinoy Park
- View of the parade and main stage
- Private bar
- VIP only restrooms
- ADA-accessible ground area
The St. Pete Pride Parade returned in 2022 after a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. With more than 175 floats and tens of thousands of attendees, organizers labeled it the largest parade in the event’s 20-year history.
10 Tampa Bay is the proud official TV broadcast partner of St. Pete Pride.
