TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Pride announced the 2026 Pride Parade has been canceled.
On the Tampa Pride Facebook page, Tampa Pride said it will implement a one-year hiatus of the annual Tampa Pride Festival and Diversity Parade.
The parade was held in Ybor City and drew tens of thousands of people each year.
WATCH: Tampa Pride says it canceled 2026 parade due to funding difficulties and political climate
Tampa Pride said it has had difficulty obtaining corporate partnerships, county, state and federal grant funding in the current political climate.
Rene Cantu, president of the Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber, said the timing is especially challenging.
“It’s disappointing, particularly because we’re at a time in this country where visibility is so important,” he said.
Cantu added that some LGBTQ-owned businesses that are part of his organization have faced pushback and lost opportunities due to the current political climate. He said the festival has been an important platform for those businesses and the broader community to come together.
Byron Green-Calisch, president of St. Pete Pride, said he understands the pressures Tampa Pride is facing but emphasized the importance of resilience.
“Now is the time that we have to be borne of resilience,” he said
Green-Calisch added that, despite the challenges, it is crucial for Tampa to celebrate its LGBTQ community in some way.
“That is my fervent hope, and I will go on record in saying that I will do everything that I can to help them make sure they have a space to celebrate and support whatever that may look like," he said. “It is integral that we are able to do something.”
Tampa Bay 28 is the media partner for the Tampa Pride Festival and Diversity Parade.
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