(Photo by Dylan Todd)
ST. PETERSBURG | St Pete Pride, local officials and supporters gathered May 29 at St. Petersburg City Hall to raise the Pride flag for the 12th year in a row.
The ceremony began with an introduction from St. Petersburg City Council Chair Copley Gerdes. In addition to St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, he was joined by fellow councilmembers Lisset Hanewicz, Brandi Gabbard, Richie Floyd, Deborah Figgs-Sanders and Gina Driscoll.
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor and state Reps. Lindsay Cross and Michele Rayner also participated.
“I just want to thank our representatives both from the federal and state level for joining us,” Gerdes shared. “That just shows you the partnership that we have, not only across the state of Florida but across the country … let us celebrate us choosing love and not fear in the City of St. Petersburg.”
Rayner spoke next, crediting St. Petersburg for making her the first Black, openly queer woman to hold office in Florida. She reflected on this year’s Pride at the Capitol in Tallahassee and “attacks on cities of inclusivity” from the state’s Republican supermajority.
“The theme for St Pete Pride is ‘Rooted In’ this year, and they want to attacks folks who are ‘Rooted In’ — and not just people who identify as LGBTQ, but people who are accomplices,” she said. “People who are standing here, who are elected officials and folks who … wanted to come out and show support.
“We have to be unshakeable in this moment,” she continued. “… when we raise this flag it is saying, ‘This is who we are … our city, St. Petersburg Florida, in this moment, we are saying ‘all are welcome here.'”
Castor spoke next, noting that “the pursuit of happiness … means equal rights for all, it doesn’t mean equal rights for some.” Adding that “here in St. Petersburg we’re going to ensure that is the case,” she introduced Welch.
“Each year we raise this flag and your presence here matters,” the mayor told the crowd. “It sends a message, not just to our city, not just to our state, but to our entire nation … It’s a simple but powerful act, and it becomes more important every time we do it. It’s more important than ever that we are clear about who we are in our city and the principles that we believe in and that we will fight for.
“Across our nation, we’re witnessing a wave of legislation and rhetoric aimed at erasing the very things that make us who we are — our diversity, our history, our humanity — but not in St. Pete. In this city, we do not fear our differences, we embrace them, we celebrate them. We understand that our strength lies in our diversity, in the LGBTQ+ community, in our artists and entrepreneurs and our families, our youth, our seniors. We all matter in our city.”
The mayor then read this year’s Pride proclamation, celebrating 23 years of St Pete Pride. He officially proclaimed June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month in St. Petersburg before welcoming St Pete Pride President Dr. Byron Green-Calisch to address the crowd.
Green-Calisch thanked attendees, pointing out St Pete Pride’s new executive director, board members and the 2025 royal court. He then highlighted LGBTQ+ history across the nation and the “ever-deepening roots” that have led St Pete Pride to become the largest Pride in Florida.
“It is you who made this organization as large as we have gotten, it is you who have sustained us for the last 22 years and into our 23rd season,” Green-Calisch addressed the crowd. “I am grateful for the roots that have sustained us. This community is rooted in resilience. It is rooted in tradition. It is rooted in love, but above all, we are rooted in St. Pete.”
Officials subsequently raised the flag, looking toward a month’s worth of LGBTQ+ festivities that begin June 1. St Pete Pride’s signature events are currently underway and continue through Pride Month.
“Today, Mayor Ken Welch, City officials, and community members came together to kick off Pride Month, celebrated every June, with love, unity, and joy,” the City of St. Petersburg shared afterwards. “We’re excited to celebrate Pride with you all month long. Happy Pride, St. Pete!”
“What a great way to kick off Pride Month! The Pride Flag Raising Ceremony at City Hall was a celebration of the dedication, strength, diversity, and LOVE of this community,” St Pete Pride also noted. “Our city and state government, our Mayor, and our Board of Directors stood unified to raise our flag over the city for the entire month of June … We are ROOTED IN St Pete!!”
Read more about St Pete Pride 2025 here and in the official St Pete Pride Guide published by Watermark Out News, available at official events and our next issue. View video and our photos from the flag raising below.
Photos by Dylan Todd.
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