Video above: Thousands pack Ybor City for Tampa Pride

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — St. Pete Pride has responded after Tampa Pride announced it would be pausing its 2026 Pride celebration, citing political and economic difficulties as the reason.

After the announcement of a one-year hiatus for the celebration, which was posted to Facebook on Friday, St. Pete Pride Board President Dr. Byron Green-Calisch issued the following statement:

“We want to be crystal clear: St Pete Pride is here to stay.

The pausing of one event does not mean the erasure of our voices, our visibility, or our rights. St Pete Pride remains deeply committed to creating, protecting, and expanding queer spaces across Tampa Bay.

Tampa’s LGBTQ+ community deserves vibrant, safe, and visible spaces, and we are doing everything in our power to ensure those spaces continue to thrive.

We have always valued Tampa Pride, and now is the time to reignite those connections, strengthen our partnerships, and work together to guarantee that Pride across Tampa Bay is not only preserved, but expanded for generations to come.

As for St. Pete Pride, we still have events planned and scheduled for this year, and the preparations for our 2026 Pride celebration are already underway. We will be sharing more details soon.”

With more than 300,000 annual attendees, St. Pete Pride is considered the largest Pride celebration in the Southeast.

St. Pete Pride is a non-profit organization that celebrates and supports the LGBTQIA+ community through educational programs, cultural events, and advocacy actions.