Pride of Tampa

Pride of Tampa is a community-powered, volunteer-led nonprofit dedicated to celebrating, uplifting and connecting the LGBTQ+ community across Tampa Bay. It formed in late 2025, when a gap opened in local Pride programming and community leaders, advocates and volunteers stepped forward with a shared commitment: Pride in Tampa must continue, and it must grow. What began as a collective effort quickly became a formal nonprofit built on collaboration, transparency and long-term sustainability, with a mission to unite organizations, businesses, leaders and individuals in creating safe, inclusive and joyful spaces.

The heart of the year is the Pride of Tampa Festival, held at the historic Cuban Club in Ybor City. The first festival filled the grounds with live entertainment, local vendors, food, community organizations and interactive experiences for LGBTQIA+ people, families, allies and visitors. It welcomed more than 5,000 attendees, featured 50+ performers and brought together 40+ local businesses and community organizations. The festival returns each March, with expanded programming, more vendors and sponsors, and new initiatives to support the community.

Pride week builds around the festival. The first Pride week opened with the Pride of Tampa Official Opening Party at Bradley's on 7th and a kick-off drag brunch at Showbar Ybor, and it included girls' parties, an official after party and a closing party with Orange Party Florida. It also launched the first Trans Pride Ball, themed "Night of 1000 Oscars," with the Central Florida Ballroom Collective: a dance party by Dyke Nite St Pete followed by a ball with trophies and cash prizes, organized as a community fundraiser with Swamp Bois and Doll Dynasty for their Gender Affirming Care Fund.

The celebration does not stop when the festival ends. Taste of Pride brings 20+ local restaurants and food vendors to 1920 Ybor, where guests use taste tickets to sample dishes and vote for Pride of Tampa's Top Restaurant. Drag bingo nights at Gasparilla Distillery & Cocktail Bar, a Pride brunch in June and an end-of-summer pool party keep people connected through the year.

Pride of Tampa also sees Pride as a platform for community impact. It partners with local organizations to promote affirming mental health and wellness resources and accurate sexual health information, supports advocacy and community education on LGBTQ+ rights, amplifies programs that uplift trans, nonbinary and gender-diverse people, and gives LGBTQ+ artists, performers and small businesses a stage to shine and grow.

Everything runs on community support. Volunteers help produce the festival and events, businesses can sponsor at levels from Partner of Pride to Diamond, and individuals can donate once or monthly toward event production, community partnerships and long-term LGBTQ+ programming in Tampa Bay. Anyone can join the newsletter for event news and follow along on Instagram and Facebook.