The highlight of the day is the Most Colorful Parade sponsored by SunTrust. This year's theme will be honoring Heroes, both those who've fought for equality as well as everyday heroes in our community. To pay tribute to our family and friends who tragically lost their lives 3 years ago at Pulse. The all-day festival is held annually in October to coincide with National Gay and Lesbian History Month, as well as National Coming Out Day (October 11).Įvery year, Orlando comes together to not only spread #OrlandoLove to the LGBTQ+ members of our community, but also to remember our neighbors. The weekend’s festivities wrapped up with a street festival on Sunday.Celebrating 15 years, Come Out With Pride returns October 12 to Lake Eola Park. We’re going to tell on you or stop you.’ It’s every person’s right but we act on it.” But we try to be like ‘Hey, you see us out here. “If we have to intervene in something, we will. “Our real purpose is to serve as a visual deterrent if we can,” Holland said. Pete chapter, said the Angels are there to help law enforcement. Petersburg Police called in agencies to help during the Pride celebration – including the FBI and the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.īut police weren’t the ones on patrol this weekend.Īlso attending the Saturday parade and Sunday street festival were the Guardian Angels, a group of volunteers that wear their own uniforms and conduct street patrols. To help quell the fears of a mass shooting like that in Orlando, St. “We need Pride now more than ever,” said Eric Skains, Executive Director of St Pete Pride. Petersburg and Orlando are together in this." "In the past whenever the LGBT community was faced with hatred, Pride events were a time when we could gather together to heal, to unite with our allies, to celebrate our common bonds and respond with love. Pete Pride partnered with for the tribute to the Orlando shooting victims. “The tragedy that took so many lives, wounded others and decimated our communities was an attack on our safe havens, our sensibilities and our friends," said Jeff Prystajko, director of marketing and communications for Come Out With Pride, the organization St. Hers was homemade and adorned with a rainbow, the symbol of gay pride. The celebration went on long after the sun went down. Throughout, Ohman and many others wore shirts serving as their own quiet vigil for the victims of the Orlando shooting.
Stand up for what you believe in and don’t let it affect the way you live your life.” “You can’t be scared of who you are and going out in public. “You can’t really live in fear of what happened,” Oman said. She said she only briefly hesitated before deciding to attend. Spring Hill resident Jackie Oman has attended Pride the past few years. We are out, we’re proud, and we have to be to get the rights we deserve, the human rights. It is not a good idea to let that one act scare you into hiding. “We are a resilient community and we will keep fighting. “The act of one person cannot keep us down,” said St. Petersburg’s Central Avenue near sunset for the 14th annual event that’s grown to become Florida’s biggest gay pride event.Ī number of local residents who are part of the LGBT community said they came to celebrate life.
Pete Pride still sounded and looked a lot like the city’s previous celebrations.Ībout 6,000 parade marchers, food vendors, musicians and an estimated 250,000 attendees crowded St. While thoughts of the Pulse nightclub massacre were present, this year’s St. “Just looking at that one person tore me to pieces it really did."īut the somber tone didn’t stop paradegoers from partying. "I wanted to cry, I really did,” Lyons said. The 102 participants walked in silence, 49 of them holding a sign with the name and age of those killed two weeks ago, and 53 holding candles for each person injured.Īmanda Lyons of Bradenton watched from the sidelines. Pete Pride parade started with a quiet tribute to the victims of the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.