More than 100,000 people are expected to converge on the St. Petersburg waterfront for this weekend's St. Pete Pride Parade and celebration.
The weekend's festivities — billed as the largest Pride celebration in the Southeast — include a street festival on Saturday ahead of a Trans March and parade, and a Sunday street fair.
City officials urge those attending to get there early, as traffic will be heavy, and to stay hydrated with highs expected to climb into the mid-90s. Law enforcement will be on hand to direct traffic, and some roads will be closed ahead of the events.
Here's what you need to know if you plan on attending.
Schedule:
Saturday
- Street festival - 2 p.m. at North Straub Park. It will include food vendors, food trucks, a DJ and beer garden. The event is free and open to the public.
- Trans March - 5:15 p.m. at Vinoy Park.
- St. Pete Pride Parade - 6 p.m. It leads from Albert Whitted Park and heads north on Bayshore Drive to Vinoy Park.
Sunday
- Grand Central Street Fair, Sunday, June 23, 12-5 p.m. It includes live entertainment, food, vendors and carnival games. The event at the Grand Central District is free and open to the public.
Parking:
While the parking garages at Southcore and Sundial are the closest to the parade route, other downtown parking lots and garages are other options. The St. Pete Pier will be open, but closed to vehicular traffic and parking from 4-9 p.m. Anyone who parks at the pier on Saturday will not be able to recover their vehicle until 9:30 p.m.
Officials suggest using a ride share from North Straub Park or Vinoy Park.
Street closures:
Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Central Avenue, as well as other cross streets, will be closed between First Avenue N. and First Avenue S. from 20th Street to 31st Street.
Other closures Saturday:
- Bayshore Drive from Albert Whitted Park north to Fifth Avenue NE (1 p.m. until parade ends)
- Bayshore Drive from Central Avenue to Fifth Avenue NE (until 11 p.m. when activities end in North and South Straub Parks
Public transit:
With traffic and parking at a premium, visitors will have several options Saturday as the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority offers free service on Saturday on the SunRunner, Route 9, and the Central Avenue Trolley.
SunRunner has stops eastbound and westbound at 32nd Street on First Avenue S. and First Avenue N.
Free Park & Ride
- Tropicana Field: Lots 5, 6, and 7 from 6 a.m.-midnight. No overnight parking.
- St. Petersburg High School: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. No overnight parking.
- SunRunner: Take the SunRunner to Sixth Avenue S. (USF St. Petersburg) or First Avenue S. and Fifth Street stops to get closest to the parade route. It departs around every seven minutes from the Park & Ride locations, and the last one leaves at 11:30 p.m. The best departure stop is 1st Ave. N and 5th St. S.
- More information can be found on the PSTA website.
