The Grand Carnival 2023. (Photo by Samantha Ponzillo)
SARASOTA | Project Pride is bringing its series of signature events back to Sarasota to kick off Pride Month.
The nonprofit formed in 2019 to celebrate, unite and support the LGBTQ+ community in and beyond Sarasota. To build a more diverse and welcoming community, that work has extended to creating and cultivating LGBTQ+-focused events throughout the year.
They begin this weekend with the return of The Grand Carnival June 1. This year’s event, “In Bloom,” will be held from 7-11 p.m. It’s billed as a “grand style” kickoff fundraiser for Project Pride.
“Prepare to step into a blooming fantasy as we invite you to an enchanting evening filled with flowers, fantastic DJ-spinning today’s hits, cool country performances, and delightful surprises,” it’s described. “Let the petals of joy unfold around you while you dance the night away.”
Music and dancing are guaranteed with two star-studded country-singing headliners traveling from Nashville to perform at the gathering. Both headliners — Lou Ridley and Brady Riley —hail from Texas originally, which heavily influences their music style.
Ridley is a self-proclaimed “anti-country” country artist, wanting to break away from conventional stereotypes. She got her start in 2021 with her debut single “Hometown,” which detailed her struggles growing up in her hometown of Southlake.
She went on to release her sophomore EP, “Angel/Outlaw” and “Bless Your Heart,” a response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the influx of discrimination towards the LGBTQ+ community. More recently, she dropped an eight-track EP titled “Hellhound.” The project has garnered over 500,000 streams across streaming services.
As for Riley, the LGBTQ+ country singer is also shattering barriers with his combination of country, pop and rock to make a genre he calls “Country Vogue.” His single “Welcome to Chambers County” takes listeners through his experience of growing up in his small, southern hometown in Texas.
“He is a dynamic performer, a power-house vocalist, and unapologetically himself. His music is a reflection of his true character — raw, real and radiant,” Project Pride says.
“By hosting these tremendous musical artists, we hope not only to surprise our guests by just how ‘out of the box’ country music can be but also encourage wider attendance through our chosen musical genre this year,” adds Project Pride President Jason Champion. “We don’t limit our events to guests who are LGBTQ and/or allies — we want the whole community to consider attending. We know they’ll have a great time!”
Tickets for this year’s Grand Carnival begin at $85 for general admission and are $125 for VIP or $150 at the door. Along with the headliners, the event will feature a DJ, craft specialty cocktails, light bites and desserts with “delightful surprises.” It will be held at the Circus Arts Conservatory, located at 2075 Bahia Vista St. in Sarasota.
Project Pride will subsequently hold the second annual Silver Pride June 8. The event is free, open to the public and focuses on celebrating LGBTQ+ elders.
“As the older adult population in the United States grows, with the aging of the Baby Boomers, it’s important to understand the unique challenges faced by older LGBTQ adults, including economic and health disparities as well as social isolation resulting from the stigmatization of being LGBTQ in previous generations,” Champion notes. “It is such a thrill for us to see hundreds of community members who are so happy to be able to be who they are — openly — during the festivities and feel the joy of being part of an inclusive, warm and welcoming crowd.”
Project Pride is collaborating with Senior Friendship Centers and Golden Girls Solutions to host the event.
“We are incredibly proud to partner with Project Pride to celebrate our LGBTQ+ older adults,” Erin McLeod, president and CEO of Senior Friendship Centers says. “Silver Pride is a wonderful opportunity to honor their resilience, acknowledge their contributions, and ensure they feel seen and valued and never need to ‘go it alone.’”
Recognizing the struggles and history of LGBTQ+ elders is the main goal of Silver Pride. The event will feature a performance by Azara Ballet, a DJ and dancing, as well as drag performances, games, raffles, food trucks and representatives from local affirming organizations. Sarasota County School Board member Tom Edwards will also address the importance of LGBTQ+ history.
Silver Pride will take place from 12-5 p.m. at Senior Friendship Centers, located at 1888 Brother Geenen Way. The event will also feature “special legacy” couples’ gifts for couples that have been together for at least five years and are registered with the organization beforehand.
Project Pride will close out Pride month with its Grand Flag March across Ringling Bridge, a form of “lighting” the bridge for Pride. Last month the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Florida bridges would not be lit in the colors of the Pride flag this June.
“Witness a stunning display of unity and pride as we light up the bridge with our colorful presence,” Project Pride shared. The event will be open to the public and marchers will be able to hold the Pride flag as they march over the bridge.
Champion and Edwards are both expected to speak, as are Project Pride’s Executive Director Paul Lotierzo and Jules Rayne, a community organizer for Equality Florida. The march will be on June 29 starting at 9 a.m.
Sarasota’s LGBTQ+ community will have other opportunities to celebrate Pride this June in the region, with additional events organized by Project Pride and the website SarasotaOUT. Learn more below:
For additional information about Project Pride June events, visit PPSRQ.org.
