TAMPA, Fla. — East 7th Avenue in Ybor City was filled with Floridians celebrating the fifth annual Tampa Pride Festival. Anywhere from 45,000 to 50,000 people are expected to attend today’s event, making it the biggest Tampa Pride event ever.
Attendees like Brooklyn of St. Petersburg said they were thrilled to see Tampa continuing to embrace pride.
"I love pride because I’m celebrating myself, I’m celebrating all my friends who also feel the same, in a community that’s accepted me since the beginning."
This year’s theme is "Milestones", commemorating how far the event has come. The event was banned in 2005 when Hillsborough County government agreed that county government should “abstain from acknowledging, promoting or participating in gay Pride recognition and events' with a 5 to 1 vote."
The ban was lifted in 2013, and 2015 saw the first official parade. Five years later, attendees are celebrating their own milestones.
“I think a milestone for me is being able to be out and be proud without kind of the fear of being held back,” Savannah Havens said.
Even though the event has come a long way, eyes are still on the future.
“It’s great," said Jelly Nieves. "I’m very excited about our future. Our future looks very bright.”
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