(Photo by Robin Mimna)
DELAND, Fla. | Families, performers and small businesses gathered in downtown DeLand Feb. 7 for Volusia Pride’s annual Love Is Love Pride Fest, a daylong celebration of visibility and connection that continued without interruption despite a small protest outside the event.
Held along Indiana Avenue, the festival featured live entertainment, vendor booths, resource organizations and family-friendly activities. Programming included drag performances, youth activities and a drag storytime, along with regional entertainment such as the Orlando Gay Chorus.
Volusia Pride President Ann-Marie Willacker said the turnout reflected strong local support at a time when LGBTQ+ events across Florida and the country face increasing challenges.
“Overall, I’m really proud of how Love Is Love Pride Fest went,” she says. “Yes, there were protesters, and yes, we’re seeing LGBTQ+ events across the country struggle or shut down due to funding. But what stood out to me was our community showing up anyway. Families came. Small businesses participated. Performers shared their art. People chose joy and connection over fear.”
A small group of street preachers, including Maurice and Brittany Price, entered the festival area and used amplified sound equipment to deliver messages opposing LGBTQ+ identities. At times, the group’s presence drew crowds and affected access to nearby vendor booths.
Attendees responded by forming a visual and sound barrier, holding rainbow umbrellas and Pride flags to block sightlines, while others used whistles to reduce the sound.
DeLand police officers assigned to the event said the group could not be removed because they were operating within city regulations. Officers determined the amplified sound fell within permitted limits after adjustments were made and said the group’s actions did not meet the threshold for disorderly conduct, describing the activity as protected First Amendment expression.
The Prices are Florida-based Christian activists who describe their work as public evangelism and have conducted similar demonstrations at churches, public gatherings and LGBTQ+-related events across Central Florida. According to reports by LifeSiteNews, the couple was arrested and held for several hours following protest activity at Orlando’s Come Out With Pride event in October 2025.
Volusia Pride Entertainment Director and performer Kirk T. DaVinci said the community’s response stood out.
“Very successful overall!” DaVinci shares. “[A] moment that stood out for me is when everyone came together to block the hate and shield the love.”
For many attendees, the festival offered a sense of connection.
“The event itself was fun. Always enjoy walking and just chatting with strangers and looking around. Pride always gives a sense of belonging and community,” attendee Terry Jacobs says.
Jacobs said the presence of protesters was upsetting but reinforced the importance of the gathering.
“I grew up in the church, and spent many years listening to the same message protester was yelling. It took a lot of years to accept who I am and I’m exactly how God made me. Seeing people use that message to try and hurt people is upsetting and I couldn’t just stand by,” Jacobs shares. “The world needs more love and less hate.”
Willacker said gathering together carries added meaning in the current climate.
“In a moment when so many spaces are being challenged, simply gathering together matters,” she says. “Pride is more than a celebration. It’s a reminder that we’re still here, and we’re not going anywhere.”
She added that Volusia Pride’s work extends beyond annual events.
“Volusia Pride is thriving because we’ve invested deeply in community building,” Willacker explains. “We’re not just hosting events. We’re creating year-round spaces where people connect, share meals, support one another, and build real relationships. That foundation of trust and belonging makes us resilient.”
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