PHOTOS: Equality Florida holds 2026 Suncoast Celebration

Stratton Pollitzer, Shannon Fortner and Preston Scott. (Photo by Krista Post)

SARASOTA | Equality Florida held its 2026 Suncoast Celebration Oct. 30 at the Ora, inviting supporters to mark the Halloween season with “Once Upon a Time: Fierce and Fabulous Fairytales.”

During this magical evening, guests came decked out in their most fierce and fabulous fairytale-inspired costumes — including Little Red Riding Hood, Maleficent, Tinkerbell, Peter Pan, and much more — to gather for a night where imagination meets inspiration.

This annual event brought together the Suncoast LGBTQ+ community, major supporters, elected officials and allies for a celebration featuring a plated dinner, full bar and awards program honoring local heroes. The evening also featured performances by Blue La La Entertainment/Events and a high-energy dance party.

Among those recognized during the evening were Shannon Fortner, founder, executive director and president of the Fabulous Arts Foundation, who received the Community Partner for Equality Award; Tsunami and Hanami Sushi, recipients of the Equality Means Business Award; and Arthur Boyce and Louis DeCongelio, who were honored with the Voice for Equality Award.

The awards recognize individuals and organizations whose leadership, advocacy and community engagement have advanced LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion across the Suncoast region.

“This award means that folks are seeing the importance of the work we are doing with the Fabulous Arts Foundation and we cannot do this alone,” Fortner shared. “I look forward to strengthening our community partnerships and continuing to hold space for those in need.”

For the Tsunami and Hanami Sushi family, the award carried special significance. Owners Jason Klamson and Jeffrey Karasawa expressed they were deeply honored to accept the recognition in memory of their beloved Samuel Ray, who died unexpectedly in April, just two weeks after Hanami Sushi opened.

“Sam’s kindness, spirit and fierce love for this community touched everyone who knew them,” Klamson shared. “Sam always said, ‘We’re nothing without this community.’”

Advocacy for LGBTQ+ youth and families also emerged as a central theme of the evening, underscored by a mission moment video featuring Parenting with Pride and Equality Florida Parent Advocates. Through personal reflections, participants discussed the impact of recent Florida legislation and the critical role families, educators and communities play in supporting youth.

Despite those challenges, the message was ultimately one of hope, a feeling that resonated throughout the room and reflected the community’s commitment to building a more inclusive future.

That commitment was also evident during the evening’s paddle raise, where Dr. Tom D’Eletto and Joe Arena inspired attendees with a generous $75,000 matching challenge. The couple pledged to match up to $75,000 raised during the appeal, doubling the impact of donations and encouraging guests to invest in Equality Florida’s ongoing advocacy, education and community support initiatives. The announcement energized the room and demonstrated the strong philanthropic support behind the organization’s work across the state.

Watermark Out News attended the Equality Florida 2026 Suncoast Celebration. View our photos below.

Photos by Krista Post.