Forty years ago, a motley group of drag queens, homeless gay youth, and people on the street fought back against a brutal police raid on the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, N.Y. For the first time, a real stand was made against intolerance and hatred toward gays. In the ensuing decades, the remembrance of this event has evolved from one of protest to one of acceptance—and pride.
On June 27, the Seventh Annual St. Pete Pride Street Festival and Promenade returns to the Grand Central districkt of St. Petersburg. The date is of particular significance this year as it coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. And although there may be a fair number of protestors—regulated to special “Free Speech Zones”—the Pride board expects the event to run smoothly.
There have been a few hiccups. The City Council tried to block the Pride board from displaying rainbow flag banners along Central Avenue because they didn’t have a “printed message.” And despite it being a financial boon to the city, Rick Baker, the mayor of St. Petersburg, has never publicly acknowledged Pride.
Jeff Klein, St. Pete Pride co-chair, confirmed that the board has been working very hard to make this particular Pride special since the economy forced the cancellation of the Gulfport Womyn’s Festival and Winter Pride Tampa Bay earlier this year.
While Pride is a day-long celebration, there is a series of special events leading up to the downtown festival. One of Pride’s new sponsors, the Dali Museum, is hosting an “anti-black tie” auction fundraiser on Saturday, June 13 at its surrealist gallery. In addition, a special sponsor reception will be held at the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts to commemorate the Stonewall anniversary.
Although Pride has inherently political undertones, it is not a political event. This year, however, Pride will host a mayoral debate. The St. Pete mayor’s seat is an open election this year since Mayor Baker is term-limited. Seeing an opportunity, Pride Board Member David Schauer has arranged an open forum for the candidates to introduce themselves to the LGBT community and to share their views on the issues. The debate will be held June 22 at the King of Peace Metropolitan Community Church. It is the first time a mayoral debate targeting the LGBT community will be held in St. Petersburg.
Even with a month-long calendar of events, the biggest draw for people throughout Florida—and the country—is the Street Festival and Promenade. About 200 festival vendors cover seven blocks along Central Avenue, with activities for people of all ages. The festival is a family-friendly event, with founder Brian Longstreth saying the event attracts everyone “from strollers to walkers.”
And yes, extra “misting tents” and fans have been added this year to help combat the heat.
The Promenade, consisting of about 75 organizations and 25 floats, starts on Third Avenue, winds through the historic Kenwood District, down Central Avenue, and ends at 20th Street. The Grand Marshal for this year’s Pride is newly-elected Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner. This is the first time a public official will preside over Pride.
Some history
St. Pete Pride started as an answer to the now defunct Tampa Bay Pride. During its tenure, Tampa Bay Pride parades crawled through dreary downtown Tampa, with few in attendance. Then, in 2002, Tampa Bay Pride booked Raymond James Stadium, with a concert by Pat Benatar. Patrons were required to buy a ticket to get into the event, even if only to see the vendors, and organizers eliminated the parade. In response, Longstreth decided to create a free event that would appeal to a broader range of people of all ages, and run through a populated neighborhood.
In February 2003, Longstreth and others attended a community meeting. People with past experience in similar events came out of the woodwork, offering what help and expertise they could. Crucial media support, especially from the St. Pete Times, helped attract other vendors and sponsors. After only a few months of organization, St. Pete Pride made its official debut in June 2003.
In hindsight, Longstreth says he would have been happy with 20-30 vendors and a few thousand people. Instead, the inaugural St. Pete Pride saw about 70 vendors and more than 10,000 attendees. It was an instant success, and has flourished ever since. It is St. Petersburg’s biggest event, and the largest LGBT not-for-profit function in the state.
Approximately 80,000 people are expected to attend St. Pete Pride 2009. Because of its growing contribution to the LGBT community, St. Pete Pride will also host the next Interpride conference—a meeting of Pride groups from around the world—in October of this year.
More important for Longstreth, however, is how Pride continues to be both a means for people to come out and show their friends, family, and co-workers that they are everyday people, as well as an educational tool for children and others who have very narrow perceptions of the LGBT community.
For more information, visit StPetePride.com.
