ABOVE: The Grand Central District’s Progressive Pride street mural. Photo by Dylan Todd.
ST. PETERSBURG | St Pete Pride will hold its annual Taste of Pride March 12-14 from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. in the Grand Central District, returning to its birthplace for the nonprofit’s first event of the year.
The outing will mark a departure from its traditional format, reimagined for participant safety and to serve an industry still recovering from COVID-19 closures. Nearly 20 restaurants, breweries and bars will compete to win Best Bite, Best Brew and Best Cocktail.
“The pandemic has impacted the community in different ways,” St Pete Pride President Nathan Bruemmer says. “Some of us have lost family members or have had our own health challenged – and our local business owners have also struggled, particularly in the hospitality industry. Bringing Taste of Pride back to Grand Central seemed like the right thing to do.”
Participating locations include Avid Brew, Old Key West, Lolita’s, Sophia’s, The Saint, Casita Taqueria, If I Brewed The World, Punky’s, Pinellas Ale Works, Craftsman House, Grand Central Brewhouse, Dog Bar, Pom Pom’s and Black Crow Coffee, with other locales expected to join. Each contestant will vie to win votes with a $5 sampling of their best offerings.
“We’re going to have the competition that we typically would have but opening it up to multiple categories,” Bruemmer explains. Patrons will vote via QR code using their cell phones.
“We’re also spreading it out over multiple days because everyone’s schedules are a little bit different,” Bruemmer adds. “One day someone may feel like popping into a few of the breweries; another day someone may want to grab a bite to eat or try a place that’s new. It will be a good time in Grand Central.”
While donations for the nonprofit will still be accepted, no purchase from St Pete Pride will be required to attend this year’s Taste of Pride. Instead, funds received will directly benefit the participating locations.
“This is really for those restaurants and bars and breweries that are in the district to bring people in and showcase what they do best,” Bruemmer says. “It’s a time to support the folks that support us.”
Newly-elected St Pete Pride Vice President Tiffany Freisberg agrees. “St Pete Pride is about so much more than a party – it’s an essential cultural force that helps make St. Pete the open-minded, open-hearted city we all love,” she says. “Our city’s culture hasn’t happened by accident: it’s the result of people stepping up, aspiring to a vision of what’s possible and working hard to make it a reality.”
When it comes to making St Pete Pride 2021 a reality, Bruemmer says an announcement is coming soon. In the interim, he’s focused on Taste of Pride.
“This is a way to promote equity, visibility and community while showing the LGBTQ community some love,” he says. “Taste of Pride is a small way for us to give back and accomplish our mission.”
Taste of Pride will be held March 12-14 in the Grand Central District and participants must adhere to all COVID-19 safety precautions. For more information, visit the Taste of Pride Facebook event and read more at StPetePride.com.
