Saturday brings Gulfport’s Pride festival and parade

Gulfport has always operated at the fringe, but for this year’s Gulfport Pride Festival, they’re really leaning in. 

Saturday marks the fifth year of the city’s official pride celebration, which has grown steadily. The first iteration was in 2019, a rogue unofficial street parade called the Friends of Dorothy March.

Festival organizer Suzie King explained: “We just did it impromptu, and people showed up in droves. There were 300 people. We [the people of Gulfport] love to dress up. If there’s an opportunity, people do it.”

“And then the next year, we decided to pop up a festival, and we did it like we do the art walks and the Tuesday market – along the pavers with the roads still open. The second year we did it that way too. The last two years we closed the road and had two stages, but this year we only have one.” 

Scenes from parades past: Suzie King (left) and Shaun Silverleaf.

The family-friendly fest will have all the spirit of years past but with a more DIY-approach. King said that she didn’t ask businesses for sponsorships because the “town has been through so much” with the hurricanes that slammed through last year, and she didn’t want to add to their financial strain. Businesses throughout the area are booking musicians and shows to celebrate pride on their own dimes.

Some, like Neptune’s Grill, are still gutted but will hold events despite the lingering signs of destruction.  

Proceeds from the day’s fun-raisers (a play on fundraiser because these events raise both money and a good time) will benefit Gulfport charities that are connected to the LGBTQIA+ community. They’ve raised over $25,000 since the founding of the city’s Pride fest in 2020.

Saturday’s activities will run from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. along Beach Boulevard and include the traditional Walking Parade alongside pop-up events such as drag shows and concerts at businesses along the route. The parade, which starts at 5 p.m., will be led by Dykes on Bikes and Trikes (“they go a little faster than walkers”).

The Gecko Queen will join the Gulfport Gecko Amalgamated Marching Band, a group of 50 musically-inclined paraders and a staple at nearly all Gulfport events. 

Who can march in the parade? “Everybody’s welcome,” said King.”Anyone can just walk in and join the parade. It’s all inclusive.”

She continued: “Everybody – doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from, everybody’s welcome. Nobody that ever comes to Gulfport is going to feel uncomfortable there, whether they’re gay, straight, trans.” 

Despite the destruction of the 2024 storms, Gulfport still celebrates. 

“The community is resilient. No matter what you think, no matter if you think they can’t afford it, they still want it to happen. They’ll do what they can. This little town with a big heart just came together to make Pride happen. 

For more information on Gulfport Pride events, visit the official website.