St. Pete’s second annual Winter Pride celebration began Sunday with a street festival on Central Avenue, anticipating an attendance exceeding last year’s 57,000 participants, according to organizers.
The week-long event, running through February 22, expands upon its inaugural year in 2025, encompassing more venues and neighborhoods throughout St. Petersburg. Winter Pride aims to highlight St. Pete’s welcoming environment for the LGBTQIA+ community and visitors, according to event promoters.
The street festival, spanning from 22nd to 25th Streets on Central Avenue, features hundreds of vendors, a main stage with live performances, and a variety of food trucks. A key spectacle of the week is the “Global Rainbow: We Rise in Light” laser installation, projected from the Mari Jean Hotel, visible up to 60 miles away. The installation will run for three consecutive nights, February 19-21.
Artist Yvette Mattern’s laser display is intended as “a symbol of visibility, resilience, and belonging,” organizers stated. David Fischer, owner of the Mari Jean Hotel and a board member of Winter Pride St. Pete, expressed his pride in hosting the installation, stating, “This project reflects the heart of St. Petersburg and the strength of its community.”
The celebration includes a diverse range of events hosted by Cocktail in St. Pete, including dance parties, trivia nights, a “Drag Rocky Horror Picture Show” dive-in movie, drag bingo, and a concert night. VIP tables and cabana rentals are available for select events. The week culminates with a “Drag Race” event on Central Avenue on February 22.
St. Pete Pride, the organization behind the event, is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting the LGBTQ+ community in St. Petersburg and the greater Tampa Bay region. Tickets for individual events will be available by mid-February, according to the organization’s website.
