In the end, it was another peaceful St. Pete Pride
ST. PETERSBURG — The St. Pete Pride Parade returned Saturday to sweltering temperatures and a hot political climate that has made the LGBTQ+ community feel like a target. But it was once again a peaceful day filled with hugs and rainbows. Lots of rainbows.
In a year marked by legal challenges, organizers of St. Pete Pride for the first time in its 21-year history fenced off both Vinoy and North Straub parks and had security guards at the entrances scanning for weapons and searching bags.
The process meant long lines on Beach Drive stretching more than a block to get into North Straub Park. But Marc Siler, 22, of Sarasota clocked his wait at only 13 minutes to reach the front of the line.
“It moved really quickly in the beginning. We had a bit of a hold up in the middle but it’s moving again,” he said, and he was happy for it. “I hope it keeps my friends safe.”
Police said it was a very peaceful day with only two arrests, one for disorderly conduct and one for criminal mischief. “But we had no major issues,” St. Petersburg police spokesperson Yolanda Fernandez said.
The parade, since its debut in 2003, has grown to what’s regarded as one of the biggest Pride celebrations in the Southeast. It had 163 units and floats in a procession that lasted more than two hours.
Before the parade, the parks were teeming, and companies were handing out freebies like fans, sunscreen, sunglasses and lip balm from outfits like Tampa General Hospital, Kroger stores, Outback, the BDO accounting firm and dozens more. Revelers were dressed in wild costumes and hairdos. Even their dogs had rainbow dye jobs.
There were many signs of love and a few moments of contention that worked out peaceably.
Shannon and Andrea Cordova-Ogg brought their family over from Tampa to enjoy the festivities at St. Pete Pride, something they do every year. This was the first time Shannon said she felt hesitant to bring along their three kids, ages 2, 5 and 7.
Their solution: On the way to the Pride festival, they had the kids cover their ears to block out the words of a few protesters. She was thankful for the increased security measures this year, but said she’s sad about the need for them at all.
Meanwhile, a man stood on a step stool at Bayshore Drive and Second Ave NE and begged passersby to define love. At first, attendees tried to answer him. But as he rebuked each response, it became evident he was accepting just one answer: the love of God.
A crowd began to gather. Ryan Jones, 17, stepped in front of him and waved a yellow, white, purple and black striped flag promoting nonbinary rights.
When Roxanne Cann-Dittman, 56, walked past him she yelled that she knew the love of God — and it told her homosexuality is not a sin.
“The Christ I believe in loves everybody,” Cann-Dittman said. “Telling people they’re going to go to hell, that’s not love.”
Love was on the mind of a group of women from Suncoast Cathedral in St. Petersburg who showed up on the Beach Drive sidewalk without a microphone. Instead they brought signs that said “Free Hugs” and “We are here to offer prayer.”
They offered high fives to people walking by and every few minutes they had takers on those hugs.
Janet Suddreth, 53, associate pastor at Suncoast Cathedral in St Petersburg, said parishioners had been doing it on their own since the Pulse shooting, to come out to make a point of love.
“What we believe the word of God says is, ‘They will know we are Christians by our love,’” Suddreth said. “Love is patient and love is kind. Nowhere does it say love screams and love shouts.”
Before the heat was beating down, a group of neighbors from Crescent Heights in St. Petersburg planted their lawn chairs and folding tables along Bayshore Drive SE in a sweet spot under a shade tree as early as 6:30 a.m. They spent the day taking shifts to reserve their parade real estate. As many as 40 members of the neighborhood ended up gathering to eat, drink and celebrate along the parade route.
“We want to support those we love,” said Amy Kelso, 62. “Especially with the climate in Florida right now not being very friendly, inclusive.”
The Trans Pride March got things started at 5:30 p.m. with a shout of “Let’s do this!” by marching from Vinoy Park to the parade’s start in Albert Whitted Park. A blocklong crowd of 300 headed down Bayshore Drive leaving a trail of soap bubbles and unified shouts of “Trans rights are human rights!”
It was a bigger crowd than Nikki Thach, 23, saw when he attended in 2018, and “a lot louder.”
Then the main parade kicked off at 6 p.m. amid the normal pomp of bubbles and beads, with Skittles and friendship bracelets tossed into the crowds. Then the chants from participants began to reflect the politics of the day.
Those walking with Equality Florida, the state’s leading LGBTQ+ group, cycled through chants including “Free state. Where’s our freedom?” and “We say gay.”
People held signs showing discontent with Gov. Ron DeSantis, declaring that they won’t be erased by him.
There was a slew of corporate floats, mixed with a few from local organizations and businesses. Then the parade took a different tone with the Lutherans for Love unit. Walking among them were members of the St. Mark Lutheran Church, which is located in Dunedin.
They waved signs saying, “God adores you” and “This pastor loves you.”
Other Christian congregations soon followed with similar messages, including St. Pete’s Allendale United Methodist Church with an inflatable Jesus next to a sign that read “Blessed are the woke.”
Times staff writers Maddy Franklin and Emma Uber also contributed to this report.
