The parade ends at North Trail establishment The Reserve, which will host a LGBTQ+ social with cupcakes and treats provided.
The parade starts on downtown Sarasota’s Main Street near the intersection of East Avenue, passing PrideWalk before turning on North Tamiami Trail. Organizers encourage car parade participants to decorate their rides in Pride gear and colors, with best decorations winning a prize. Event details are subject to change visit /pridemonth2021 for more information. Here are some highlights of Project Pride’s planned festivities this year. Pride Month pole banners have been put up in downtown Sarasota as well. Other planned Pride Month commemorations with area businesses will include some putting up rainbow-colored or Pride-themed displays, and inclusivity signs in their windows. Taste of Pride is set to run June 6-19, with several local restaurants and businesses participating as well as national chain Shake Shack, which has a University Town Center location and will offer a Pride shake. Rep Charlie Crist, who recently announced he is again running for Florida governor, was among those who took part in painting it. The street mural features the traditional rainbow colors as well as the pink, white and blue stripes of the trans pride flag, and black and brown representing people of color. The PrideWalk display will be incorporated into the events, with the car parade route set to include it, and a June 12 candlelight vigil for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting to be held there. The pet parade takes place at downtown’s Bayfront Park on June 13. The Pride car parade will take place June 5, starting on Main Street in downtown Sarasota before turning onto North Tamiami Trail, ending at North Trail establishment The Reserve, which will host a LGBTQ+ social. “So this year, everything you’ll see for the most part will be completely outside, because we had to plan months and months in advance.” “June 2021 will be very different than June 2022 because we had to plan around the pandemic, and not knowing what would be available and what would not be available,” Letschert said. Project Pride will feature primarily outdoor or ongoing events this year, though president Jordan Letschert said that doesn’t necessarily reflect what next year will look like. Pete Pride, which typically throws a parade that draws hundreds of thousands of spectators but this year is planning a monthlong celebration with smaller events instead. Many Pride organizations have shifted their strategy during the pandemic, such as St. More: Project PRIDE unveils ‘PrideWalk’ downtown Sarasota art installation Ticket Newsletter: Sign up to receive the latest news on things to do, restaurants and more every Friday It will also feature the debut of a Pride pet parade, along with events including a Bradenton Marauders Pride Night and One Love Art Show. This year’s festivities include the return of the downtown Sarasota car parade as well as Taste of Pride, where local LGBTQ-friendly restaurants and businesses offer specials such as discounts or rainbow items. For its second celebration of Pride Month in June, the group plans to expand its offerings, while remaining conscious of the pandemic. Since launching last year, Sarasota LGBTQ organization Project Pride SRQ has made a name for itself with events like a Pride car parade and unveiling a PrideWalk street mural in downtown Sarasota.