Sarasota Celebrates First-Ever June LGBTQ Pride Events

SARASOTA, FL — A new nonprofit organization, Project Pride SRQ, has organized the city’s first-ever LGBTQ Pride month events this June, starting with a car parade Saturday.

While other groups have held Pride and major LGBTQ events during other times of the year — Sarasota Pride takes place in October, and the Harvey Milk Festival is held every spring — this is the first time Sarasota will host major Pride events during June, the month LGBTQ Pride is typically celebrated across the world, Jordan Letschert, Project Pride president, said.

The Sarasota City Commission will also sign a proclamation Monday night declaring June Pride month in Sarasota for the first time ever, he added.

“It’s a good step forward,” Letschert said, especially after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an anti-trans bill prohibiting transgender girls in Florida from playing on school sports teams that align with their gender identify on the first day of Pride month. “On the backdrop of something like this, it’s great the city is saying to our constituents and youth that ‘You are welcome in our city.’”

Many of this year’s Pride events have been organized with social distancing in mind because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Project Pride SRQ will host more large-scale events next year, he said.

This year’s schedule of events and initiatives includes:

• Pride Car Parade: June 5, 11 a.m. to noon, down Main Street in Sarasota
• Taste of Pride: June 6-19, various Sarasota-area businesses
• Marauders Pride Night: June 11, 5 to 10 p.m., at LECOM Park in Bradenton
• Pulse Vigil & Dedication: June 12, 8:30 p.m., downtown Sarasota
• Pride Pet Parade: June 13, 10 to 11 a.m., Bayfront Park in Sarasota
• One Love Art: June 19, 6 to 9 p.m., Sabal Palm Bank, 1950 Ringling Blvd.
• Pride Pole Banners: through June 30, various city street poles
• Light up the City: through June 19, various Sarasota businesses have designed Pride-themed window displays and lights

Learn more about upcoming Project Pride’s upcoming events here.