St Pete Pride’s Royal Court at the 2024 Mx St Pete Pride Pageant. (Photo by Samantha Ponzillo)
ST. PETERSBURG | St Pete Pride has announced a series of recurring events ahead of this year’s 23rd annual celebration.
“We are kicking off a new era of year-round programming, and we couldn’t be more excited!” the state’s largest Pride celebration shared March 1. “The community has asked for more events beyond Pride season, and we are here to make it happen.”
St Pete Pride detailed its first round of events for March, gatherings like Pride Bingo and a Student Banned Book Club.
The first of the announced events is the Student Spoken Word Workshop, which is open to students ages 13-18 and is a space for them to explore the art of storytelling as well as connect with other young creatives in the area. It will take place March 16 from 2-4 p.m. at Allendale UMC, located at 3803 Haines Rd. N., and is held in conjunction with Poetry is Activism.
“This workshop will introduce young humans to the relationship between social justice and poetry, giving them the tools to find their own voice and the power to use it,” organizers explain. “Participants will learn different literary devices, how to make meaningful connections between their world and the one around them, and get a brief introduction to performance and performance styles.”
Following that is the Pride Bingo @ The Study on March 19 from 6-9 p.m. It will be hosted by and feature performances from the St Pete Pride Court, with proceeds directly benefiting St Pete Pride’s work. The 18+ event will be held at The Study at 3100 3rd Ave N. and is scheduled for the third Wednesday each month.
On March 21, The Werk Gallery will host a monthly open mic from 7-9 p.m. Participants can perform spoken word, poetry, storytelling, comedy and more. There is a suggested donation of $5 with proceeds also supporting St Pete Pride. All ages are welcome but St Pete Pride notes that “this is a space of free expression and uncensored.”
The Student Banned Book Club will also be held at Allendale UMC on March 27 from 6-7:30 p.m. The event is designed for youth ages 14-18 “to explore books that have been banned or challenged in the education system,” beginning with Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the C aged Bird Sings,” and is scheduled for the last Thursday of every month.
Books can be provided but attendees are also encouraged to utilize local libraries for copies. “Each month, we will read and discuss a different banned book, diving into the themes, history and impact of censorship,” they shared. Free registration is required and questions can be directed to St Pete Pride Youth Pride & Programs Director River Bates by emailing Students@StPetePride.com.
Details for additional events are expected soon. Read more below:
“St Pete Pride exists because of YOU!” the nonprofit also shared. “YOU have allowed us to become ROOTED in this community! We could not do this without YOU and we wouldn’t want to! Clear your calendar because we will need more than JUNE this year.”
Learn more about St Pete Pride’s recurring and signature 2025 events at StPetePride.org.
