Vyn Suazion performs at Pride at the Village 2023. (Photo by Ryan Williams-Jent)
Pinellas Park, Fla. | Pride at the Village, last held in 2023, will return March 1 from 3-9 p.m. at Studios @ 5663.
The only such celebration in Pinellas Park, Pride at the Village will return after large-scale renovations were made to its venue. The space was acquired by organizer John Gascot and photographer Laurie Meehan-Elmer in Aug. 2023.
The studio space was previously owned by the city and has been reimagined to house expanded gallery spaces, classrooms and room for events. Pride at the Village wasn’t held last year due to the renovations, but in years past the event welcomed around 1,500 attendees.
This year, vendors, food trucks and music will be outdoors, while drag shows and youth story hour will take place inside the studio. Organizers are eager for the celebration to return.
Since its inception it has made history, with the mayor proclaiming June 18, 2022 as Pride Day in the city. When planning inaugural event, Gascot made it a point when speaking to the city council to stress the importance of making people of all identities feel safe and welcome there.
“We’ve decided to refine the Pride experience to make it more intimate and focused,” Gascot says of its 2025 return. “Going forward, Pride at the Village will offer a curated celebration that still reflects our vibrant LGBTQ+ community, but in a more accessible and meaningful way.”
A part of that curated process is an art show themed Queer Joy, which Gascot says can be found in simple things such as morning coffee with your partner. “It can certainly be greater things and bigger things, but there’s joy in just living,” he explains.
“It’s not just about raising our fists, or throwing the brick, or carrying the picket signs,” Gascot continues. “Those are all important things, of course, but at the end of the day, we’re just trying to live our lives. I could curate a show that’s about protest with everything going on, but I also think that there’s protest in living authentically because that is what [anti-LGBTQ+ individuals] hate the most. The people who are against us now can’t stand to see us be joyful and unbothered by them.”
Artists were encouraged to submit work that explores the numerous facets of queer joy, such as community-building, love, identity and expression, and chosen family. Along with the exhibit, Pride at the Village 2025 will feature entertainment from emcee Daphne Ferraro and fellow fan favorites Vyn Suazion, Autumn Vee and Alice Marie Gripp.
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Pride at the Village 2025 will be held on March 1 from 3-9 p.m. at Studios@5663, located at 5663 Park Boulevard in Pinellas Park. Apply for a vendor spot here and visit PinellasArtsVillage.com to learn more.
