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St. Pete Winter Pride braces for record crowds

By Heather Healy
Updated  February 15, 2026 6:54pm EST
St. Petersburg
FOX 13 News
Winter Pride returns to St. Pete

Winter Pride returns to St. Pete

The streets of St. Petersburg are preparing for a massive influx of visitors as St. Pete Winter Pride kicks off its second annual celebration. FOX 13's Heather Healy reports.

The Brief

    • St. Pete Winter Pride returns for its second year, with organizers expecting attendance to jump from 57,000 to more than 100,000 visitors.
    • The week-long celebration is projected to bring a major economic boost to St. Petersburg, drawing out-of-state visitors and filling local hotels.
    • The centerpiece of the event will be a three-night laser installation, "Global Rainbow: We Rise in Light," which will light up the area near Mari Jean Hotel from dusk until 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The streets of St. Petersburg are preparing for a massive influx of visitors as St. Pete Winter Pride kicks off its second annual celebration. After a successful debut last year, organizers are doubling down on events, expectations and impact.

The backstory:

What started as a way to celebrate pride during Florida’s peak weather months has quickly evolved into a major tourist draw.

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Executive Director Rob Hall notes this time of year offers a unique appeal for those looking to escape the cold.

"Whether you're a snowbird or you come in the summertime for pride, we want people to be able to celebrate during the most amazing weather of the year with us here in St. Petersburg," Hall said.

By the numbers:

Last year, the inaugural event saw 57,000 attendees. This year, thanks to a full year of national advertising and local partnerships and lots of planning, organizers expect to shatter that record, with 100,000 people anticipated to join the eight-day celebration.

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This is a significant boost for the local economy as well, with people coming from all over to St. Pete.

Big picture view:

"We saw people from out of state during our first year in 2025, just through conversations on the street," Hall said. "We've had a lot of people book local hotels. We have some great partnerships with them as well.  We're excited to see who comes and where they're coming from."

The centerpiece of this year’s programming is a stunning three-night laser installation titled "Global Rainbow: We Rise in Light." 

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According to Board Member Gabe Alves, the installation will serve as a beacon for the community. 

What they're saying:

"We're going to have a ceremony here in front of the Mari Jean on the 19th, which is Thursday. And at dusk, we're going to light it up," Alves said. "It will be three nights, Thursday night, Friday night and Saturday night from dusk until 3 a.m." 

From local vendors to laser light shows, St. Pete Winter Pride is looking for unique ways to grow each year.

"We are a community that welcomes and appreciates everybody," Hall said.

The event kicks off Sunday and will run for the next seven days.

For more information on St. Pete Winter Pride, click here. 

The Source: Information for this story was gathered from interviews with organizers of St. Pete Winter Pride,

St. Petersburg