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Economic impact of St. Pete's MLK Parade
FOX 13's Genevieve Curtis reports.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Thousands of people are expected to line the streets of St. Petersburg on Monday as the city celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — and the return of one of its most meaningful traditions.
Bands have practiced, parade routes are set, and all that’s left is for the community to come together for the annual MLK Parade, which is a long-standing celebration of civil rights, unity and shared history.
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"I think it’s so important because sometimes we forget where we came from and where we are now," one parade attendee said.
The backstory:
This year’s parade carries added significance after the event — and others like it — came under scrutiny last summer. Community members spoke before City Council when the city’s $230,000 contribution to the MLK Parade, along with funding for the Pride Parade, was questioned by some members of council amid a state DOGE audit.
"With all of our African American history already under attack, that scares me," said Trevor Mallory, a previous parade organizer, during public comment.
Boyzell Hosey, co-founder of the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival INC and principal organizer of this year’s MLK Parade, said the community’s response was swift and vocal.
"I don’t think it’s lost on any of us how important it is," Hosey said. "There is a certain amount of pressure to make sure that we exude that message of excellence that he tried to implore in all of us."
Dig deeper:
FOX 13 requested documents on the city’s event impact, and the data shows the MLK Parade delivers a major return. While the city invests $230,000, the parade generates an estimated $7.6 million in economic impact, requiring nearly 10,000 hotel room nights, and draws about 65,000 attendees.
That makes it the fourth most profitable special event in St. Petersburg, behind only the Pride Parade, the Firestone Grand Prix and the Powerboat Grand Prix — out of nearly 50 special events held citywide.
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Hosey said local vendors are among the biggest beneficiaries.
"Whether they have a food truck, or a local restaurant, or they’re popping up at festivals, this type of exposure is how they make their livelihood," he said.
What they're saying:
"It provides measurable goods. You know, it strengthens civic trust and unity, and it has shared community values. And that's the thing that I think people really rally around. The essence of this parade is a celebration of civil rights," said Hosey.
Beyond the dollars, organizers and attendees said the parade’s true value can’t be measured.
"I was born in the ’50s, so I know about ‘colored only’ and ‘whites only,’" one attendee said. "To be excluded for so many years, inclusion is so important."
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It's an impact and a dream that continues across generations.
"We live in a special community," Hosey said. "This is what it’s all about, these shared values."
The Source: The information in this story was gathered through data on the MLK Parade's economic impact, an interview with this year's parade organizer and previous FOX 13 News reports.