The bustling city of St. Petersburg is set to host its first-ever Winter Pride celebration, a week-long event spanning from February 13th to 23rd, focusing on honoring every aspect of the LGBTQ+ community.
The inaugural Winter Pride event promises to be a significant celebration for the LGBTQ+ community in St. Petersburg and beyond. It is a strategic initiative aimed at positioning the city as a year-round destination for the community. The event has been meticulously planned, as explained by Executive Director Rob Hall, who mentioned that the concept took a year to come to fruition. ‘We started talking about feedback that some of the local businesses have gotten about what can we do to bring them here in the winter so that we can be a year-round destination really in St. Petersburg,’ Hall stated.
The event organizers have been proactively reaching out and marketing St. Petersburg as an attractive destination. This effort extends across various cities known for vibrant LGBTQ+ communities, including San Francisco, Fort Lauderdale, Provincetown, and Chicago. Hall sees this celebration as a golden opportunity to unite the community in meaningful ways, not only to celebrate but to support one another.
A colorful crosswalk, symbolic of LGBTQ+ pride, marks the streets of downtown St. Petersburg, strengthening the city’s image as an inclusive community. Hall emphasized the importance of celebrating the strength and support within the city’s LGBTQ+ community, “Also to bring our allies out, our family members out to show everyone how much love we have here in St. Petersburg.”
Winter Pride begins with an energetic kickoff party and features a variety of events such as concerts, a multicultural night, a trans celebration, and a grand ball. The highlight of the week is scheduled for February 22nd, when Central Avenue will transform into the setting for a unique ‘drag race.’ According to Hall, ’12 teams of 4-5 drag queens building a soap box derby car in drag, bringing it down the street through an obstacle course, glitter bombs, car wash, reapply the makeup, and then do a performance.’ This inventive event underscores the festive spirit of the celebration.
Efforts have been made to collaborate with local cultural, trans, and LGBTQ+ organizations to ensure the event reflects the diverse facets of the community. Planning Committee member Gabriel Alves noted, ‘This is the goal for Winter Pride, which is to have everybody, families, straight people, gay people, trans people, and everyone come together and feel like this is a safe place.’ Winter Pride is actively seeking sponsors and volunteers to further enrich the event experience.
As St. Petersburg gears up for its inaugural Winter Pride celebration, it is poised to become an annual showcase of unity and diversity, creating a welcoming environment for all participants. The excitement surrounding this event symbolizes a significant step towards fostering inclusivity and bolstering St. Petersburg’s reputation as a prime LGBTQ+ destination.
Source: Fox13news
