TAMPA - Tampa Pride, the nonprofit behind the city’s annual parade and festival, announced it will take a one-year break in 2026. The event has been a fixture in Ybor City since 2014, drawing more than 60,000 people each year.

In a statement posted on social media, organizers pointed to "the current political and economic climate, including challenges with corporate sponsorships, reductions in county, state and federal grant funding, and the discontinuation of DEI programs under Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis."

Former Tampa Pride President Carrie West said the group refuses to go into debt. "We never have, we always paid our bills," he said. Hosting the events costs about $426,000 annually for permitting, security, and insurance.

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