If you’re looking for the widest possible range of people worth watching, St. Pete Pride provides plenty of opportunities every year. The 2011 edition of the parade and festival seemed even more packed than usual, with colorful clusters of pierced-and-tatted alterna-teens, retired couples (both hetero and gay), liberal soccer moms and their broods, drag queens waving from floats, and many others. For anyone who thinks Florida is all righteous Red Staters, the festival is an eye-opener; for those of us who already know better, St. Pete Pride is a reminder of the diversity that makes us proud to live here. stpetepride.com.
This article appears in Sep 22-28, 2011.