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Police prepare for Pride parade
Hundreds of thousands of visitors are arriving along the St. Petersburg waterfront as the city prepares to host the largest Pride weekend celebration in Florida. Organizers anticipate massive crowds for a series of events spanning from Friday night through Sunday evening. FOX 13's Kailey Tracy reports.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Hundreds of thousands of visitors are arriving along the St. Petersburg waterfront as the city prepares to host the largest Pride weekend celebration in Florida. Organizers anticipate massive crowds for a series of events spanning from Friday night through Sunday evening.
St. Petersburg events schedule
What we know:
Festivities began Friday night with a concert and market at the Coliseum from 4-10 p.m.
On Saturday, North Straub Park hosts vendors, food trucks, a DJ and a beer garden from 2-10 p.m., while a separate stage opens in South Straub Park. The Trans March steps off from Vinoy Park at 5:15 p.m., followed by the main parade at 6 p.m. starting at Albert Whitted Park and moving north along Bayshore Drive to Vinoy Park.
On Sunday, a local street fair takes over the Grand Central District from noon to 5 p.m.
Police deployment plans
Local perspective:
Law enforcement noted that large crowds can be potential targets, but there are currently no credible threats against any events this weekend. The St. Petersburg Police Department is utilizing an all-hands-on-deck approach that includes undercover officers, marine units, and a command bus.
Police are also monitoring cameras across the area from their real-time intelligence center.
High temperature warnings
Why you should care:
A primary concern for safety officials this weekend is extreme weather rather than security disruptions. Officials urge attendees to stay hydrated and take care of themselves to prevent heat-related illnesses during the hot, humid weekend.
Florida political climate impact
What they're saying:
"When the temperature gets turned up, specifically in the rhetoric at the state legislature, we see more people come out and celebrate with us, lock arms, arm in arm to really show each other that we care and continue to fight the fight," said St. Pete Pride President Dr. Byron Green-Calisch.
He noted that the political climate caused the organization to lose several sponsors this year, forcing difficult decisions regarding programmatic offerings.
"We want people to recognize that joy and frustration can live in the same space and they can hold that tension and showing the world that we here in the Tampa Bay Area, here in St. Pete, we believe that inclusion is incredibly important," Green-Calisch said.
Financial boost for city
By the numbers:
The celebration brings substantial financial benefits to the regional hospitality sector. Green-Calisch stated that the weekend contributes more than $60 million to the local economy through direct spending at spots like area hotels.
Transit and parking options
What you can do:
Visitors are encouraged to park in the SouthCore or Sundial garages downtown or use rideshare services. The transit authority is offering free park-and-ride services from St. Petersburg High School and Pasadena Community Church on Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight, with buses running every seven minutes.
Waterfront street closures
What's next:
Bayshore Drive closes for parade staging from Albert Whitted Park north to Fifth Avenue Northeast starting at 1 p.m. Saturday. The road remains closed until 11 p.m. when park festivities conclude.
The St. Petersburg Pier remains open Saturday, but vehicular access and parking are prohibited from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., and parked cars cannot exit until 9:30 p.m.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 13's Kailey Tracy, who spoke with the St. Petersburg Police Department and St. Pete Pride President Dr. Byron Green-Calisch.