Tampa’s Pride parade marks milestone of putting pandemic in the past
YBOR CITY, Fla. - Tens of thousands of people lined the streets of Ybor City Saturday for Tampa’s 6th annual Pride celebration, which was the first parade the city held since the beginning of the pandemic.
For nearly two hours, approximately 100 floats, marching bands and organizations made their way down 7th Avenue as crowds cheered from both sides of the street.
The theme of the day was love.
"All my friends and family, they support me and seeing everyone to come out and support here in Ybor, it's a blessing," said Tre Thomas, a parade attendee.
The Pride celebration was canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Other major events such as Gasparilla, the Knight Parade and the St. Patrick’s Day festivities were also canceled in 2020 and that’s why, for many, the Pride parade marked an important milestone in putting the pandemic in the past.
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"It has been way too long. That's why I am really excited that I'm able to get out and experience what pride is like with this crowd because it has been way too long for everybody," shared Aaron Moupin, parade attendee.
The Pride festivities continued after the parade, which gave businesses a boost as they try to recover and make up for lost revenue.
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